I fell in love with Seattle’s Pike Place Market as a college kid, not long after the voters saved it from destruction, and made it my mission in life to eat my way through it. It’s constantly changing, so I’ll never be done! As a student and then as a young lawyer working downtown, I ate and shopped my way through the Market weekly. The food is fresh, local, wild, and wonderful. Creative and colorful, funky and flavorful. I adore the vibrance and energy of the place, from the street corner musicians to the flying fish to the artisans who run the craft stalls, and the ever-changing mix of merchants in the “stores with doors.” When I decided to set a series in the Market, a fictional spice shop was a natural choice. So much inspiration! And it prompts readers to ask: What are your favorite herbs and spices?
Smoked Paprika
“My favorite spice,” Pepper, my personal spice girl says, “is probably smoked paprika. But don’t tell the others.” She speaks for me. I’m not sure I’d have discovered it if I weren’t writing about herbs and spices, weaving spice facts and lore into the story. It’s a deep orange-red, with a hint of smoke and a rich, earthy flavor. I prefer the sweet to the piquant—sweet meaning mild, not sugary. And it is so pretty! Pepper’s favorite customer uses it in Chai Another Day in Edgar’s Baked Paprika Cheese—a hit on the page and in my house!
Basil
Fresh, it’s the taste and scent of summer. Is there anything better than Caprese Salad—fresh tomatoes and mozzarella with basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar? I don’t think so!
Dried basil is perfect on roasted vegetables and meats, and of course, by itself or with friends in an Italian blend. Here’s the recipe for my blend, along with an Herbed Black Bean Pasta Salad that Pepper uses to catch a killer in Killing Thyme!
Tarragon
We truly discovered the glorious taste of tarragon on a trip to France in 2009, where it particularly shone when served with chicken. When we returned home and began working our way through Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom by Julia Child, we knew we had to grow it ourselves. Now we keep a pot of tarragon on the deck and urge it on as long as possible during the winter, in the house. It’s herby and grassy, with a hint of anise. This Tarragon Vinaigrette, which isn’t terribly vinegar-y—is a lovely salad dressing. It also plays well with seared scallops, grilled white fish, and of course, chicken. We love it on a simple combo of halved cherry or grape tomatoes and white cannellini beans, canned and rinsed.
Consider it the taste of a French summer, no matter where you live.
Chai
I have to include a blend on the list! Blends are trendy, because they are so tasty! In the western world, chai has come to mean a milky black or green tea redolent with spice, but in many regions of India, “chai” simply means tea or tea with milk and sugar. Hot or cold, so good! My blend, like most, includes cinnamon and ginger, two staples in any kitchen. In this Glazed Chai Spice Coffee Cake, also from Chai Another Day, it adds a dash of South Asian flavor to the classic American coffee cake. And if anyone tells you they don’t like coffee cake, don’t believe a word of it.
Cumin
That brings me to cumin, the star of To Err is Cumin, the 8th and newest Spice Shop mystery! Cumin is often used in Mexican cooking and in South Asian recipes, giving it an undeserved reputation for heat. But Pepper and I are all about the flavor. Grassy, citrusy, woodsy, pungent—all are words used to describe cumin. Tastes and smells can be hard to describe—comparisons are useful. The raw seeds verge on pungent; toasted, the taste is softer and earthy, with a mild saltiness. Ground cumin, whether you buy it powdered or grind it from the seeds, packs a more immediate punch than the seeds. Both have their place in a well-tempered palate! Try it for yourself in this Roasted Beet and Feta Salad with Cumin Dressing, or in Pepper’s Creamy Asparagus Soup with Cumin, in the book.
Whatever your favorite herbs and spices, keep it tasty. And remember, stories are the spice of life!
Leslie Budewitz writes the Spice Shop mysteries set in Seattle’s Pike Place Market and the Food Lovers’ Village mysteries, set in NW Montana. She also writes historical fiction—watch for All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection coming in September 2024. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody suspense. She cooks, reads, paints, hikes, and gardens in NW Montana. And yes, there are bears in her yard. Read excerpts and more at LeslieBudewitz.com.
