The journal
Practical writing on cooking with spices: getting more flavor out of what you have, what to swap, and what to keep on the shelf.
The spice pairings that make peak summer produce taste better
Corn, tomatoes, peaches, and zucchini are at their best right now. Here are the spices that make each one taste more like itself, and why the pairing works.
The best spices for summer grilling, and why each works
A grill is the harshest place a spice ever goes. Here is what the fire actually does to five of them, and when a dry rub beats blooming in oil.
The nutmeg island worth more than Manhattan
In 1667 the Dutch let Manhattan go to keep a three-mile volcanic island that grew nutmeg. That single trade explains more about the spice trade than any other fact in it.
The dried chile family, sorted by flavor not by heat
Heat is the least interesting thing about a dried chile. Sort the family by what each one actually brings, sweetness, smoke, color, or clean fire, and the wall of red powders starts to make sense.
How spice blends work, and when to add each one
A blend is a cuisine's logic, distilled into one jar. The trick is knowing which ones cook into a dish and which ones you scatter on at the end.
How to bloom and toast whole spices, and why it matters
The single habit that gets the most flavor out of a spice rack: heat. Here is when to toast dry, when to bloom in fat, and how to avoid the bitter edge.
Cassia is not cinnamon: how to tell them apart
Most of the cinnamon sold around the world is actually cassia. They are related, but they taste and behave differently, and the difference is easy to spot.
The spice substitution cheat sheet
You are mid-recipe and out of one spice. Here are the swaps that actually work, the ratios to start from, and the ones to avoid.
Whole vs ground spices: when each one wins
Whole spices last longer and taste livelier; ground spices are faster and disperse evenly. Here is how to decide, spice by spice.
How to build a spice cabinet from scratch
You do not need fifty jars to cook well. Here is how to build a spice cabinet in tiers, starting with the ten that do the most work.