The Spice House

The building is only as strong as the foundation.  The team is only as strong as the weakest member.  You've heard all the sayings, but when it comes to cooking, it is just as true.  Food is only as good as the ingredients used.  Here in Chicago we have a great resource for super fresh spices, The Spice House.  When you walk into this store it feels like you stepped back in time to the days of the spice merchants importing spices from exotic lands.   A little of this is from the amazing aroma that welcomes you, some of it is the 40lb burlap bags of spices and the jars lining the shelves, and some of it is the diversity in the selections, such as Mexican Vanilla Beans and Saigon Cinnamon.

They sell everything you could imagine, or need at very reasonable prices.  I bought a few empty bottles online and have been buying spices in bags then transplanting them into the glass jars.  This lets you save a dollar or two off the cost of buying them in those jars, allows for reuse instead of adding more jars to the landfill, and allows you to buy the quantity that you need. 

Spices are integral to cooking and layering flavor, one you don't want to skimp on.  If your city doesn't have a local spice merchant, you are in luck as they have an online shop.  They offer a great product at a reasonable price and even Alton Brown is giving the Spice House his stamp of approval on Good Eats. 

~ Dan

**We were not approached by the Spice House nor is this a sponsered post in any form... we just like it that much that we wanted to share!

Farmer's Markets Seasonal Bounty

Farmer's Markets have been around for a very long time.  They have evolved from the Roman markets that were the only way to get food back then, to a way for local farmers to economically sell their harvest.  Most chefs prefer to shop for their ingredients as close to the day they are going to use them.  Many cities and communities have a few markets throughout the week so when you cook you can take advantage of the freshest ingredients possible while supporting your local producers.  Even Whole Foods, which is incredible, still has transportation and processing times, which can lead to it being a week or more before they get to your grocery cart.

If you want to ensure you cook with the freshest ingredients a Farmers Market is the way to go.  Not only do you support local farmers you can often get produce at a lower cost than the store...no taxes. 

I admit that I often have to be dragged to the farmers market by Tara but always enjoy what we find there.  You can find the farmers markets in your area here.

- Dan