Herbs

Our handmade spice gift sets: The Mediterranean One

Know a foodie or kitchen lover? Our spice sets make the perfect gift! We have chosen four of our top herb, spice, salt or pepper for each gift set and we just know that you will LOVE these. The perfect starter set for med lovers.

Fresh, seasoned and balanced.

Included: 
Chilli flakes - dried chilli 30g
Mushrooms - ground shiitake mushroom 20g
Oregano - dried oregano 10g
Rosemary - dried rosemary 15g

Each come in a small white top jar, perfect to refill your herbs and spices with us again! 

All of these ingredients can be used for beautiful dishes. We love the mushroom powder in risottos, pastas, sauces, broths, gravy, mac and cheese - and.... have you ever tried it as a topper for cheese on toast?! Don't hate it until you've tried it, because my goodness the added flavour is incredible. Sprinkle porcini powder onto grilled cheese-on-toast for an out-of-this-world flavour explosion.

Recipes to try:
Vegan mac and cheese 
Vegan risotto
Sprinkle your flaked chillies onto any Med dish - pizzas, pastas, risottos - for an extra kick. They can be stirred in or used as a garnish.
Med veg with greek cheese - you can substitute the cheese for any vegan cheese.

Jess' lazy dish when she wants something fresh and easy: roast tomatoes and garlic cloves into the oven to roast (if you only have tinned tomatoes, reduce these down into a thicker paste with the rosemary and oregano - try the mushrooms in it too for added depth) with fresh herbs (use the dried oregano with this). Cook spaghetti - when the spaghetti is ready, keep some pasta water.
Mix the spaghetti, roasted veg and pasta together, top with the chilli flakes and drizzle some olive oil and you're good to go! 
Fresh, quick and easy.

Allspice, also known as Jamaica pepper or new spice, is a spice made from the dried berries of a plant known as Pimenta dioica, a member of the myrtle family. The berries get briefly fermented, before sun-drying until brown.

Often mistaken for a blend of spices, allspice is a single-ingredient seasoning with loads of unique flavor. The flavour of allspice brings to mind cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper.

Whole allspice berries are sometimes used in stews and soups, and for pickling and brining. The ground version is more commonly used in desserts, such as pumpkin cake or pie, spice cakes, and gingerbread.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an annual herb of the mint family (Lamiaceae) grown for its aromatic leaves. It is thought native to India and is widely grown as a kitchen herb. The leaves are used fresh or dried to flavour savoury dishes and create pesto, but is getting more commonly used in sweet dishes and summery cocktails.

Here's a link to some basil-related cocktails from Supercall to fragrant-up that summery freshness in your drinks. Or try this super creamy pea pesto pasta with sundried tomatoes from Minimalist Baker, super delicious and nutritous! 

Bay leaves, although may not look like much, actually have a sweet, herbal and floral nature that give that extra depth of flavour in dishes. They come from the bay laurel tree, native to the Mediterranean. Most commonly known for their addition into broths, soups, and stews as a flavour enhancer.

Maybe try not to eat them whole though - they're not so tasty as a snack. 

Black Peppercorns are the dried fruits of a flowering climbing vine from the Piperaceae family. The peppercorns are harvested, boiled and dried. They are rich in vitamins A and C, can boost absorption of some essential nutrients, and contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties, along with it's peppery taste, are attributed to the presence of the essential oil 'piperine'.

Black Peppercorns are one of the most widely used spices globally and are often combined with salt tableside as a condiment. They are normally cracked or ground, using a spice mill or mortar and pestle, to release their pungent aroma and fruity, picante flavor.

Top tip: The flavor of black peppercorn is enhanced when combined with an acidic ingredient like lemon or tomatoes and can even be added to cocktails and desserts for a unique flavor experience.

Want to take your peppery relationship further than just a condiment?... Try this vegan caramelized black pepper tofu and noodles from Rabbit & Wolves. Or the perfect balance between acidity and pepperiness, in the Dalmation Vodka Cocktail from Saveur.com.

Fun fact: Black Peppercorns are native to the Malabar Coast of India, where evidence shows the spice has been used for over 4,000 years. For a long time, is was primarily utilized as a medicine. The spice was even used in preserving mummies (Ramses the Great’s body had peppercorns stuffed in the nostrils to help keep the body clean).

Brown mustard seeds are most known in wholegrain mustard, and as a seasoning. However they also commonly used in Indian cooking, where their fragrant tastes come out from roasting in a dry pan, or lightly fried in ghee/oil until they pop. 

Allergens: mustard

Cajun seasoning is a blend of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, crushed red pepper, thyme and oregano. What a delicious explosion of flavour!

Allergens: mustard

Ingredients: paprika, salt, chilli, black pepper, garlic, MUSTARD, onion, sugar, turmeric, coriander, thyme, oregano, silicon dioxide, sage, sunflower oil

A member of the carrot family, native to Asia and Europe. Used whole, the thin crescent-shape seeds have a strong characteristic flavour. Add at the beginning of cooking and use sparingly. Good in bread, curries, casseroles, pastries and cakes.

Cardamom is a spice made from the seed pods of various plants in the ginger family. It's native to India and Sri Lanka, and highly aromatic.

This isn't just for curries though, its also used often in dessert, rice, and if you're a chai lover - it's a common ingredient of chai. It's also been known for its use in flavouring coffee in Middle Eastern countires, or in Scandinavian breads and pastries. 

Don't just take our word for it though! Get creative and let us know where your inventions take you. 

These are not so tasty as a snack though for most, so not recommended to eat by themselves.

Top tip: To get maximum fragrance, bruise the pods first to expose the seeds before adding them in at the start of cooking. 

Cayenne pepper is a variety of chilli powder from hot red chilli peppers native to Central America. Cayenne pepper can be used in the same way as chilli powder, although it is rather hotter. Add sparingly to soups, white sauces, curries and spicy dishes.

Ingredients: Chilli Powder, Paprika, Sunflower Oil

Crushed chilli flakes, perfect for topping your foods, mixing into your curries and bakes etc. Go wild! 

Ingredients: chillis (crushed)

Ingredients: coriander, cinnamon, fennel, ginger, cloves, dill seed, star aniseed, aniseed green

Dried Chipotle Chillies are prepared from fresh mature Jalapeno peppers. They're smoked with Pecan wood chips & dried. They're predominately deep red -brown in colour. They have a deliciously smokey flavour with medium/high pungency. Mainly used in Mexican dishes. Great with beans or in stews and soups.

Ingredients: Crushed Chipotle Chillies.

Cloves are the hard, dried flower buds of an evergreen tree of the myrtle family, from SE Asia. Very aromatic with a strong pungent flavour, they are used in spicy, sweet and savoury dishes, mulled wines and punches, sauces, cakes, mincemeat, puddings, biscuits and pastries.

A member of the carrot family, Middle Eastern in origin, the soft feathery leaves are sometimes known as Greek or Chinese Parsley. They have a distinctive aroma and a fresh, strong taste. Use in salads; savoury or 'Oriental' dishes or sprinkled as a garnish over soups and starters.