Gourmet quality Spices and Herbs. Free Shipping On All Orders $40+
MySpiceSage.com
Looking For Certified Organic? Great Customer Service & Quality!
www.MountainRoseHerbs.com
Huge variety of herbs/spices, teas, culinary spices, aromatherapy items
www.ccwbotanicals.com
Fresh Ground Spices and Whole Natural Seasonings Blends
www.bulkfoods.com/Spices.htm
The web's gourmet spice boutique. A wide selection of organic spices.
www.TheSpiceHouse.com/Organic
Stock up the Pantry with Gourmet Essentials from Williams-Sonoma.
www.Williams-Sonoma.com
A.C. Legg's Old Plantation Products Free Shipping on $50+ Orders
www.bestsouthernseasonings.com
Shop Savory online for gourmet bulk spices, herbs & seasoning blends.
www.savoryspiceshop.com
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Manufacture custom blended seasonings for the food industry. Company is based out of Alabama.
www.aclegg.com
Texas based company specializing in extracts, flavors, spices and organic vanilla.
www.adamsextract.com
Global manufacturer, exporter and importer of raw materials for packaged goods. Products include rice, dried fruits, lentils, oils & fats, fruit concentrates, tea, coffee, spices and herbs among others.
www.agricom.net
Company manufactures naturally mesquite-roasted salsa, dry rubs and spices.
www.austinspice.com
Multi-brand company that manufactures and distributes a diversified product line, including: pickles and peppers, hot sauces, wine vinegar, maple syrup, molasses, snack foods, fruit spreads, and ready-to-use spices.
www.bgfoods.com
Offers dry-rub seasonings for meats, poultry, and fish. Based in Chicago, Illinois.
www.charcrust.com
Producer and international distributors of Chef Paul's Magic Seasonings, created by owner Paul Prudhomme.
www.chefpaul.com
Specializing in herbal foods made from organically grown herbs.
www.cvgarden.com
Gourmet spices, seasonings and foods for the home chef, restaurant and hotel industries.
www.eversonspice.com
Manufacturer of food sauces, food colors, food flavors, food spices and food juices.
www.flayco.com
A pioneer in sourcing & selling organic herbs, spices and botanicals.
www.frontiercoop.com
Supplier and exporter of quality herbal tea, spices, herbs and organics from India.
www.gokulinternational.com
Company specializes in cajun sauces, seasonings, mustards for retail and wholesale distribution.
www.kathysgourmet.com
Company manufactures a variety of spices, seasonings, blends and marinades.
www.lawrys.com
Offers gourmet barbecue pastes, sauces, dry rubs, barbecue seasonings, spices, and condiments.
www.mansmith.com
Novato, California producers of the Morton & Bassett line of spices.
www.mortonbassett.com
Family owned custom seasoning blender serving North America, Europe and Japan in the bakery, dairy and foodservice industries.
www.oldworldspices.com
Manufacturer and supplier of dehydrated products, including onion, garlic and other vegetables.
www.pardesdehydration.com
Manufacturer of barbecue sauce, spices, hot sauces, marinades, and bloody mary mixes.
www.phloyds.com
Manufacturer and distributor of bases, mixes and seasonings for the foodservice industry nationwide. Headquarters in Hillsborough, New Jersey.
www.rcfinefoods.com
Hong Kong company specializing in spices, dried fruits and nuts, and beans.
www.regencyworld.com
Offers off the shelf seasonings and custom seasonings made to order.
www.sentryseasonings.com
San Francisco Herb Co. provides wholesale pricing on bulk spices, herbs, teas, potpourri and other gourmet, organic products.
www.sfherb.com
Offers over 200 spices and salt-free blends plus internationally flavored soups, cereals, dressings, dips, entree' mixes, pastas and beverage mixes.
www.spicehunter.com
Producers of spice oleoresins, essential oils, natural food colors, floral concretes/absolutes and health & functional food ingredients. Based in India.
www.synthite.com
Manufacturers of powdered and dried foods and drink products which include baby cereal, milk powder, cocoa mix, jelly powder, custard mix, stock powder, curry powder, batter mix, and spices.
www.webpro.co.za
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Gourmet quality Spices and Herbs. Free Shipping On All Orders $40+
MySpiceSage.com
Looking For Certified Organic? Great Customer Service & Quality!
www.MountainRoseHerbs.com
Huge variety of herbs/spices, teas, culinary spices, aromatherapy items
www.ccwbotanicals.com
When you get herbs and spices education and training, it gives you an edge in the cooking industry and shows your dedication to putting your best efforts into the foods you prepare. With training, you can learn the science behind mixing different tastes and even discover where you can procure the best products.
