Seasoned With Sydney

From bone broths to baked goods, every chef will tell you that the key to taking food from “good” to “OMG THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE” is the pinch, dash, or sprinkle of whatever you’ve got in your spice armory. All my life I’ve exclusively purchased the name-brand spices from the grocery store, resigned to pay exorbitant prices for spices that never seemed all that fresh, and came in cheap plastic bottles. What was I actually paying for? The label.

Fast forward to April 2020, when the world came to an absolute standstill and the mere thought of spending any extra time in the grocery store left me screaming internally. Gone were the days when I could leisurely peruse the aisles, collecting ingredients and mentally building meals from there. The pasta shelves were empty, the soups long gone, and the fresh produce was lacking. The final resort was to turn to the trusty spice section. But even there, people had picked it dry, save for the specialty spices that come in the circular tin jars with a magnetic strip on the back and little product inside. What to do? What to do?

I’d managed to grab a few cans of chickpeas and decided that then would be as good a time as any to start making hummus, one of my favorite dips. The recipe I’d found online called for tahini, a sesame paste, and za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend. Finding the za’atar I knew would be a non-starter at our local grocery store, but maybe I could get the tahini? Nope, no luck. As I searched and searched in every place I thought it might be (except for the place it’s actually kept, which is with the NUT BUTTERS at our store!), I found myself continually coming up empty. After 20 minutes I decided to give up, figuring I could probably just make it myself. But when I saw that the tahini recipe called for QUITE a large amount of sesame seeds, and that the sesame seeds in the store were sold in super small jars for almost $5 a piece, I knew I’d have to find an alternative online. And it was during my frantic search for an affordable amount of sesame seeds that I stumbled upon The Spice House. And it’s been spicy love ever since.

Founded in 1957 by Bill Sr. and Ruth Penzey, The Spice House is a small-batch spice company based in Milwaukee and Chicago that specializes in everything from everyday spices, to rare spice varietals, special seasoning blends, hard-to-find extracts, and more!

Here’s what I love about The Spice House:

Selection: All the grocery store classics like garlic powder and cumin are accounted for, but what REALLY blows me away are things like Egyptian basil, peeled ginger root, hibiscus blossoms, and berbere. Any blend, faraway spice, or seasoning you’ve ever heard of, chances are that they not only have it, but in different, region-specific varieties to boot.
Potency: I’m not exaggerating when I say that these spices are STRONG! The shipping boxes themselves are pleasantly fragrant, but it’s not until you unscrew that cap that you’re met with a powerful PUNCH of spiciness. And unlike other spices on the market, even after several months of use, the smells and tastes are still incredibly strong and high quality.
Price: Since many of the expiration dates on grocery store spice jars are set well into the future, you can’t be guaranteed that the small container of ground coriander seeds you just picked up hasn’t been sitting on the shelf for months. And yet, you’re still expected to pay full price. Prices at The Spice House are comparable, if not lower than what you’d find on supermarket shelves, and you’ll get more bang for your buck. On more than one occasion, I’ve opened up a flatpack (refill pack) or jar only to see product spilling out the top and onto my counter These containers are literally filled to the brim!
Packaging: Already I’ve mentioned that most spices you find in the grocery store are housed in cloudy plastic containers that break down over time. The jars at the Spice House, often only $0.50 more than the flatpack option, are made out of super sturdy glass with gorgeous, airtight copper-colored lids that I know will be long-lasting. I also love that each flatpack and jar comes with spice origin stories and detailed flavor profiles; it’s a really nice touch.
Shipping: Since I started buying from this company right at the beginning of the pandemic, I can’t compare what the shipping times were before the shutdown, but all things considered, shipping is still pretty fast! My last order shipped within 48 hours and got to me by the end of the week. Plus, their flatpacks always ship free!

Needless to say, I’ve been using up my old jars of supermarket spices as quickly as possible so I have another excuse to peruse The Spice House’s online selection again. New seasonings and blends are added regularly, and if you’re on the mailing list, you might even score some really good deals - I just got a free flatpack of my new favorite cinnamon with a recent order!

Will this be the last spice company I ever try? No way! In fact, finding the SH has shown me that there might be other amazing spice companies out there with quality selections to buy from. But for now, The Spice House is exceeding my expectations, and making everything I make and eat 100x better.

Check out The Spice House HERE!