Spice Drops – Giveaway #47
Spices really are the spice of life, or at least they are in my world. I find it hard to imagine not having a ready supply of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, vanilla and chilli, all spices I use on a regular basis in my baking and cooking. Cumin, coriander and turmeric are firm favourites too, but I have many other spices stuffed away in my cupboard. It is these, other less used spices that can be a bit of a problem. Spices are expensive and once ground, they don’t have a very long shelf life. Ideally, for real freshness and flavour, I would grind all of my spices as I need them, but this just isn’t practical; I’m usually in a hurry and often can’t grind them as finely as I’d like. This results in having to throw some of my precious spices away as they just become to old to use.
Holy Lama have come up with an ingenious solution to this dilemma – spice extracts, or as they like to call them Spice Drops. These are highly concentrated extracts which have a shelf life of three years. Priced at around £3 a bottle, these could cost considerably less than buying whole or ready ground spices over the same time period. The extracts come in little 5 ml bottles with droppers for precise and easy measures. Although the spice drops work well in baking, it is recommended that they are added at the end of cooking where possible to keep the flavours vibrant. As regular readers will know, I like my products to be as natural as possible. The extracts are held in caster oil, which is fine, but I was a little concerned to see it was hydrogenated oil and wonder why this is necessary. However, they are ethically made in Kerala, South India. The company website states it offers fair wages to its staff and fair prices to it’s farmers. Most of the staff are women and many of them are from disadvantaged backgrounds. Sustainability is important so the factory’s carbon footprint is deliberately low. Holy Lama is a member of the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers. All that counts for a lot.
The range is quite large and include spice blends as well as individual spices. There are a number of kits containing a collection of relevant spices. I had my eye on the Baker’s Spice Drop Kit, a collection of five spices: cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla. However I was only sent a bottle of cinnamon and one of tulsi to try out.
As soon as I unwrapped the outer layer of protective plastic from the cinnamon bottle I nearly swooned with the wonderful scent that emanated from it. I adore cinnamon and if forced into a corner, would probably name it as my favourite spice. One drop is meant to be the equivalent of ½ a teaspoon of the ground spice. I tried a tiny drop neat and it was very strong – not something I’d recommend. I tried it out to good effect in my Spicy Orange and Chocolate Easter Bundt. I used one drop only, hoping to get just a hint of cinnamon and it worked perfectly.
The tulsi I was a little more unsure about. CT and I drink quite a bit of tulsi tea and are accustomed to the flavour. Holy basil, as it’s also known, has a very distinctive taste and although I was keen to try it with chocolate I wasn’t at all sure it would work. I decided to use it first in a cup of hot chocolate, a rich dark drinking chocolate I am currently reviewing. The directions say one drop for every 200ml of liquid or more to taste. I had 250ml of liquid and used only one drop and it was very powerful. I’m not sure I shall be taking to tulsi hot chocolate as a regular drink, but it did sort of work. Like coffee and tea, it has similar bitter notes which marry well together. It was, however, too strong and I was left with a powerful tulsi taste in my mouth for a long time afterwards. So for this extract, I would suggest, proceed with caution.
Thanks to Holy Lama for the spice extracts. There was no requirement to write a positive review and as always all opinions are my own.
Do take a look at the Chocolate Log Blog giveaway page to see if there is anything else you would like to enter.
Ged Humphreys-de Meyer
30th April 2014 at 10:46 amI am quite partial to vanilla in stuff I eat and drink for that matter! An exciting giveaway!
Trinity Axelson
30th April 2014 at 10:40 amI love cinnamon and vanilla, especially in baking! They are my go to ingredients no matter the recipe!
mellysocks
30th April 2014 at 10:56 amVanilla would be my favourite and I’d use it to make custard.
SUSAN LAING
30th April 2014 at 11:07 amI love nutmeg especially as a little extra topping on homemade rice pudding
elaine dale
30th April 2014 at 11:20 amwould put cinnamon on home-made egg custards
Janet Rawstron
30th April 2014 at 12:12 pmNutmeg is my favourite spice in the kit. I use it freshly grated in both sweet and savoury dishes.
