Cinnamon is one of my favourite ingredients and pretty much enhances any recipe you add it to. Try to imagine apple pie without cinnamon. That is almost like thinking of serving rice pudding without nutmeg another of my top favourite ingredients.
Both cinnamon and nutmeg grow wild and abundantly on the West Indian island of Grenada which is also known as The Spice Island.
In the capital city of St Georges almost every street corner has some one trying to sell you their spices or fresh fruits from their little patch of land.
One of the treats both visual and olfactory (smell) is the spice market in the middle of the square in St Georges. Flanked on all sides by shops, banks, little cafes you escape the heat for a short while and walk around the market.
Every stall you linger at the owner will offer to help you and tell you all about the interesting array of spices, jams, syrups etc that they have. I try to buy from three or four stalls to be fair,
One stall owner I found at the entrance of the market was Betty.
Betty was patiently grating whole nutmegs into a bowl which she would then put into little plastic bags to sell on her stall which was full of all sorts of local spices and herbs.
Betty was really happy to chat to us never stopping her mammoth task of grating. The smell of fresh nutmeg was intoxicating.
I brought back nutmeg, cinnamon curls as well as ground ginger, turmeric and more.
If you would like your own little bit of spice heaven then fill in the Rafflecopter form below and I will giveaway a package that I brought back of nutmeg and cinnamon and a little grater too.
I know you will love having these fresh spices in your kitchen as much as I do!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I just love cinnamon and nutmeg I use a lot in baking.. for cooking lots of garlic and turmeric
ReplyDeleteSavoury cooking is great with garlic and turmeric!
DeleteI love both these spices.. they go well with desserts too.
ReplyDeleteYou can turn any pudding into a masterpiece with cinnamon and nutmeg!
DeleteCumin is one of my favourites and I love roasting the seeds a little before adding to a curry - I'm a bit too lazy to grind them though!
ReplyDeleteI need to use cumin more often really!
DeleteNothing beats nutmeg when its freshly ground and I think this must have smelt heavenly.
ReplyDeleteI love the smell of freshly grated nutmeg! It's warming and lovely!
DeleteCinnamon is such a versatile spice, I use it extensively in both sweet and savoury dishes. Nutmeg is wonderful too.
ReplyDeleteCinnamon is my all time favourite and so good for you - mixed with local honey and spread on toast everyday is great for hayfever sufferers.
DeleteI love spice markets, the wonderful aroma amd the promise of fresh spices that taste so different from the supermarket jars. GG
ReplyDeleteThere is a smell of nutmeg in the air which is intoxicating!
DeleteForgot to say, my favourite spice is nutmeg, reminds me of comfort food from my childhood. GG
ReplyDeleteMine is cinnamon, we put it in most things in the States!
DeleteI love to use cinnamon in my baking. Reminds me of christmas x
ReplyDeletecinnamon, nutmeg and cloves - so holiday!
DeleteYour photos remind me of the market on St Lucia - also full of spices and delicious smelling things! I have mace, nutmeg and cinnamon that we brought back, and they're all so much more delicious than what you can buy in the shops :-)
ReplyDeleteYou can never get it so fresh in the shops as on an island where it grows!
DeleteI love so many spices, so it's hard to choose a favourite. It probably is cinnamon as it's so versatile. I loved reading a bit about Betty! Lovely photos :)
ReplyDeleteCinnamon is my favourite too. Betty was so nice and wanted to talk about her spices so I was happy to stand and talk to her for a while!
DeleteI use lots of spices on a regular basis but my favourites are cinnamon, turmeric and cardamon (kim styles)
ReplyDeleteGood trio there. Turmeric is so good for you, I often sprinkle some in just for the hell of it
DeleteI use lots of spices on a regular basis but my favourites are cinnamon, turmeric and cardamon (kim styles)
ReplyDeleteI am using more and more spices as I get to know how and where they come from
ReplyDeleteI love cinnamon, and I add it to food whenever I can! Would love to visit the spice island one day :)
ReplyDeleteThe spice markets are a pleasant assault on your senses! I always find the local market.
DeleteI love garlic and freshly grated nutmeg. Following on Instagram.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the follow on Instagram. I don't think I can cook without garlic!
DeleteI do a lot of cooking with Cinnamon & Ginger - I love the smell of them!!
ReplyDeleteThey are both essential in my kitchen both fresh and ground.
DeleteFollowed a fellow Heidi on Instagram!
ReplyDeleteMust be something in the name!! Thanks for the Instagram follow. Cheers.
DeleteFantastic - I use a lot of cinnamon and ginger x
ReplyDeleteMy favourite without a doubt is cinnamon, followed jointly by ginger and nutmeg!
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