Nothing gets me more excited in the kitchen than experimenting with different flavour combinations using an array of spices. My mother often jokes that we have more spices in the pantry than food! I was recently in Zanzibar, off the coast of East Africa in the Indian Ocean. It is refered to as the Spice Island, just like our neighbours Grenada, and I went crazy buying spices. My time there was wonderful and I will share my experience there in another piece. Historically, spices played a major role in world history. They were a valuable commodity traded between the Africans, Asians and Europeans since ancient times. Today, India is the number one producer of spices.

Those of you familiar with this column know that I use a lot of fresh herbs and spices in my dishes. I’ve already gone into depth with herbs, so today I wanted to talk about spices and how significant they are in the kitchen. Many readers often write to me that they are bored and want to create more exciting dishes. I often advise that they must begin collecting spices, even if it’s just one per month or whenever your budget can afford to do so.

Having your own personal collection of spices can open up a world of flavours to you. Stock up on paprika, cumin, coriander, caraway, cardamom, sesame seeds, mustard powder, saffron (the world’s priciest spice), fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, juniper berries, sumac and so many others if you can find them. Every time I travel overseas, I stock up on spices I cannot find here, or ask my relatives to bring them when they come to visit.

Certain countries use particular spices and if one has a well-travelled palate gastronomically, you can often pinpoint the origin of a recipe. Za’atar from Lebanon, Five Spice powder from China, Berbere from Ethiopia, Garam Masala from India, Quatre Epice from France, Cajun Black Seasoning from the USA and our delightful Jamaican Jerk are world-famous spice blends. You can make the above for yourselves if you have the right ingredients in stock.

JuicyChef Spice Tips

Like everything else, spices are perishable and need to be properly stored in airtight containers in a cool, dry place without too much exposure to light.

Avoid hot or damp places as it will cause your spices to lump up and lose their colour, vibrancy and flavour.

Some spices can be refrigerated such as paprika and chilli.

If you notice that your spices begin to smell stale, have become weaker in flavour, begin to stick together, it’s time to throw them out.

Whole spices keep fresher longer than those which have been ground already.

Spices can be ground or dry toasted to bring out intensity.

Here are two blends that you can make at home.

Cajun Blend: 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon each paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, 1/2 tablespoon each black and white pepper, thyme, oregano and sage

Garam Masala Blend: 3 tablespoons ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 3/4 tablespoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Spice and Herb Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

Marinade

2 tbsps vegetable oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon each cumin, cayenne, dried rosemary, dried thyme, salt

Method:

Mix marinade ingredients together and rub all over the chicken and inside the cavity.

Bake at 375ûF until golden, between 45mins to an hour.

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Bon Appétit!