Stephs Cheers and Jeers was provided the samples mentioned in this post in return for an unbiased review.
Piquant Post is a monthly subscription box that delivers fresh ground spices to your doorstep. Each month you will receive four spice blends from single region or country as well as four recipes that are chef developed and approved. You also have online access to recipes, ingredient substitutes, and alternative uses.
April’s theme is Japan! I was super intrigued because while I love Japanese Russian I don’t know much about it and I also have never cooked it my self so I figured this would be a super fun experience.
The spices in the April box is Sansho Pepper, Shichimi Togarashi, Japanese Curry and Furikake.
Sansho Pepper is made from the berry of a Japanese “Prickly Ash” Scrub and is related to the Sichuan Pepper, however, Sansho Pepper is more citrusy and has notes of yuzu and grapefruit. It also provides a slight tingling sensation and is commonly used in eel dishes and umami broths. Sansho Pepper is a very powerful spice so its suggested that you use it sparingly and 1/8th to 1/4th of a teaspoon is often enough for most recipes. The recipe card included was for Black Cod with Mushrooms and sounds AMAZING!
Shichimi Togarashi also known as Japanese 7 spice is a very common table condiment in Japan and is used in a range of dishes. It contains Chili Flake, Tangerine Zest, Sansho Pepper, White Sesame Seeds, Black Sesame Seeds, Ginger, and Nori. The recipe card included is for Udon Noodle Soup and teaches you how to make homemade Dashi.
Japanese Curry is perfect for making Karē-Raisu(curry with rice) and it’s actually so popular its considered a national dish just like Ramen. Japanese Curry is mild and slightly sweet which makes it much different than its East Indian cousin. Japanese Curry contains Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin, Cardamom, Cloves, Honey Powder, Fenugreek, Ginger, Cinnamon and Black Pepper. It pairs well with chicken, fish, vegetables and more! The recipe card included is for Japanese Beef Curry.
Furikake was my favorite out of the four! It is SO tasty and contains Nori, White Sesame Seeds, Black Sesame Seeds and Sea Salt. It adds a wonderful salty crunch to many dishes and is also a common table condiment. I have been making this blend at home for years now knowing it was actually a real thing! I often use it as a topping on rice and sushi bowls. The recipe card included is for Okonomiyaki which is a Savory Pancake and I can’t wait to make them!
I loved this months box! I had so much fun experimenting with this month’s spices.
You can subscribe to Piquant Post for $11.99 a month, $65.94 6 months prepay and $119.88 12 months prepay.