What's cooking without spices? It's like a hot summer day without ice cream. Going to the movies without popcorn. It's just not quite the same.

Spices really are something special. Mystical, I dare say a little exotic. There's that magical moment when you mix them, grind them, or bloom them in some oil - the smells, the flavours, the new taste experiences. I always feel like a bit of a sorceress creating a new potion, adding a little of this and a little of that, smiling from ear to ear eager to see where they take me.

Looking back in history spices were so much more precious than they are now. Roman soldiers were paid in salt. Peppercorns were used as ransom. Nutmeg was worth more by weight than gold. Wars were started over them. I won't go into the full history of the spice trade today but let's just say they were kind of a big deal. And not that I want a war to start over them, but I do like the idea of giving them the attention they deserve.

I'm a renaissance woman at heart. A romantic really. I want to romanticize more things in my life. To appreciate the big and small moments in my days and make every one as delicious as possible. To go back to the times where we treated things with so much more reverence and respect. Before we commercialized everything and started choosing quantity over quality. Because it's easy to forget how much effort goes into getting something like spices to our grocery store shelves. In a world where we have access to anything and everything with the click of a button we gloss over the fact that someone planted the seeds, grew the plants, and harvested each and every spice that goes into those little jars.

It's why I love that there's businesses out there that are focused on shining a light on the farmers that do this work, supporting them to make fair wages in a sustainable way and on top of all that, bringing the most fragrant, delicious, high quality products into my kitchen. It's going back to how things used to be before fast and cheap was the way of the world and I'm all for it. I also love the fact that we live in a world where technology can bring me closer to the farming. Because I'll be honest, I never knew how cardamom grows. Or what vanilla looks like on the plant. It changes how you see something when you know how it came to be. You come to appreciate it more. Now I can picture the hands plucking the saffron fronds. Or the faces of the farmers spreading the peppercorns to dry in the sun. It's a reminder that there's people behind the ingredients that make it to our kitchens. It's that connection that changes what cooking means for me. What really matters in life.

“Roman soldiers were paid in salt. Peppercorns were used as ransom. Nutmeg was worth more by weight than gold. Wars were started over them. Not that I want a war to start over them, but I do like the idea of giving them the attention they deserve.”

Here's the thing, you can't match the flavour of good quality spices. I know maybe you'll look at some of these sites that I'm sharing and jump back at the prices. I get it. But it's like I talked about last week with the Farmer's Market, investing in quality ingredients changes everything. This is especially true for spices. You get so much more flavour that you end up using less, and again, where we spend our money matters - it's these choices that make a difference to promote change. If you don't believe me on the difference in flavour, buy one and try it for yourself. It’ll blow your mind, I promise!

Here's a few of my favourite spice suppliers:

Diaspora - they explain really well the difference between direct to farmers vs commodity so you can understand what happens with commercial spices. There's also some great videos on their instagram where you can see some of the growing and harvesting which I of course love.

Burlap and Barrel

Spice Walla - you have the option to buy refills instead of more containers which I love.

Cartel Spice Co.

Oaktown Spice Shop

A really great book to add to your collection if you want to nerd out on spices like I do: On Spice

Here's a quick history on the spice trade too: https://silkroadspices.ca/pages/history-of-the-spice-trade

In the end, spices are what keeps things exciting in your cooking. It's what keeps it new and interesting because you can travel the world depending on what spices you choose and how you use them. Invest in the best you can. Also remember that spices have a shelf life so check your pantry regularly - if it's a couple years old hidden in the very back shelf, time to replace it. Buy smaller quantities of the ones you use less of or buy them whole and grind them yourself with a spice grinder (coffee grinder designated for this purpose works perfect) or a mortar and pestle. Pastes are also a good option, I'm highlighting harissa paste in our recipe this week.

Now go, spice up your life! I know you're singing the song now too. 😉

What’s Cooking This Week: Harissa Roast Chicken

Who doesn't love a roast chicken? Easy to do, super versatile, you can really go anywhere with flavours, right? Keeping on the spice train, I'm using harissa paste, cumin, paprika, garlic and lemon to give it a bit of a middle eastern vibe. The harissa paste can have a little bit to it so if you want to mellow it out, mix it with a bit of honey before rubbing it on the chicken.

Harissa Roast Chicken

• 1 3-4 lb roasting chicken

• 1 lemon, quartered

• 4 cloves garlic

• 2 tbsp harissa paste

• 1 tsp honey (optional) more or less to taste

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika, the mild version

• 1 tsp lemon zest

• lots of fresh cracked pepper

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (I like the ones on the vine, pretty don't you think?)

• 4-6 sweet baby peppers

Up to the night before, season the chicken liberally with kosher salt and place in the refrigerator, uncovered. Remove from the fridge at least 45 minutes before putting it in the oven. I prepare the chicken below right when take it out of the fridge and then let it sit while the oven is preheating.

To prepare the chicken, place the lemons and garlic into the cavity. Gently, release the skin of the chicken (start at the top of the breast, it should come up fairly easily). Using your hands, little mounds of the harissa pasta and rub gently underneath the skin on the meat of the chicken. Try to get it evenly coated on both the breasts and the legs.

Mix the melted butter with the cumin, lemon zest and fresh pepper. Brush the butter mixture evenly over the skin. Tie the legs with butcher twine to enclose the cavity.

Place the chicken in a large cast iron skillet or roasting pan.

Preheat the oven to 425*

Place the chicken in the oven with the legs facing the back of the oven (this is the hottest part of your oven so it helps to cook the chicken more evenly because the dark meat can take longer than the breast meat). Bake for 35 minutes, basting occasionally with the juices that start in the pan.

Reduce the heat to 375* and add the peppers. Bake for another 30 minutes. At this point, add the tomatoes and bake for another 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken. The juices should run clear if you pierce the thigh near the bone and the legs should move freely in the joint. If you have a thermometer, you want the temperature to be 180F.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest. If you want to thicken up the sauce, rest the chicken on a cutting board and remove the veggies from the pan. Place the pan over high heat (don't forget your oven mitt, the pan will be hot!! I'm saying this to remind myself really) and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and let it simmer until it's reduced by half and slightly thickened.

Cut the chicken into pieces and place on a platters. Arrange the veggies and then drizzle with sauce. Serve with couscous and extra sauce at the table.

Ideas for leftovers:

Couscous salad - just mix everything together cold. I leave out the sauce and drizzle with olive oil and lemon. Add fresh herbs too, like parsley or oregano.

Lettuce wraps - spread butter lettuce or romaine with hummus, then the chicken, peppers and tomatoes. Add sliced cucumbers for some extra crunch.

Want more with me? 

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Happy Cooking :) 

love,

Krista  

Nourished & Whole
Eat well. Live well. Cook often.
www.nourishedandwhole.com