Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Imported Italian spice blend

Midlife

By Midlife
in Kitchen Consumer

 Share

Recommended Posts

Midlife

Midlife

Posted
Posted

My wife and daughter spent a week in Italy last year and I was gifted a bag of a really good Italian spice blend they bought somewhere near Milan. I’ve run out and,  sadly, didn’t keep the bag. I’ve found a few possible subs on Amazon, but thought I’d reach out here to see if anyone has a great reference for a product I can buy in the US at a reasonable price. There are lots of US-made blends around, but the one they brought me seemed to be way more flavorful than any I’d used before. TIA!!!!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, TdeV said:

I'm quite fond of Penzeys.

As am I.  Correction:  I WAS fond of Penzey's when my niece lived in the U. S.  I'd have the spices shipped to her and she'd bring them up.  Then she moved back to Canada and no more Penzey's for us.  They will ship to Canada but between the shipping and duty, it's a bit rich for my blood.   I'd also process KAF through her.  Sigh.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Alex

Alex

Posted
Posted

In addition to Tuscan Sunset, I'd suggest buying small jars of their Italian Herb Mix, Pasta Sprinkle, and, my favorite, Frozen Pizza Seasoning. You then can have fun doing taste tests.  

  • Like 1

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."  -George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, Act 1

 

"Imagine all the food you have eaten in your life and consider that you are simply some of that food, rearranged."  -Max Tegmark, physicist

 

Gene Weingarten, writing in the Washington Post about online news stories and the accompanying readers' comments: "I basically like 'comments,' though they can seem a little jarring: spit-flecked rants that are appended to a product that at least tries for a measure of objectivity and dignity. It's as though when you order a sirloin steak, it comes with a side of maggots."

 

A king can stand people's fighting, but he can't last long if people start thinking. -Will Rogers, humorist

Link to comment
Share on other sites
pastrygirl

pastrygirl

Posted
Posted
52 minutes ago, Midlife said:

Spicetrekkers appears to be in Canada and I’m in the US. Not sure about how buying from them would work. 

 

ScreenShot2024-09-15at7_12_42PM.png.615620369fcfb76942415262f4a0652e.png

 

I think it may be easier for US-ians to get stuff from Canada than vice versa.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

I agree w the Penzy's selections , above.

 

Ive had the all .

 

I use Tuscan Sunset when I want a little fennel flavor , and the Italian blend when i do not.

 

the other two mentioned are also nice , but i think contain salt.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
TdeV

TdeV

Posted
Posted
15 hours ago, Midlife said:

Spicetrekkers appears to be in Canada and I’m in the US. Not sure about how buying from them would work. 

 

Spicetrekkers have pricing specifically directed at US. Spices will appear on website in  US$.

 

Spending $60 will get you free shipping.

 

I once received some banged up tins and sent them a photo. They replaced the entire order (not just the banged up tins).

 

They have lots of interesting recipes also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ElsieD

ElsieD

Posted
Posted

 

16 hours ago, TdeV said:

I find Spicetrekkers quite good.

 

We try to get to the Jean Talon market in Montreal a couple of times a year and were there a couple of weeks ago.  I always go the Èpices du Cru and pick up whatever spices i might need /want, the last one being Harissa spice blend.  Little did I know the real name of the place is Spicetrekkers until today.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
TdeV

TdeV

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

We try to get to the Jean Talon market in Montreal a couple of times a year and were there a couple of weeks ago.  I always go the Èpices du Cru and pick up whatever spices i might need /want, the last one being Harissa spice blend.  Little did I know the real name of the place is Spicetrekkers until today.

 

Actually, I think they're French. And so, they needed a snappy English name. So violà!

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
TdeV

TdeV

Posted
Posted

The single most important thing about Spicetrekkers a.k.a. Épices de Cru (from Montréal)  is that they ship whole spices, even blends. So you grind what you need: amazingly flavourful!

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
On 9/16/2024 at 2:04 PM, TdeV said:

The single most important thing about Spicetrekkers a.k.a. Épices de Cru (from Montréal)  is that they ship whole spices, even blends. So you grind what you need: amazingly flavourful!

 

Their unground ras el hanout is a wonder to behold.  I'm in the US and have not had trouble ordering from Canada.  Most of my spices though I get from Penzeys.  Penzeys offers Tuscan Sunset, an Italian style seasoning, as well as Italian Herb Mix.  I have never tried them.

  • Thanks 1

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted

Righto, you Enablers...my spice cabinet has to make room. 🙂

 

20240923_175159.jpg

  • Like 4
  • Haha 2

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

Follow us on social media! Facebook; instagram.com/egulletx

"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rotuts

rotuts

Posted
Posted

Im interested in trying a few of the above rubs.

 

as they are whole spice blends,

 

and thus not necessarily evenly distributed 

 

does on just try their best to get a uniform mix , then take out what they plan top use 

 

at a time

 

then grind them and use the result ?

 

if you used these whole spice blends , what's your method // dish ?

 

thank you .

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Smithy

Smithy

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, rotuts said:

Im interested in trying a few of the above rubs.

 

as they are whole spice blends,

 

and thus not necessarily evenly distributed 

 

does on just try their best to get a uniform mix , then take out what they plan top use 

 

at a time

 

then grind them and use the result ?

 

if you used these whole spice blends , what's your method // dish ?

 

thank you .

 

That's a very good question, and one I hadn't considered as far as the uniformity of the mix goes. Here, for comparison, is the can of Apicius (Ancient Roman Blend) before and after stirring:

 

Before

20240925_210919.jpg

 

After

20240925_210934.jpg

 

You can see that a lot of fines had settled into the mix during transit. So yes, I think I'll mix/stir it, take what I want, and then put the rest back in the can for later. I don't plan to grind more than I'll use at once.

 

Incidentally, this stuff smells wonderful!

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Delicious 1

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
Host, eG Forums - nsmith@egstaff.org

Follow us on social media! Facebook; instagram.com/egulletx

"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
"There comes a time in every project when you have to shoot the engineer and start production." -- author unknown

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...