Amrita @ Drifting Traveller
30th April 2014 at 12:18 pmTry tulsi in a lemon and ginger tea. It also works wonders for a common cold and can be substituted for basil (same family).
Choclette
30th April 2014 at 2:54 pmThanks Amrita. We drink tulsi tea anyway, mostly for its health benefits, but I was keen to do a bit of experimenting.
Simon Grundy
30th April 2014 at 3:03 pmCinnamon, love it witha fresh fruit pie or tart
Anonymous
30th April 2014 at 4:14 pmginger – I love gingerbread so would make some of this.
KATHY D
Anonymous
30th April 2014 at 5:34 pmCinnamon for bread
Claire D
Richard Hill
30th April 2014 at 5:40 pmchilli in a big pot of chilli we make and freeze a lot of it
Heather Haigh
30th April 2014 at 5:45 pmGinger, I would try adding it to my raw chocolate recipes.
Kate Glutenfreealchemist
30th April 2014 at 5:48 pmSpice drops? What an ingenious idea!!! I too am a cinnamon girl at heart, but I would love to experiment more with cardamom (without the risk of getting the pods stuck in my teeth!!
laura banks
30th April 2014 at 5:50 pmvanilla we use it for all sorts but the hubby is trying to teach me to make proper custard
Kathy Cakebread
30th April 2014 at 6:31 pmi’d use vanilla to make custard
Amanda Philp
30th April 2014 at 6:45 pmCardamom for curries, especially chicken curry
Skyline Spirit
30th April 2014 at 6:52 pmpretty nice blog, following 🙂
Anneka Hulse
30th April 2014 at 7:01 pmi love cinnamon and would add it to my porridge
sarah rees
30th April 2014 at 7:30 pmvanilla
debbie godbolt
30th April 2014 at 7:53 pmcinnamon to make cinnamon buns and chilli to use on everything savoury x
Sarah Davies
30th April 2014 at 8:09 pmGinger’s my favourite. I’d make some ginger flapjacks
Gill
30th April 2014 at 8:57 pmCinnamon
Jo Glasspool
30th April 2014 at 10:17 pmVanilla in cakes x
Graham
1st May 2014 at 3:22 amNutmeg ,grated on hot chocolate
Miriam Said
1st May 2014 at 5:39 amCinnamon and vanilla. The vanilla for when I am baking cakes also cake and Apple pie baking with the cinnamon, but I also like coffee with a touch of cinnamonin it. Yum.
Emma Walters
1st May 2014 at 6:09 amnutmeg & vanilla in our favourite rice pudding
liz ferguson
1st May 2014 at 9:00 amCinnamon
samj
1st May 2014 at 9:35 amGinger
kj19
1st May 2014 at 1:06 pmcinnamon and nutmeg… for loads of baking
denise
1st May 2014 at 2:57 pmI would choose cinnamon for baking as its delicious and smells divine
Galina Varese
1st May 2014 at 3:24 pmIt will be a tough choice between cinnamon and vanilla, as I use both extensively in my baking
Amy Jacobson
2nd May 2014 at 2:35 pmI love vanilla and use it within lots of my baking 🙂
Anonymous
2nd May 2014 at 6:04 pmUse vanilla a lot in cooking – especially desserts
Spencer Broadley
s.broad@hotmail.co.uk
Zoe R
2nd May 2014 at 7:50 pmNutmeg and I would make a lovely homemade rice pudding just like my nana used to make
Big Bird
3rd May 2014 at 9:07 pmNutmeg in my irish coffee
frances hopkins
4th May 2014 at 4:08 pmCinnamon love it!!
maxineflossy
4th May 2014 at 4:33 pmooh, a drop of cardamom in some home made ice-cream
Sarah Pilbeam
5th May 2014 at 8:35 pmNutmeg!
kate kathurima
5th May 2014 at 9:34 pmginger to make ginger biscuits
Anonymous
6th May 2014 at 7:03 amgingerbread men & women with the ginger @msedollyp
clair downham
7th May 2014 at 11:36 amcinamon i would use with fruit or curries
Lara Davis
8th May 2014 at 7:31 amCinamon for apple crumble
Amy Crowe
8th May 2014 at 8:17 amhey 🙂 mm cinamon for fruit!
