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.
This months theme honors the Lunar New Year which is one of the biggest holidays in China. This box features some GREAT Chinese spices and as soon as I opened the box and saw the spices included I was super excited because I love cooking Chinese inspired dishes at home.
This months box included Chinese 5 Spice, Silk Rose Spice, Salt and 2 Pepper and Spicy Tangerine.
Chinese 5 Spice is one of my favorite spices! Its often considered an essential seasoning in Chinese cooking and I use it often. If you have eaten Chinese take out before you have most likely have eaten five spice without even knowing it. It contains Cinnamon, Fennel Seed, Cloves, Sichuan Pepper and Star Anise. Chinese 5 Spice is typically used to season duck, goose, pork, and chicken. A recipe card for 5 Spice Chicken Thighs was included.
Silk Road Spice gets its name from “Silk Road” which connected Asia to the Middle East and Europe. Xi’an is the capital of Shannaxi Province and is one of the oldest cities in China. The City of Xi’an lays at the eastern terminus of this ancient trading route. This spice blend contains Cumin, Sesame Seeds, Coriander, Cayenne, Garlic Powder and Sichuan Pepper. The recipe card included is for Spicy Tofu Steaks and is a Chinese Arab Fusion Dish.
Salt and 2 Pepper combines Sea Salt with freshly grounded White Pepper and Sichuan Peppercorns. If you didn’t know(which I didn’t) that Sichuan pepper is the husk of a fruit from a Chinese shrub. It is actually not related to peppercorns or chili peppers, it’s a member of the citrus family and has a slight lemony taste. The recipe card included is for Salt and 2 Pepper Shrimp.
The last spice in this months box is one I am super excited to try. It is Spicy Tangerine and contains Dried Tangerine Peels, Ginger, and Crushed Red Pepper. Did you know that the word for “tangerine” sounds very similar to the word for luck? During Chinese New Year you will find people gifting tangerines and restaurants often cook tangerine beef to celebrate. The recipe card included is for Tangerine Beef and I can’t wait to make it!
I really enjoyed this months box, I always get excited to receive my monthly Piquant Post box because the spices smell amazing and are so fresh.
You can subscribe to Piquant Post for $11.99 a month, $65.94 6 months prepay and $119.88 12 months prepay.