jordan sc-1 Holiday Gifts for Spice Lovers Savory

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Give it some thought or just peruse the spice aisle and you will find the perfect gift to spice up the holidays.
For the foodie, nothing is more coveted than good raw material, and this especially includes spices. Consider some of these fun holiday gift ideas that are as close as the local market.
For Everyone: A basket of herbs and spices purchased from the bulk aisle at a retailer like Whole Foods or a local specialty shop. Shopping in the bulk aisle allows you to control how much you spend and the resulting hand-picked basket of colorful spice bags is guaranteed to bring a smile. If you’ve never shopped for herbs in bulk, don’t let the prices scare you; they are often listed “per pound” and you will likely be buying much smaller quantities.For Newbies: Know anyone who is out on their own for the first time? A simple spice rack is a great gift and not usually something people buy for themselves. Popular spices like paprika [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], curry powder, garlic and cinnamon, along with a few dried herbs will get a lot of use. Whether you go with a traditional style or something more contemporary, you can find starter spice racks for around $20 Adventurers[/b]: How about something a little different? Perhaps a spice or spice blend outside your recipients’ normal repertoire, maybe cardamom, Asian Five Spice Powder or Garam Masala fit into this category. Whatever you choose, wrap your gift with a recipe featuring that new ingredient; you’ll find hundreds of outstanding recipes on Suite 101.Luxury Gifts: A small gift of a “luxury” spice like saffron or vanilla bean is something many cooks love to use, but only buy on special occasions. Although these are two of the most expensive spices in the world, a little goes a long way and this gift won’t actually break the bank (and they make great stocking stuffers).Gifts from the Kitchen: Whether you make it yourself or buy it, spice blends such as seasoned salt, spiced oil or vinegar, and flavored mustards brighten the holidays. If you want to mix your own spicy blends [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], try these recipes for Ethnic Spice Blends and Seasoned Salt. Otherwise, just head to the market and go crazy – there’s a lot to choose from.Theme Gifts: Think of an appropriate theme for your recipient, like maybe a few jars of holiday spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg for mulling cider or wine; cumin, chili powder and garlic for that killer chili recipe; or maybe some designer sea salts. You can also create a bakers spice basket, an Indian spice gift box, etc.Gifts with Gadgets: Give whole spices with a spice grinder or microplane grater to bring out the freshest flavors. Perhaps whole nutmeg with a grater, or allspice with its own grinder. Commercial pepper blends are popular and you can find them at the grocery in their own grinders. Note: microplane graters are a great gift because they can not only be used for dried whole spices [link widoczny dla zalogowanych], but also for fresh ginger or to zest citrus fruit.For Chili Heads Only: From mild to hot, seasoning blends and pepper sauces come in a wide variety to satisfy the chile-lovers’ palate. Try Jamaican Jerk Blend, Cajun Spice Rub, or a gourmet barbecue sauce. Novelty peppers like Bhut Jolokia (the hottest pepper in the world) are good for the real hot heads in your life. For more ideas see Homemade Christmas Gifts for Chilli Lovers.