BOBBY FLAY COOKING

An absolute essential for Orissa and Bengal cooking, it is often used with mustard seed oil to give a very distinctive flavour.

Have you ever purchased a pre-ground spice mix from the supermarket? They have usually been sitting on the shelf for years, and are often colourless and have no fragrance or taste. Even paying more in speciality stores does not result in a better product due to the mass packaging of such luxuries. More exotic ingredients does not justify the price of spices past their prime.

In many areas of the world, spices are purchased and ground for use immediately, or only enough spice is ground fresh for a few months use at most. Certainly all the great chefs blend and grind their spices fresh and in small batches ahead of time, so as not to interrupt their flow in the kitchen.

All my blends are created with the freshest and most organically grown ingredients available. Only after I receive an order do I then grind them in small batches at low temperatures to ensure the quality of the volatile fragrant oils. I never pre-grind my blends and let them sit around. Each and every blend is handmade after you order it, and shipped immediately to your door. You'll be able to smell the difference the instant you open the package!

Price is for 25 grams, or just over one ounce. That is a few months supply for most pantries.

"Store all spices in a tightly lidded jar, away from heat and sunlight. As time goes on, the spice mixtures will inevitably lessen in aroma and potency. That's why they are made in small quantities. But do use them up." Madhur Jaffrey

Turmeric, aka Haldi. This is one of the most traditional versatile of spices used in Indian cooking. Turmeric paste is good for burns becuase it's anticeptic. Once John made me a hot milk drink to help with a sore throat. I spilled a little of it on the sleave to the soundtrack of Taal. Ashwariya Rai's picture was forever smeared with a gold burn.