Recipe and photography courtesy of Ruwanmali Samarakoon-Amunugama. This dish is simple to prepare, yet so delicious. It has a custard like texture in the center and is filled with plump fruit (traditionally sweet cherries are used, but I like the tartness of raspberries). Sri Lankan vanilla has a deep cocoa flavor and marshmallow-like smoothness, which is perfect for this dish. Because the recipe itself is not overly sweet, feel free to indulge with the topping of icing sugar. Serves 4-6   1 Sri Lankan vanilla bean 1 cup of half and half cream ¼ cup whole milk 3 eggs ½ cup of fine granu ..read more

Replace the alcohol with your Curio spices in this playful take on a classic cocktail. The zero-proof negroni is a perfect way to keep resolutions or simply explore the new trend of sober curious! For the Cocktail: 1 oz Negroni concentrate Tonic water 1 strip of orange zest for garnish In a rocks class, pour Negroni concentrate into a rocks glass, add ice and top with soda or tonic water. Stir gently. Garnish with orange zest, squeezing the zest over the glass to express the volatile oils. For the Negroni concentrate: 1/2 cup roselle, crushed and packed 5 whole cloves 6 whole green cardamom ..read more

Pan searing carrots concentrates their flavor and sweetness, and here, we pair them with two sauces — one spicy-fresh, the other cool and garlicky — to create a harmonious trio. The dish comes together quickly and without fuss, making it a great side for a weeknight supper or a colorful addition to a buffet. The sauces can be made ahead of time and refrigerated (let them come to room tempera- ture before using). Serves 4–6. Note: The Bonga sauce is reminiscent of zhoug, a Yemenite green sauce. It’s good with grilled or roasted vegetables, on a burger, or stirred into mayo to make a dressing fo ..read more

Looking good and sharing a story Great packaging has power — most importantly, the power to communicate. We’ve seen it in action: our packaging shares Curio’s story and mission to support farmers, create community, and inspire culinary creativity. From our inception in 2015, we’ve had a strong visual identity. In 2022, we built on that heritage with a branding refresh across our entire line of products. This year, we wanted to apply that update to our popular monthly subscription, the Secret Spice Society. Each month, Secret Spice Society members receive a delivery of one or two spices wi ..read more

It was about ten years ago when I first had the idea to pursue spices as a career. I had worked in specialty coffee for many years, doing many deep, caffeinated dives into the world of single origin coffee where the term 'terroir' was in common use. Terroir, from the French, refers to the earth and climate that gives a particular food a specific flavor profile. The same item, such as a coffee bean, can brew up a different flavor whether it’s grown in Bolivia or East Timur, even though the coffee species is the same in both places. A taste of place is terroir, a taste of the air and dirt a ..read more

By Gillian Ehrman The sweet, pungent smell of plants on this hot and humid day in Cambridge takes me back to a hot September afternoon in Deep East Texas, walking around my university's gardens. I remember Carolina Allspice from a past plant walk; I close my eyes, breathe in, and can smell the almost cinnamon-like bark now crushed lifeless in my hands. Is there a connection between Carolina allspice and Jamaican allspice? Well, readers, unlike the plant that Jamaican allspice (Pimenta dioica) comes from, Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus) is a deciduous shrub, and the berries are poisono ..read more

Makes 6 servings These crisp kebab-worthy meatballs get their kick from Monsieur Montreal. Blooming the spices, shallots and garlic in oil brings out Monsieur Montreal’s savory notes and piquant peppery flavors, both of which cut through the richness of beef or lamb. We love serving these kofta with a simple fresh salad of tomato, cucumber, red onion and flat-leaf parsley and a tangy yogurt-tahini sauce for a bright counterpart. Montréal Lamb Kofta 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium shallot, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, grated (~1 teaspoon) 2 tbsp Monsieur Montréal 3 oz bread or ..read more

By Andrew Janjigian   I’ve been making the Sichuan version of this popcorn mix for years now, ever since I developed it with my friend, the Vietnamese and Asian cuisine maven Andrea Nguyen. I give bags of it to friends for holiday or birthday gifts, or bring it to parties, where it is a sure-fire hit, the sort of addictive treat that is difficult to stop eating once you’ve started. (I usually make the spice blend in bulk batches, so that when it comes time to make some for a special occasion, I also have enough on hand to eat myself, while I’m doing the cooking.)  This is a kettle co ..read more

Words by John Kilfoyle. Photos courtesy of Fire Tongue Farms.  Fire Tongue Farms is a chile pepper farm started in Hollister, CA in 2014 with the goal of growing high quality, rare chile pepper varieties for local chefs, hot sauce makers, and spice companies. They dry and smoke most of their peppers, allowing them to be more easily shipped and shelf stable, as well as giving the peppers an even more unique flavor. Fire Tongue Farms provides Curio Spice with our dried Guajillo Flakes and will soon be the producers of the japones peppers in our Edo Spice Blend. On the 23rd of August I calle ..read more

This vegan, Japanese-inflected salad sparkles with Edo Spice and is a lively play on a classic tomato caprese. It may seem odd but we give the tofu a brief soak in salted, warm coconut milk, which seasons the tofu and gives it a creamy texture. Enjoy this salad while summer tomatoes are bountiful! Note: After soaking, the tofu may seem too salty but it will be ‘just right’ after it’s dried with the tea towel. For the tofu: 1 block firm tofu, water drained ¼ cup light coconut milk 2 tablespoons sea salt For the salad: Turly ripe tomatoes  Rice vinegar Ne ..read more