Stock up on your spices at Splendid Blends
The characteristic tastes of a region’s cuisine often begin with a signature blend of spices. Bringing these blends into your own kitchen can lend authenticity to international dishes and provide creative inspiration for your everyday cooking. So get ready for a trip across the globe – no passport required.
Gaynor Long, the master spice blender from Splendid Blends, has more than 20 years experience in blending traditional spice recipes and creating special signature blends. For Gaynor, blending spices is an art form. She loves the distinctive aroma of each spice, and the textures and colours as she pours each one into a mixing bowl and begins her creation. Inspired by the vibrant cultures that produce each blend, Gaynor does her best to be authentic to the traditional blends.
Splendid Blends specialises in traditional regional spice blends and recipes. The range includes blends from the likes of Morrocco, Portugal, South Africa, Egypt, the Middle East, Turkey, Thailand, India, New Orleans, Spain and Italy. Splendid Blends only supplies ultra fresh ‘A-grade’ spices and spice blends using only 100% natural ingredients. Each Splendid Blends packet has serving suggestions and recipes to help you cook up the most authentic international meal. And if there is a blend you are looking for that they don’t stock, it can be custom blended for you.
Even with customers from all over the world, Splendid Blends can be found at the Jan Powers Powerhouse Farmers Markets, Queen Street Mall Farmers Markets and Mitchelton Farmers Markets.
Gaynor’s signature blend is Ras El Hanout – a classic Moroccan blend that is said to increase longevity and virility, and gives Gaynor free rein to showcase her spice-blending skills. In Splendid Blends’ Ras El Hanout, the sweet spices dance with heat of chilli that is visually enhanced with pink-hued rose petals and lavender from Gaynor’s garden.
How to cook Ras El Hanout:
Gently fry onion, garlic and ginger until soft. Add one third to half a packet of Ras El Hanout spice blend and stir for a couple of seconds until fragrant. Add 500 gm of meat and vegetables and enough water to almost cover. Try lamb and apricots or beef and dates with lots of pumpkin and sweet potato. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with couscous or rice.
Ras El Hanout ingredients:
Coriander, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cassia, cloves, ginger, nigella, chilli, organic rose petals and organic lavender.
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