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Spices in Boston

ninetofive
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ninetofive

ninetofive

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I thought a visit to Kalustyan's in NYC last weekend would curb my spice-buying for awhile ... no such luck. Any recommendations for well-stocked spice shops in the Boston area? Specifically, I'm looking for a place to buy Grains of Paradise for a dish I'm making over the weekend.

Diana Burrell, freelance writer/author

The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock (Marion Street Press, Nov. 2006)

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galleygirl

galleygirl

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My first stop would be Christina's Spices, in Inman Square, Cambridge...Very good selection, but not *totally* bulk; they're prepackaged in sealed plastic bags, small quantities, tho...

For a lot of others, I hit the Indian groceries on my route; two in Waltham (don't know the names, next door to each other on "Foodie Row")...two outside Coolidge Corner, Brookline, on Harvard Ave, Madras Masala, and another (oops!) across from Pho Lemongrass...And, if you can believe this, Amigos International Convenience store, on Harvard Ave in Allston...yep, they're Indian...yep, they've got a ton of stuff...who would have guessed?

Of course, on weekends, Madras Masala has a great selection of fried, spicy treats...The places in Waltham have fresh chappatti, tho...

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VivreManger

VivreManger

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I've only know grains of paradise in Sam Adams' summer ale. I am curious to know what it actually is.

I doubt that you will find that particular spice there, but another reliable source is Arax on Mt. Auburn St. in Watertown. They sell mostly Middle Eastern & some Indian spices in failry substantial plastic bags.

In Western Mass. Whole Foods in Hadley does sell bulk spices, but I don't know if any of the other branches do so. I for one have not seen them elsewhere.

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galleygirl

galleygirl

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I doubt that you will find that particular spice there, but another reliable source is Arax on Mt. Auburn St. in Watertown. They sell mostly Middle Eastern & some Indian spices in failry substantial plastic bags.

I love Arax, my favorite of the markets along there, but their selection of spices is pretty limited, I always end up having to go elsewhere as well...but if you're there, make sure to pick up Bay leaves :smile:

Massis and Sevan, in the same blocks, might help you fill in, but it's still a very basic selection....

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ninetofive

ninetofive

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I've only know grains of paradise in Sam Adams' summer ale.  I am curious to know what it actually is. 

Grains of Paradise look a little like peppercorns, maybe smaller, and their taste is more bitter than pepper, but the same characteristics of spicy and warm. I've seen the spice used in Moroccan dishes; I like to use it on roasted eggplant, ground spice -- not whole.

Edited by ninetofive (log)

Diana Burrell, freelance writer/author

The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock (Marion Street Press, Nov. 2006)

DianaCooks.com

My eGullet blog

The Renegade Writer Blog

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galleygirl

galleygirl

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For a lot of others, I hit the Indian groceries on my route; two in Waltham (don't know the names, next door to each other on "Foodie Row")...

The larger one is Waltham India Market, at around 375 Moody Street. The smaller one is right next door, you can't miss it....try both...I got two jars of lovely pickles at the smaller one, and a few really hot, decadent , salty, crispy bhajia at Waltham India Market...

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ninetofive

ninetofive

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Thanks for all these suggestions. I didn't find any Grains prior to last weekend, so I'm placing an order through Kalustyans, but I look forward to checking out all these local places in the coming months.

Has anyone been to Cooking Matters, the new gourmet shop in downtown Nashua, NH? Looks like they may have some interesting spices (among other things!)

Diana Burrell, freelance writer/author

The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock (Marion Street Press, Nov. 2006)

DianaCooks.com

My eGullet blog

The Renegade Writer Blog

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Bux

Bux

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I've only know grains of paradise in Sam Adams' summer ale.  I am curious to know what it actually is. 

Grains of Paridise from Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages.

... grains of paradise have been an important spice in 15.th century Europe, ...  grains of paradise were a common substitute for black pepper. ... Later, in the Renaissance, when pepper hat outrun them as the favourite kitchen spice, grains of paradise were  common as beer flavouring 

... the importance of this spice has vanished to quite zero in our days; outside its production area (Central Africa), it is only known in Northern Africa and may appear in Moroccan spice mixtures

On an unrelated note, but it's on my mind since I've just been posting about his restaurant in Romorantin, France, Didier Clement uses this spice in his Langoustines à la Graine de Paradis and claims to be the first to reintroduce this unusual spice to French cuisine after a lapse of five centuries.

Robert Buxbaum

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Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

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galleygirl

galleygirl

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I doubt that you will find that particular spice there, but another reliable source is Arax on Mt. Auburn St. in Watertown.  They sell mostly Middle Eastern & some Indian spices in failry substantial plastic bags. 

I love Arax, my favorite of the markets along there, but their selection of spices is pretty limited, I always end up having to go elsewhere as well...but if you're there, make sure to pick up Bay leaves :smile:

Massis and Sevan, in the same blocks, might help you fill in, but it's still a very basic selection....

I take it all back...I hadn't been to Arax in awhile, stopped in today...

That place is like sex, and that's all there is to it...You walk in take a whiff, take a deep, lung-filling breath, and your knees go totally weak. You try to isolate the source(heavily dominated by cumin) and can't; but you start indescriminately throwing things in your basket, filled with lust.. :wacko:

I had gone in for my fix of stuffed pickled eggplant, (awesome, tho to look at the barrel, you'd think it would give you a disease..), ended up getting container of 4 kinds of olives; they do their own marinated mixes, some of which have citrus, herbs and chili peppers, in different combination...They must have at least 10 kinds definitely the best selection (and cheap!!!) around...you can afford to go wild..

But I had really forgotten how good their spice selection was....I think I bought cassia bark. It wasn't llabeled, but it was bigger and roughr than cinnamon, and had a totally different, more pungent smell. The guy said it was old-fashioned cinnamon, but I'm sure he lied :biggrin:

And I want to point out, I showed extreme restraint, and did not knuckle under and buy a single square of rose-water syrup soaked cake....

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