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 box was themed around France and I was super excited because I LOVE French Cuisine.
This months box contained Dijon Spice, Vadouvan French Curry, Herb De Provence and Quatre Epices.
The Dijon Spice combines yellow mustard seeds with coriander, black pepper, basil, and thyme and is great for making sauces for chicken or fish. It’s also great as a base for vinaigrette. The recipe card included is for Chicken Dijon and contains some interesting information about Dijon which is the capital of Burgundy(which is the legendary wine-producing region).
The Vadouvan French Curry combines Shallot, Garlic, Onion, Fenugreek, Turmeric, Cumin, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Cloves, Fennel Seed, Mustard Seed, Curry Leaves and Cayenne Pepper. Vadouvan(produced vah-doo-van) is a milder and sweeter version of Indian curry powder. It is thought to have been developed in Pondicherry which is a former French colony and then brought to Europe by French Cooks. Fresh Vadouvan can be hard to come by unless you have access to specialty spice stores, it is very versatile and can be used in soups, on meat, nuts or veggies. I am so glad this spice was included because its super tasty and I love trying spices I’ve never heard of before. The recipe card included is for Vadouvan Roasted Vegetables and it was a HUGE hit with my family.
The Herbs De Provence is a blend I actually use often and is one of my favorites. It combines Thyme, Marjoram, Savory, Tarragon, Basil, Fennel Seed and Lavender. Its so flavorful and reminds me of spring, it can be paired with a wide range of dishes including meats, pasta and more. I personally love pairing it with Lamb. The recipe card included is for Skillet Herbed Fish and I personally have never paired Herbs De Provence with Fish but I will now!
The Quarte Epices which means Four Spices combines White Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves and Cinnamon and are perfect for winter stews and soups. The recipe card included is for Beef Stew in Red Wine and can easily be turned into a vegan version by substituting mushrooms for the beef and bacon.
I LOVED this months box! I feel it captured France wonderfully and I had a blast cooking with these spices.
You can subscribe to Piquant Post for $11.99 a month, $65.94 6 months prepay and $119.88 12 months prepay.