Gourmet Gift of the Day Blog

This year we are sending my dad a Father’s Day gift basket with a little bit of kick!  We love to grill when we visit my parents, and my dad is a self-proclaimed “King of the Grill”.  He is always bragging about the spices and rubs he has created to season our meals, so this year we wanted to give him a new combination of flavors to try.  This gift basket contains 3 – 4 oz boxes (one each of Jamaican Jerk, Chipotle BBQ and Cracked Pepper) of dry rub, as well as a bottle of Ambrosia Pepper sauce and a pound of hickory chips to add a great smoky flavor.  My husband is really looking forward to trying these spices because he and my dad have a friendly competition each year to see who can come up with the tastiest spice combination.  If dad likes any of these rubs he will have to give my husband at least a little credit for finding this gift!  The set is packaged in a basket with a kitchen towel liner for $31 plus shipping.

Add some spice to your dinner with these all natural Indian Curries from Zamouri Spices!  Rated among the top ten Middle Eastern Food Sites by about.com, these spice blends are made from traditional Indian recipes so you can create authentic Indian dishes at home!

The Gift Set sells for $29.95, and includes 8 ounces of the following curries:

• Red Curry Singapore Style
• Madras Curry
• Kashmiri Curry
• Sambaar Powder
• Biryani Hot
• Biryani Mild

If you are looking for some inspiration, you can also find a number of regional recipes at this website.  The recipes are easy to follow, and a shopping list automatically appears at the bottom of each recipe – which inclues a list of all the spices needed to create the dish.

For many families, the main course at Christmas dinner includes prime rib.  This year, serve an unforgettable rib using the English Prime Rib Rub featured in the Beef and Steak Lover’s Gift Set.  Seen on the Food Network series “Good Eats”, The Spice House has created some unique flavor combinations that have won over the hearts – and stomachs – of critics worldwide.

The English Prime Rib Rub is one of four gourmet spices included in this gift set.  Each batch is hand mixed with a unique combination of flake salt, celery MSG, Tellicherry pepper, onion powder, arrowroot and garlic powder.  Not only will your prime rib be unforgettable, but you will be able to make an outstanding gravy from the drippings!  Order one gift set to use during the holidays, and order a few more to give as gifts to your favorite chefs.  Each set is priced at $19.95, and the seasonings are guaranteed to arrive fresh!  With nearly 60 spices and rubs to choose from, The Spice House has a seasoning to compliment any chef’s cuisine.

My husband likes to experiment with spices when cooking, so this gift set was perfect for him.  He had not heard of many spices included in the set, but we tried them all and ended up enjoying the experiences.  The Savory Spice Shop calls this gift set their Supreme Sophisticated Selections, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a sophisticated cook to enjoy the flavors.

There are 10 jars included in the gift set, very reasonably priced at $44:

1. Herbs de Provence – a classic blend of French herbs, can be used to season any food
2. Spanish Coupe Saffron – adds color and flavor to sauces and holiday breads
3. Supreme Shallot Salt – enhances the flavor of many dishes, use in place of table salt
4. All Purpose Seasoning – a flavorful blend, we love this on steamed vegetables
5. Fennel Pollen – enhance meat or vegetable dishes, more intense than fennel seed
6. Tarragon Shallot Citrus Seasoning – our favorite, great on fish
7. Cantanzaro Herbs – an excellent addition to Italian dishes
8. Black and Green Peppercorns – more heat than traditional pepper
9. Ceylon “True” Cinnamon – ground from the bark of a Cinnamon tree, mild flavor
10. Flor de Sal (Portuguese Sea Salt) – the purest form of sea salt, adds delicious flavor to meats