I have a blog giveaway too 🙂 http://thesparklepages.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/100-bloglovin-followers-giveaway.html xx
Melanie W
9th May 2014 at 12:03 pmCinamon
Melanie W
9th May 2014 at 12:04 pmcinnamon
Michelle Banks
10th May 2014 at 5:53 pmi love cinamon, and so does the hubby! a nice fruit cake x
Hekna
11th May 2014 at 10:56 amWould have to be vanilla – I use it in everything I bake including the cream and butter cream!
Julie Savage
11th May 2014 at 1:06 pmVanilla to go into my butter icing for the cupcakes
Lauren Old
15th May 2014 at 8:25 amVanilla to put in cakes and coffee!
Rachel White
15th May 2014 at 1:00 pmIt would have to be the chilli. . I use it in everything but my signature dish is quesilladas… mmm yummy. .. 😀
Philip Cooke
19th May 2014 at 2:44 pmVanilla!
Rebecca Gransden
23rd May 2014 at 1:57 pmI would love to make some proper ginger biscuits.
styles5433
24th May 2014 at 1:02 amGinger I love it . and I would make Ginger curd. Delicious on toast or toasted bagels
thrlrds2007
24th May 2014 at 4:45 pmGinger
piggy11
24th May 2014 at 5:37 pmVanilla
donna jones
24th May 2014 at 9:26 pmnutmeg
Richard Randall
25th May 2014 at 9:32 amGinger. I use it every day.
Jo Hutchinson
25th May 2014 at 11:22 amThe Cinnamon to make baked apples.
Robert Price
25th May 2014 at 11:52 amVanilla for the custard
spike1
25th May 2014 at 2:10 pmCinnamon, a pep of that makes an apple pie.
Anonymous
25th May 2014 at 3:57 pmLove ginger 😊 x
Kelly Hanson: hansonkelly19@yahoo.co.uk
Christina Jarrett
25th May 2014 at 9:02 pmThe vanilla, for making my cakes taste extra yummy! 🙂
lisa owen
26th May 2014 at 10:05 amcinnamon and id make my lovely home made rice pudding x
Chris Fletcher
26th May 2014 at 12:57 pmCardamom is my favourite as it always is a little mysterious yet is so versatile!
Mary Chez
26th May 2014 at 2:13 pmVanilla in cupcakes
george a Pow
26th May 2014 at 2:53 pmGinger is my favourite.
Emily Carter-Dunn
26th May 2014 at 4:17 pmCinnamon. It reminds me of Christmas
Gillian Holmes
26th May 2014 at 5:29 pmCinnamon in hot milk with honey.
Mike Gerie
26th May 2014 at 6:43 pmCinnamon for to add to a fruit loaf
Mike Gerrie
26th May 2014 at 6:43 pmCinnamon for a fruit lof
jrandrews72
26th May 2014 at 6:48 pmVanilla
Jackie Chapman
26th May 2014 at 6:54 pmI’d use the nutmeg on top of a rice pudding
Tracey Gwynne
26th May 2014 at 7:14 pmvanilla is my favourite, as it adds a not too oversweet aromatic taste
Susan Carter
26th May 2014 at 9:11 pmGinger, it gives a real kick to both sweet and savory dishes
Felicity Smith
26th May 2014 at 9:13 pmVanilla
pam lawrence
26th May 2014 at 10:07 pmI love vanilla and cinnamon, and use them both extensively in baking and desserts x
Andrea Johnson
26th May 2014 at 11:06 pmCinnamon for buns
Charmian Filewood
27th May 2014 at 12:48 amVanilla, in cupcakes and a lot of my home baking
Anonymous
27th May 2014 at 5:46 amVanilla so many uses in cooking
Kirsty Woods
27th May 2014 at 6:56 amGinger, my children love making gingerbread men
joanne liddement
27th May 2014 at 7:07 amI love nutmeg in a rice pudding.Home made of course!
Carlie Bryan
27th May 2014 at 8:03 amvanilla, love the taste and the smell
elff73
27th May 2014 at 9:33 amvanilla, so I can cook so much more x x x x
Laura Vitty
27th May 2014 at 11:49 amCinnamon – I’d make cinnamon toast.
