The spice of life - What's New? Winter Gear & Food Fest - wide range of spices - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Jan, 2002

Kitchen spice racks used to be simple things, with a few jars of items like paprika, caraway seed, garlic powder, and cinnamon for more-adventurous cooks moving away from the old standbys, salt and pepper. Nowadays, spice rules the kitchen, as exotic, often foreign, dishes are coming into greater prominence for those bored with the same old meals. In recognition of this trend, McCormick & Company, Inc., Hunt Valley, Md., has come out with a line of 22 new spices for its Gourmet Collection, designed to meet the growing interest in ethnic cuisines. While we can't mention all of them (try www.mccormick.com for a full list), the following can give you an idea of what's new in the world of spice:

Chipotle chile pepper, a dried and smoked green jalapeno pepper, has a smoky, sweet flavor ideal for Mexican or Tex-Mex dishes. Red curry powder, a blend of sweet and savory spices and hot chilies, is designed for Indian curry and Thai recipes. Lemon grass is freeze-dried as whole stalks, its fresh lemony flavor a staple for many Indonesian, Thai, Philippine, and Malaysian dishes. Wasabi powder, the Japanese version of horseradish, is sharp, pungent, and downright fiery, an exciting accompaniment for sushi. In short, palate beware!