Working with cooking spices is an ever-changing process, so it's important to keep current with new market offerings. Some ways you might want to educate yourself in cooking with herbs and spices include the following choices:
1. Take educational classes that teach ways to use food spices.
2. Learn about cooking with gourmet spices by taking online courses.
3. Broaden your herbs and spices education and training by visiting an exhibition, trade show or seminar.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Learn to deal with herb importers and to use spices and herbs in cooking with formal schooling
When you want to create flavors, you can either take what spice wholesalers and spice distributors have to offer or you can grow your own herbs and spices. You can also learn to blend spices to create your own flavors the way seasoning producers do. Discover the science behind nature's bounty as you take culinary courses.
I recommend: The Culinary Institute of America offers classes for students interested in becoming chefs, food service managers or food writers. It boasts of its hands-on training opportunities and its success with placement in restaurants. CulinarySchools.com offers an article on the role of education in cooking. Its homepage lists culinary schools around the country where you can learn how to use herbs and spices to enhance your dishes.
Take online classes to learn about cooking herbs and cooking with spices
If you don't have the time or resources to attend a formal culinary school, consider learning about cooking spices and herbs in gourmet dishes by taking cooking classes online. This allows you to learn based on your unique schedule.
I recommend: World Wide Learn offers a detailed description on various courses and classes you can take through online venues. It covers areas such as gourmet cooking and spice information. Go to eLearners.com to find a list of courses you can take online that teach you about using herbs to flavor the food you prepare. Its easy-to-use index links you to sites where you can learn more about taking classes in areas like gourmet cooking.
Go to seminars, conferences and trade shows to learn about herbs and spices
Experience and savor the way food spices enhance cooking by attending conferences, trade shows and seminars. This gives you the opportunity to learn more about spices and herbs as you question experts and also gives you a chance to network with others in the field.
I recommend: The American Herb Association offers many seminars and classes focused on herbs and their unique properties. Its course offerings include topics such as gourmet vegetarian cooking with herbs. The Ozark Folk Center State Park has many exhibitions and festivals centered on herbs. Many of its offerings include information on cooking with herbs, such as its Lavish Herb Feast and its Herb Harvest Fall Festival.
In an ideal world, everyone would have the time and resources to grow their own cooking spices, even restaurants, but in the real world that just isn't the case. Quality herbs and spices are the keystone of good cooking, so it's important to spend some time choosing a spice wholesaler that can provide you with the quality and prices you need to do business.
Before committing to any spice wholesaler, it's important to sample their work and find out exactly where the products come from. Some may be grown locally, while others may be imported from India or elsewhere. Some of the products that importers of herbs and spices should carry are:
1. Cooking spices
2. Cooking herbs
3. Gourmet spices
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Crunch the numbers when looking at spice wholesalers
Typically, companies sell their spices in one-pound packages, with a few offering them in sample sizes of 4 or 6 ounces. The best way to compare differing quantities is to first figure out how much each spice costs per ounce and then compare them ounce for ounce. Keep in mind that some distributors may offer additional discounts for ordering more than one type of spice at a time.
I recommend: Compare spice prices to see where your best deal is. For instance, if you compare the prices of the pound packages of Allspice from San Francisco Herbs and from Chef's Seasonings, you'll notice that you could save about 50% by choosing one company over the other.
Find out where the herb importers are getting the goods
Getting wholesale spices like bay leaves and thyme is easy, but finding more exotic seasonings can be a bit trickier. Once you find a few wholesalers that carry Mexican or Indian herbs, for example, test their quality and freshness to make sure that they're up to your restaurant's standards. Many companies will share the import process with you, so you can keep track of where your herbs and spices are coming from.
I recommend: Trace each spice and herb to its place of origin. Tulsian Foods is based in India, so you know that your spices are coming directly from the source. You can try products like their dry mango powder to give your restaurant's food an authentic flavor that's all your own. If Mexican is more your style, check out La Preferida for dried chilis and spices.
Skip the spice distributors and grow your own
A growing number of restaurants feel that fresh spices and herbs are critical, so they go the extra mile to grow their own. If you're in this group, there are cooking herb suppliers that specialize in helping small businesses grow their own herbs successfully. You'll receive the plants already grown, and all you have to do is replant and tend them as needed.
I recommend: Grow your own herbs and reap the benefits of fresh flavor. Check out local nurseries and companies like Peoria Gardens and Herb Thyme for information on how to grow and buy fresh herb plants for your restaurant.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • For an extra touch, try grinding your own food spices. They'll taste fresher, and may be cheaper than if you bought them already prepared.
