Win: Orange Blossom & Honey by John Gregory-Smith

Warming cinnamon is my favourite spice. It evokes all kinds of lovely memories from helping my Granny make Parkin for Bonfire night to batch making my own mulling syrup for mulled wine or mulled cider for Christmas gifts to my beloveds.

Chinese Five Spice. I’ve been using it in quite a few dishes lately, and it’s a great addition.

How on earth do i choose a favourite spice? I find them incredible. But my top faves would be Cardamom, Saffron, chilli flakes and Roasted cumin.
Cumin despite the funny smell of the spice itself lends depth and flavour to my salads and curries . A dash of roasted cumin with lemon and salt on any salad tastes amazing.
Cardamom has a flavour that goes with both sweet and savoury foods. i feel it lifts the food and gives it an otherworldly elegance.
Saffron- need i say anything? i love adding a dash to rice, desserts and chicken!
Chilli flakes and himalayan salt are my go to everyday, not to mention a dash of goldenTurmeric <3

Coriander because its such a versatile herb that gives me such warm memories of so many countries. I recently found out its also used in Belgian wheat beers [Witbier] and that lovely spiced South African sausage Boerewors, both favourites of mine.

Love chilli flakes/powder and smoked paprika. Adds subtle or strong more powerful flavours to an array of dishes. Would love to indulge in your new book and prepare some dishes for my husband. Close our eyes and transport ourselves to a exotic place. x

I love cumin, it’s so earthy and adds a lovely background note to so many meals from lots of different cuisines

I love ginger. It’s versatile and warming. It’s a great addition to cakes and also savoury dishes. I love ginger and honey ice cream. I have childhood memories of gingerbread making with my mum whilst practicing making one for my CSE exam in home economics. 🙂

It has to be smoked paprika! It takes baked beans from boring to spectacular every time.

I love cumin, I think it completely transforms a dish and takes you somewhere exotic…I love its earthy, nutty and slightly lemony flavour. Toasting the seeds gives off a wonderfully aromatic smell too!

It’s got to be cinnamon, love the warmth it brings. Though I need a daily fix.

I just love spices full stop! I have a few intolerances including garlic and ginger so I make a lot of meals from scratch including my own garam masala. I adore cumin, it gives such a robust flavour to everything. Smoked paprika is a massive favourite too, plus turmeric especially for its health benefits. New recipes are always welcome, this looks like a fabulous book

My favourite spice has to be Sumac, which originates from red berries and is used widly in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. I discovered it whilst eating at a Moroccan restaurant.

It’s a new spice to me which has grown in it’s popularity and no doubt proved to be a success amongst family and friends. It adds great colour to dishes and perfects with a tangy lemon twist.

I have used this spice when making chargilled chicken schwarma, quinoa, mussakhan, halloumi kebabs, sprinkled over salads, houmous, wedges, as a marinate for chicken, lamb and fish. It’s uses are endless. Once you start using it, you’ll have the urge to add a pinch to a variety of dishes. Give it a go, you won’t be disappointed.

I just love the flavour & scent of Cumin. I cannot really explain why. I make my own curry powder & always add extra Cumin.

Ras El Hanout – not quite sure what it is or what’s in it but Goddaaaaam it makes my Goan Pork Curry taste good!

So hard to choose just one! I think it must be cinnamon for its exceptionally comforting qualities – on porridge, in cinnamon buns, apple cake, chai tea, and dals and tagines. Honorable mention goes to cardamom – for making simple rhubarb compote exotic, adding complexity to curries, and being so essential in all my favourite Scandi baking – how could I get through cold dark February without Semlor?

Chubritsa/ summer savory is my favourite herb since I visited Bulgaria and saw how versatile it is, my favourite use is in a traditional meat grill with lots of local vegetables.

My favourite spice is actually a spice mix…hope that counts! It’s Ras el Hanout. Such a beautiful warm, spicy flavour, and fragrant, especially when it includes rose petals. We stumbled across this from a Turkish supermarket in our area and we are hooked! It tastes great with Salmon.

My current favourite spice is paprika, I put it on everything!

Does pepper count? Often overlooked as salt’s other half, it deserves its time in the spotlight as the punchy saviour of many a bland dish. Where would we be without it?!

Picking just ONE spice is so hard!! However, in the last 3 months I discovered chipotle chilli flakes – I’m a nervous water of super chilli-hot dishes but these little flakes are, in a word, genius. They work with basically everything – omelettes become something astounding, roasted vegetables gain a new chapter in their depth of flavour, meat dishes are super charged – and it’s a subtle smokey hit added. The level of ‘heat’ becomes much more cobtrollable and I’m learning to take the heat and enjoy it. I have no doubts that the flakes would enhance a chocolate dish beautifully – apart from a fruit salad I’m hard pushed to see where they wouldn’t work. LOVE.THEM.

Mine is cinnamon because its so versatile and can be used it many dishes!

My favourite spice is ginger I add it to most smoothies. It goes into my curries, deserts and baking. It is so economical to use and easy to buy in the shops.