Big Guy on Cooking: Alchemy Spice Company

No, this is not a crossover between Frank Herbert’s Dune and the anime/manga Fullmetal Alchemist. No, this is just a review of spices you desperately need in your cupboard thanks to Alchemy Spice Company.

Let’s get cooking!

I’m by no means a chef, but I hope you’ll be inspired by my cooking blogs to dust off your gear and do some home cooking. One of the reasons I’m such a big guy is that I too often take the easy way out and get fast food.

One of the ways to make cooking easier is with expertly crafted spice blends. Tons of recipes will call for fresh thyme and hand massaged oregano leaves and gently conversed cumin seeds, and act like dried spices don’t even exist. If you’ve got the time, money, and inclination, by all means go the fresh herb route. However, if you’re like me and you just want to make delicious food? Alchemy Spice is one of the best ways to get there.

With this being the Christmas season, I also wanted to introduce you to a fast, affordable gift idea, that’s a little outside the norm.

Spice it up!

One of the things about spice blends, is that you can just consolidate all of the spices you recipe may call for and just use the blend. Just add up the quantities and that’s how much you need to use. For example, I’m a huge fan of their Cloud 9 chili blend, which I just basically dump into my crock pot. I don’t need to tweak anything, it’s exactly the flavor I’m going for. It’s not spicy, but it is flavorful. If you just want heat, then throw some Carolina Reapers in there and call it a day.

The best part is that Alchemy has a blend for every occasion. For example, I have a jambalaya recipe that I absolutely love. Alchemy’s delicious Bayou Ya-ya is the perfect blend because the heat adjusts linearly with the amount you put in. Want some of that firey Cajun twang? Then put in another teaspoon. You can’t go wrong. Want to cook up some pasta sauce? Add two table spoons of Bella Garlique Italian Blend to your basic sauce for some real magic in your mouth. Speaking of magic, add Wake and Bake to your apples for a perfect apple pie, the blend of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, mace, nutmeg, lemon zest, cardamom and cocoa nibs results in a sweet flavor explosion. All that spice means you don’t have to lean as hard on adding sugar. Not a bad thing for a big guy!

I prefer to DIY

Well, good news. Alchemy will ship you 2 ounce (60ml) bottles of individual spices if that’s more your thing. The prices are surprisingly competitive with upscale store brands, and can come in bags if you have your own spice storage solution. I prefer their bottles, so that I can keep them all grouped in my cabinet.

Anyways, I highly recommend you spice up your life and try some Alchemy Spice Blends.

But wait, there’s more!

Here’s my jambalaya recipe if you’re interested:

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1lb Conecuh Smoked Sausage (or smoked sausage of your preference)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon Alchemy Bayou Ya-Ya (or Cajun Blend of your preference)
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• Two tomatoes, chopped

Preparation

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.
3. Add sausage; sauté 1 minute or until browned.
4. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until tender.
5. Add rice, water, Bayou Ya-Ya and broth; bring to a boil.
6. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is done.
7. Stir in tomatoes and chicken.
8. Cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Bon apetite!