Beky Austerberry
27th May 2014 at 1:37 pmGinger for gingerbread men
agaue1
27th May 2014 at 2:08 pmvanilla i use it load sin baking and also in coffee 😀
Vanessa Crowley
27th May 2014 at 2:13 pmvanillla to make some yummy cakes
Vanessa Crowley
27th May 2014 at 2:15 pmvanilla as i make some yummy cakes with it
Natalie White
27th May 2014 at 3:46 pmGinger for some gingerbread men 🙂
Bernadette Willis
27th May 2014 at 4:37 pmcinnamon, I use it in little bulgarian cakes with hoey and almonds too -they’re gorgeous
sheridarby
27th May 2014 at 5:50 pmCinnamon on apple pie or in apple cake
olivia280177
27th May 2014 at 5:53 pmnutmeg is my secret ingredient in lasagne shhhhh
MANDY DOHERTY
27th May 2014 at 6:04 pmVanilla for ice-cream, cakes & custard
annettehde
27th May 2014 at 6:58 pmcardamom to flavour icecream
annettehde
27th May 2014 at 6:59 pmcardamom to flavour icecream
pauline black
27th May 2014 at 9:49 pmvanilla to use in baking, also cinnamon. Actually they would all be pretty useful!
Karen Whittaker
27th May 2014 at 9:55 pmVanilla for sponge cakes, enhancing sugar and coffee syrups.
kim heeps
27th May 2014 at 10:05 pmcinnamon for my porridge!
rebecca nisbet
27th May 2014 at 10:27 pmlove vanilla, use it in so many things, always good in a sponge
Jackie Allum
27th May 2014 at 11:00 pmI’d use them to put into yogurts and make dressings etc.
Twiddle Dee
27th May 2014 at 11:49 pmI love cinnamon for buns and pastries 🙂 x
Natalie Gillham
David Price
28th May 2014 at 5:52 amI use ginger in my curries all the time
grisser
28th May 2014 at 8:57 amCinnamon in fresh French toast – going to make some now!
grisser
28th May 2014 at 8:59 amCinnamon in freshly made French toast- ooh, going to make Some now….
Stacey Craig
28th May 2014 at 9:23 amCinnamon, me and my kids are cinnamon addicts even the smell mmm
Joanna Carter
28th May 2014 at 11:18 amI love Cinnamon smells like Christmas 🙂 so id make cinnamon buns 🙂
Louise Whittaker
28th May 2014 at 11:50 amCardamon and I would make a vanilla and cardamom panacotta
Rachel Davies
28th May 2014 at 12:38 pmCinnamon for me as I have just discovered French Toast and can’t get enough of it
David W
28th May 2014 at 2:01 pmGinger, so i could make gingersnap cookies the way my grandmother used to. delicious
Jacqueline Roberts
28th May 2014 at 2:27 pmCinnamon in pastries are yum but lurve Ginger
Lynsie Lynn
28th May 2014 at 3:45 pmCinnamon – I make amazing Cinnamon buns and danish pastries! A weekend treat for the hubby and kiddies 🙂 We all love it! 🙂
HayleyT
28th May 2014 at 4:48 pmIt would be Cinnamon! I love the taste and the aroma! I would use it in my baking, cakes, french pastries, on top of egg custard tart, and on freshly made French Toast!
Pam Francis Gregory
28th May 2014 at 6:17 pmVanilla in a sponge cake – yum!
Rachel Bustin
28th May 2014 at 8:29 pmCinnamon for lovely crumble toppings
Sam Fernley
28th May 2014 at 9:08 pmCinnamon in an apple pie
champaklal lad
28th May 2014 at 9:10 pmvanilla
Katie Walden
28th May 2014 at 9:17 pmCinnamon in some rolls I think 🙂
tarbs gill
28th May 2014 at 10:01 pmCinnamon – great for gingerbread!
Stacey G
28th May 2014 at 10:03 pmVanilla, would use it for my cupcakes 🙂
Anonymous
28th May 2014 at 10:07 pmCinnamon is my favourite, I use it in cakes and in hot choc drinks. x
Keeley Shaw
Shauna Barratt
28th May 2014 at 10:32 pmcinnamon is amazing!