12.28.2022

Best Spices & Recipes of 2022

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We've been reminiscing on 2022's exciting new food trends, fun culinary adventures, and the trusted recipes we always turn to. We’re delighted to bring you staple seasonings for the recipes you prepare the most, while offering new flavors to further your cooking experiences. These are our most popular spices, stories, and recipes we shared with you in 2022. If you have any spicy cooking stories that stand out from this year, please tell us about them in the comments below.

Top Five Spices & Blends

1. Lake Shore Drive Shallot & Herb Seasoning

To emulate the elegance and sophistication of Chicago’s famous Lake Shore Drive, we start with hand-grated freeze-dried shallots, powdered green peppercorns, and chives, while the garlic, onion, and salt give this blend an all-purpose versatility. This seasoning blend is perfect for whitefish, shrimp, tuna salad, or any other seafood. Stir into sour cream or yogurt for a quick vegetable dip or to marinate grilled vegetables.

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2. Back of the Yards Garlic Pepper Butcher's Rub

If one flavor combination could represent The Spice House, it is this hard-working butcher's rub. Back of the Yards Garlic Pepper Butcher’s Rub, our most popular blend, is ideal for grilling, great in burgers, amazing with steaks, and perfect with fish or roasted potatoes. This spice blend takes inspiration from the many immigrant cooking traditions that grew out of Chicago's historic meatpacking district.

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3. Saigon Ground Cassia Cinnamon

For half a century, Vietnamese cinnamon was extremely hard to find in the United States. Spicy and sweet, this cinnamon is our most popular varietal. Its high volatile oil content makes the bark extremely potent. Vietnamese cinnamon is fiery, rich, fragrant, and amazing with chocolate or in cinnamon rolls, where it can be the entire flavor. Our customers often tell us that this flavorful cinnamon has changed their lives.

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4. Tellicherry Peppercorns

For millennia, these bold Indian peppercorns have been the gold standard for black pepper. Tellicherry peppercorns are in almost every kitchen worldwide. These extra large berries are left to ripen longer on the vine, maximizing their rich fruitiness and Tellicherry peppercorn flavor. Grinding whole peppercorns delivers the freshest flavor. We also offer this pepper in several different grind sizes, ground only in small batches.

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5. Granulated Garlic

Garlic’s sharp flavor is the backbone of so many of our favorite recipes, particularly within Chinese, Italian, Indian, French, and Latin American cookery. Our USA-grown Granulated Garlic powder is a versatile weapon in the kitchen. Garlic has its greatest impact when it is dried and used as a spice, especially in dry rubs and seasonings. Zest up those chicken breasts, hamburgers, bowls of popcorn and other recipes.

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Top-Selling NEW! Products

1. Rodney Scott BBQ Rubs

Famous for traditional whole-hog barbecue, Rodney Scott has been cooking over hardwood coals since he was 11 years old. Scott’s decades-long dedication to the craft has attracted attention from countless food writers and earned him a prestigious James Beard Award. These new collaborative seasonings put the pitmaster’s magic into the palm of your hand. Craft mouthwatering chicken, beef, pork or whatever you decide to throw on the grill.

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2. Soup ExactPacks

Our globally-inspired Soup ExactPacks help you effortlessly prepare delicious creole black bean soup, pumpkin coconut curry soup, Ethiopian-spiced lentil soup, and spicy chicken tortilla soup. Simply follow the recipes printed on each ExactPack label. These soup ExactPacks have become a staple for both Spice House employees and customers. The Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup is our best seller!

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3. Gochugaru Chile Flakes

Kimchi owes its gorgeous red color and tempered heat to these sweet, little chile flakes. Earthy and fruity in flavor, Gochugaru is a staple in Korean cuisine. In any kitchen, these coarse flakes are a tasty substitute for crushed red pepper. Try these in recipes for homemade pickles and pasta dishes, or for topping off popcorn and pizza. This year, we loved using these chile flakes for making Korean-Inspired Cucumber Salad.

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4. Sheet Pan ExactPacks

Our sheet pan ExactPacks are your dinner solution for quick, gourmet meals with an easy cleanup. One pan, four servings, endlessly flavorful–simply follow the directions on the back of the ExactPack label. Plus, every ExactPack ships for free! Instant classics from this new ExactPack series were Lemon and Za’atar Roast Chicken ExactPack and Tandoori-Spiced Salmon ExactPack.

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5. Chinese Five Spice

This classic Chinese five spice mix unites the five flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory. Based on the traditional philosophy of balancing yin and yang, Chinese five complements fatty meats like pork belly, goose, and duck. It’s been fun using this blend for barbecue and grilling recipes. Chinese Five Spice Chicken Wings with Honey-Soy Dipping Sauce is a must-try recipe, especially for a party appetizer.

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