Guide to Herbs and Spices Key Terms
Use herbs and spices terminology in the kitchen or for your health
By Emily Lugg
You can use herbs and spices for medicinal purposes, as well as culinary purposes. From adaptogens that can help your body ward off stress to the lovage plant, which can add flavor to your next meal, herbs and spices can serve you in many different ways. Some require more attention then others; for example, herbaceous herbs need hardly any maintenance before their next growing season. Learning herbs and spices key terms can help you use them in the proper ways.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Adaptogen
An adaptogen is any natural herb that you can use to increase the body's ability to protect itself against anxiety or trauma or to counter the effects of stress. All adaptogens contain antioxidants.
I recommend: Be Fit defines adaptogen. The Chiropractic Resource Organization gives examples of adaptogen herbs.
Savory
Savory is a flavor term as well as an herb variety. The term savory means something that is more salty then sweet, such as meats, cheese and vegetables. The herb savory is a pepper-flavored herb used to flavor food.
I recommend: Sally's Place describes the many different savory herb varieties.
Lovage
Lovage is a mild-flavored herb that is light and clean in flavor and resembles the scent of celery or parsley. You can use it in everything from soups to teas.
I recommend: LowFatLifestyle.com explains more about the lovage plant.
Mace
Mace comes from the outer shell of the nutmeg fruit, but is sweeter and lighter then nutmeg. Mace has a greater value than that of nutmeg due to the difference in the quantities produced during processing.
I recommend: The Spice House describes how you can use mace in many applications. Gernot Katzer details the differences between mace and nutmeg.
Herbaceous herbs
Herbaceous herbs will die off into the ground in the winter and return fresh for the next season. You don't need to trim or prune them in order to maintain them. Many of the most frequently used herbs are herbaceous, including oregano, parsley and mint.
I recommend: Mountain Valley Growers provides details about herbaceous herbs.
Pequin, bird pepper
Pequin, also known as bird pepper, is an extremely hot chile pepper variety often used in Mexican cooking. You can find the pequin as the whole pepper to use while cooking. The pequin is nearly eight times hotter then the jalapeño pepper.
I recommend: World Spice Merchants gives the particulars of the pequin spice and provides a visual of the spicy pepper.
Guide to Herbs and Spices Types and Styles
Discover a variety of herbs and spices to spruce up your kitchen
By Emily Lugg
There are many herbs and spices that are important to know how to use properly in your establishment. Herbs are the leafy part of certain flavor-producing shrubs, while spices come from the bark of certain plant life. You can use fresh herbs from herb importers or dried spices from spice distributors or even a combination of both herbs and spices in special seasoning blends.
Whether or not to incorporate herbs and spices into your dishes is not the question; it is which ones and how much. Work with your cooking herb supplier as well as seasoning producers to determine which herbs and spices types and styles will best suit your cooking. Consider the following when choosing herbs and spices types and styles for your establishment:
1. Spice wholesalers offer seasoning blends which combine several types of flavors to create unique dishes.
2. Fresh herbs can be obtained on a regular basis from a cooking herb distributor to keep the flavors robust.
3. Dried herbs and spices can be purchased in bulk and preserved for longer than fresh.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Use seasoning blends to combine herbs and spices types and styles
Using seasoning blends in your cooking can combine both herbs and spices together into one gourmet spice to spruce up any dish. Some seasoning blends offer a mix of sweet and savory herbs and spices while others combine similar herbs and spices that complement flavors. Seasoning blends offer you and your chefs a lot of creativity in the kitchen.
I recommend: Simple Mom provides some examples of unique seasoning blend recipes. The Spice House discusses a recipe for a salt-free seasoning blend.
Use fresh herbs from an herb supplier
Fresh herbs have the strongest flavor when they are picked right from the plant. Their flavor is potent and can be used in much smaller quantities than dried herbs. Fresh herbs can also be used as garnish to add just a little something extra to the plate. Fresh herbs, as with any fresh item, have a short shelf life, but if you can plan accordingly, you can arrange for your cooking herb supplier to bring you a consistent supply of fresh herbs.
I recommend: The University of Nebraska outlines how to choose and cook with fresh herbs and cooking spices. Chef's Outlet explains some of the most popular fresh herbs.
Purchase dried herbs and spices as your primary food spices
Dried herbs and spices allow you to purchase wholesale spices in larger quantities. This allows you to save money as well as to always have the herbs and spices that you need on hand. However, you do sacrifice flavor for convenience when you buy dried herbs and spices in bulk. It is important to remember, too, that you use more dried herbs and spices than fresh.
I recommend: Family Time talks about cooking with dried herbs and spices. GourmetSleuth.com offers tips on how to store dried herbs and spices.
