Monday, November 05, 2007 11:35 AM
Easy, edible holiday gift ideas?
Everyone always recommends quick breads and cookies for the edible gifts. I say, forget the quick breads and cookies. And the pies and cakes. Don’t even think about making those peanut butter balls. (Unless you’re my sister Meredith, and you’re giving those peanut butter balls to me.)
Blasphemy? Maybe. But after a few years of going through the holiday baking frenzy—the umpteen dozen eggs, the truckload of flour, sugar and butter, the cello bags and twisties—I’m hanging up the oven mitts and making custom spice blends. After more than a month of parties and elaborate meals spanning from Thanksgiving to New Years, a neatly wrapped apple cake or basket of cheese straws seems like overkill. (And, really, I hate it when people groan about their thighs or the size of their butt when I give them an edible gift. Don't you?)
The Spice and Herb Bible by Ian Hemphill and Kate Hemphill (pictured) is hands-down the best reference guide for learning everything you need to know—from the basics to exotic spices, techniques and recipes for making blends. The beauty is, you can adjust mixes to suit taste and dietary restrictions (cutting salt, upping the heat), and they're easy to make.
Whole spices—seeds, dried peppers, cloves, peppercorns, pods—make the
best mixes because they have more flavor than the stuff that’s been
pulverized to dust and sitting in a big bin for ages. Before grinding,
lightly toasting whole spices in a dry, hot frying pan until they’re
fragrant (but not smoking!) releases the oils—and flavor—in the spice.
A few of my favorite sources: The Spice House, Penzey’s,
Patel Brothers and Kalustyan's. The Spice Barn is a great resource for bottles, shaker tops and labels. (Cost Plus and The Container Store have a good selection, but they’re nearly double the price.)
For the non-cooks, I'll make seasoned salt or a fresh cinnamon sugar--blends that'll make convenience foods like microwave popcorn or instant oatmeal taste semi-homemade. For the adventurous types, I’m making a Thai curry paste or a tangy Middle Eastern Zahtar/Za’atar, a multipurpose blend for meats and vegetables; it can also be turned into a dip or marinade by adding olive oil.
Za’atar
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
3 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. savory
2 ½ tsp. marjoram
2 tablespoons sumac berries, ground
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds, ground coarsely
1 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tbsp. dried ground lemon peel; or zest of two lemons, finely minced
I’m cheating on a spice mix for the big barbecuers in the family. I’m buying Gary Wiviott’s Barbecue Rub--a secret blend by Chicago's "Barbecue Lilfe Coach." (Full disclosure: I’m helping Gary write a book about low and slow barbecue.) I can't come close to creating a better rub for ribs, chicken or pork, so why bother?
Do you ever make your own spice blends? Got any recipes to share?