I love spices. They're beautiful, aromatic, and best of all, they make food tasty! I have struggled with a very complicated diet for the past year, and its really opened my eyes to how I view and cook food. I have friends who eat vegetarian, vegan, raw, paleo, kosher, you name it. While we can't always eat the same dishes, spices are one way we can bridge the gap and make food that everyone can enjoy.
My interest in spices began when I was much younger, during one of our many trips to visit my family in Israel. We would travel to various shouks (markets) where spices were sold from heaping mounds in burlap bags. In addition to very traditional spices of cumin, sumac, turmeric, and coriander, there started to be more blends that are incorporated into stews, on grilled meats, and even inside rice or potato dishes. No one is buying little jars of them, but large bags to keep at home and use liberally, not just for special occasions, but to make everyday cooking easier while keeping it delicious.
My true love is grilling; to me, there is nothing more beautiful than a grill full of meat and vegetables on a warm summer day, not to mention its criminally fast (assuming you have a gas grill!). Most of my current spice recipes were inspired or created during many days of
The recipes you'll find here you can follow exactly or even as a jumping off point for your experimental cooking. Like my mother, I rarely cook following an exact recipe (especially after precisely following so many recipes only to have it come out horribly), but I always use one to start from. I modify many ingredients or cooking methods both due to dietary restrictions and personal preference. Most of the time it works out for the best and I find its a much more relaxed way to cook.
A little about myself: I am not a chef or a cook by trade. As a child I loved to bake and for fun would make pies at a moments notice. I still love to bake but my desserts are much more experimental and gluten-free. I have ulcerative colitis, so my dietary restrictions were the catalyst for me to cook more at home and get more comfortable with my culinary adventures. My husband is remarkably understanding about my culinary adventures and deserves a ton of credit for eating them regardless how they turn out. Thankfully more often than not, he's treated to an amazing meal and I hope you find these recipes as tasty as we do.
