Spice Up Your Life!*

The Yummish Council will soon meet to address an urgent issue with the infrastructure of the Yummish Test Kitchen. The spice cabinet, it seems, is very nearly full.

One guess where we bought these...

The Council originally tried to address the issue through downsizing, retiring products that had expired or were close to expiring. Two hours, and a handful of rejected soy sauce packets and leaking honey-straws later, we were no closer to getting the cabinet door closed.

After all, why should we settle for only black pepper, when there is white pepper, red pepper, cayenne, chipotle, green chile, ancho chiles, chiles de arbol, chiles de colorado and on and on? Why limit ourselves to white sugar crystals when we can also have brown sugar, confectioner's sugar, turbinado, molasses, maple syrup and agave nectar? Why settle for simple table salt, when there are flavors like cumin, turmeric, basil, oregano, thyme, bay, paprika and so on?

Some flavors, like cinnamon and sugar, seem almost made to go together. Others, like chocolate and balsamic vinegar, may seem like they should be at odds, but, actually complement each other in surprising and unexpectedly delicious ways. And, while there are flavors you might not personally enjoy the combination of, such as a peanut butter and lettuce sandwich on whole wheat bread with mayo,** that doesn't mean that you might not enjoy each of those flavors separately or in different combinations.

Yes, this *is* a repurposed United Colors of Benetton ad!

This is the point in the meditation where we make some clever analogy between flavors and people, droning on about the many yummy flavors that humans come in and the spice that adds to life. However, if you're still reading this crazy blog, we suspect you've probably caught on to the basic rhythm of these things and figure you can fill in the details on your own.

Some flavors we find familiar and comforting, while others are exotic and even challenging. Each, however, has it's role to play, it's place in the spice rack.

Today's exercise: Spice it up!

Next: Updates could be spotty over the next couple of weeks, due to circumstances beyond our control. In the meantime, you can get your blog fix here. 

Is it wrong that I want these boots?

*Ginger Spice was, hands down, the best Spice Girl, as hers was the only name that actually carried through with the “spice” theme. After all aesthetic unity matters, even in bubblegum pop music.

**Before you “yuck my yum” give it a try. You may be surprised. And, no, it is NOT like a “pickles-and-ice cream” thing. That action is over at MIHH.