Thursday, January 11, 2007

How could I NOT???


After reading a recent post by Mimi, of French Kitchen in America, concerning spices and herbs in her cupboard, I felt inspired to dig out several bottles of my own that have been collecting dust in my pantry. Now, what possessed me to purchase such unusual items in the first place is beyond me, except that the bottles were so pretty, and the names were so unusual. I thought to myself, "surely I will find a myriad of uses for such spectacular salts and rubs."
NOT.
At least not so much.
Maybe you can help me change that.
Above, find "Field Day", aka "earth-a-kit", a blend of garlic/onion/mustard/sea salt/pepper/sugar/fennel seeds/oregano/ginger/rosemary/basil/paprika/lemon verbena/tumeric/petals.
What CAN'T you do with such a blend?? And what are "petals"???
Their suggestions include: grind over chicken, lamb, or meat before grilling, casseroles and stews.
Next up: "Crystal Pools". (for serious chilling out)
Hand harvested sea salt/blue poppy seeds/lavender/chamomile/corn flowers/lime flowers
They suggest this as a replacement for refined salt
Third: "Green Pieces" (whale of a time)
sea salt/onion/garlic/ pepper/flat leaf parsley/fennel/oregano/ rosemary/lemon verbena/lemon zest/petals
"A piece-ful combo to add a delicious tang to salads, dressings potatoes and chicken before roasting, avocado, omelettes and veggies"

3 more wonders from the world of herbs and spices and "petals"
The first one: "Magic Wagic Mushrooms" (an overnight sensation)
Contains: sea salt/chanterelle & porcini mushrooms/onion slivers/flat leaf parsley
"A mind altering blend to add a mouth watering mushroom taste and aroma to pasta sauces, salad and veggie dishes, baked potatoes, omelettes and salad dressings."
This one kind of speaks for itself. I think I could use this one, no problemo.
Next: "Oh!Zone" (nature's washing machine) WHAT does THAT mean???
A blend of: sea salt/fennel seeds and fronds/ chinese ginger/ lemon peel/ coriander/celery/mint/cardamom
They say: "A cleansing blend to add a "lift" to stir-fries & curries. Also salad dressings, sauces, & in place of refined salt for a healthier table condiment."
Lastly we have: "Zest for Life" (it cooks)
A "playful" Sicilian blend with lemon/ roasted garlic/ flat leaf parsley/ rosemary/thyme/lemon zest/capers
Playful???
"Aromatherapy for your Food"
"The caress of tangy lemon and wild garlic and the freshness of italian parsley adds zest to any dish. Massage generously onto spatchcocked chicken before roasting on a bed of sliced onions tossed in olive oil. Enhance fish by rubbing before pan frying with butter and experience the taste of life".
Just what is a "spatchcocked chicken" anyone???

Now that I have pulled these from the abyss of the kitchen cupboards, I think I will leave them out on the counter for a while, and I believe just seeing them there will inspire me to actually USE THEM!!!
As if their most vivid descriptions aren't inspiring enough!
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6 comments:

Aunt Jenny said...

Oh they sound just wonderful Cyn!!! I will sure love to hear if anyone knows what that chicken is???!!!

Cheryl said...

Okay...I'm originally from New Mexico so my kitchen has chili powder, garlic, purple onion, cilantro and a few italian spices...

Someone seriously needs to help me in the cooking department.

Unknown said...

Cyn, I can see exactly why you bought those spice mixes! I would have done the same.

They hold a promise for us, the promise of some exotic flavors and elegant meals.

Plus, the package lures us. It says fresh, even thought the speices are dry and in a bottle.

I love the notion of grinding, too.

Whowever came up with the packaging is marketing savvy.

Thanks for the mention! You are the tops.

Anonymous said...

Bottles of this sort also seem to end up making their home in my cupboards, too, and for the SAME reasons...I'm lured in by the genious that made their "dress" look good...as I pondered their content earlier this fall, somehow it seemed that the dust mites that everyone says are in the air had somehow made their way into these bottles that were bought on a whim...trying to learn a lesson from this I dropped them into the trash and vowed to scale down...

I do grind all my own fresh pepper from peppercorns and I use only sea salt from Trader Joe's...this summer, now that I will enjoy full sun in my garden, I will grow fresh herbs and then dry them to use...maybe...French thyme always graces the stones at the foot of my front porch steps
I also use rosemary and thyme in all of my container gardening as fillers...it's foilage spills over the pots so beautifully...wow it's early and I just wrote a book...

Wildside Musing said...

We're terrible here -- things have to be out in full sight all the time -- otherwise we never know we have them!

Anonymous said...

Where did you find these unique spices??? I need to make a special stop at the spice aisle this weekend!