Welcome to the Epicentre Spices
“Spice” is a culinary term, not a botanical category. It refers to parts of certain trees, roots, flowers, seeds and fruits of herbaceous plants. Cassia and cinnamon are from the bark of a tree. Chile peppers are a fruit. Cloves, a flower bud. Ginger, a root and caraway is seeds. Spices each have a distinctly unique aroma and flavour.
Herbs are from the aromatic leafy parts of plants such as cilantro, basil or thyme.
Spices define much about a culture’s cuisine. Aromatic and savoury or warm and sweet, the combinations of spices are key to flavour, whether used in authentic traditional dishes or in unusual and unexpected ways. We hope to show you both ways with everything from Indian spices like curry, fenugreek and garam masala to poultry seasoning and herbes de Provence.
Health benefits of Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices do more than just flavour food. They help you cut back on unhealthy ingredients, such as salt, sugars and saturated fat. Try cooking your carrots in a low fat chicken broth then adding some ground cinnamon or chopped parsley. Before cooking, rub chicken, beef or pork with a combination of herbs and spices, let the flavour permeate the meat for several hours and enjoy a new taste sensation. Not sure which to blend? Explore our website and you will find all kinds of ideas.
They also have many impressive health benefits. Ongoing research is revealing the ultimate power of herbs and spices as weapons against illnesses from Alzheimer’s disease to cancer or diabetes. We are now seeing the scientific proof for why civilizations have used spices medicinally for thousands of years. While herbs and spices may not directly cure disease there is strong evidence showing some spices actually help manage chronic conditions. Read more about how herbs and spices fight disease.
featured blend: berbere
Pronounced as “ber-beray”.A popular Ethiopian blend, it adds wonderful spiciness when used as a rub for red or white meats for roasting, grilling, barbecuing or pan-frying.
featured spice: star anise
This dried, star-shaped spice has a smokey, licorice flavour, making it a distinctive ingredient in Chinese braised dishes and Malaysian curries.