April 1, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Good Taste: Adding Spice To Life

By Barbara Bishop

 

Today my culinary talents took a huge step forward by making a visit to Penzey’s Spices in the South Bay. There was one in Santa Monica; unfortunately, they closed several months agoWhen I was first starting out in my cooking adventures, I would follow the recipes exactly, to the smallest detail. Now, it’ so much more fun changing it up, especially with different spices.

What’s really impressive about Penseys is the huge selection – more than 250 salts, peppers, spices, rubs, seasonings, seeds, dried peppers and other dried fruits and vegetables from all over the world. I don’t know where to start! I am always looking for new spices for roast chicken and BBQ steak, so I start there

The front window facade and the lighting fixtures have the look of an old-time country store. The wood floors give the place a warm, homey feeling and there’s the smell of a myriad of spices. Like a kid in a candy store, I want them all! Especially around the holidays.

Do you know how long spices are good for? I ask one of the helpful sales people. She tells me that ground spices last up to one year, and whole spices last up to two years. Storage of the spices, she said, is also key. Spices must be stored properly to maintain their original intensity and freshness. They can be stored in a glass container and be free of exposure to light, moisture, air and heat. Good to know.

So many spices, so little time! As I meander down each isle looking for the perfect spice, I discover that there are jars of each spice that you can smell before you buy. I come across a spice called Bancock Blend, mixed with sweet peppers, garlic, ginger, black pepper, galanmagal, hot peppers, lemon grass basil and cilantro. I smell it. Wow – it packs a punch!

Then I find a Bavarian-style seasoning, hand-made from crushed brown mustard, rosemary, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and sage – mmm, so earthy. Good possibility for my Thanksgiving turkey.

Penzeys Spices was not always exclusively a spice company. In 1957, Bill Penzey Sr. started a small coffee and spice business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over time as the business grew, he focused solely on spices and herbs.

In 1986, Bill’s son, Bill Jr. started a mail order business supplying spices to people all over the U.S. In the late ‘90s, the company began opening retail stores. Penzey’s now has 50 stores in 24 states.

After carefully going down each isle, I find the perfect spices for me — for chicken, it’s Rocky Mountain, a blend of green bell pepper, Parmesan cheese, salt, sesame and poppy seeds, shallots, arrowroot and green peppercorns. The second one I selected for chicken is Sunny Paris, a combination of purple shallots, chives, green peppercorn basil, tarragon, bay leaf and dill weed. Ooh-la-la!

For steaks, I choose the Chicago Steak rub. It’s hand-mixed and contains salt, Tellicherry, black pepper, sugar, garlic, onion, lemon zest, citric acid and natural smoke flavor. I am from Chicago, and miss those backyard barbecues when I was a kid. I’m hoping this seasoning will take me back there!

Get your spices on at Penzy’s.

For those of you who miss the Santa Monica location like I do, go to their website, it’s easy to order everything you need; go to www.penzeys.com.

Related Posts

Union Workers at UCLA to Strike April 1 Over Staffing Shortages, Labor Disputes

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Healthcare and Research Staff at UC to Strike, Alleging Unfair Labor Practices More than 20,000 healthcare, research, and technical professionals...

School of Rock Students Shine in Winter Performance Despite Widespread Fires

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Summer Camp Registration Opens Now By Susan Payne Wildfire devastation wreaked havoc in areas of Los Angeles this January with...

Full House Creator’s Cielo Drive Estate Returns With Massive Price Drop

March 30, 2025

March 30, 2025

Franklin’s Mansion, Once the Site of the Manson Tragedy, Back on Market Full House creator Jeff Franklin is returning to...

Santa Monica, Beverly Hills See Real Estate Shifts After L.A. Wildfires

March 30, 2025

March 30, 2025

Beverly Hills and Brentwood Listings Triple in Wake of January Fires Home sales and listings have shifted dramatically across Westside...

Deputies Open Fire on Suspect in West Hollywood, Triggering Street Closures

March 30, 2025

March 30, 2025

Suspect Shot by LASD in West Hollywood Domestic Violence Response Authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred Saturday evening in...

West Hollywood Resident Returns, Vandalizes Property, 30 Minutes After Eviction

March 30, 2025

March 30, 2025

“Neighbor From Hell” Tried to Re-Enter His Apartment and Damaged Property Valentino Lopez, a 41 year old, male Hispanic, was...

New Deadline, More Access: LA County Debris Program Expands Scope, Extends Signup

March 30, 2025

March 30, 2025

Officials Broaden Scope to Help More Residents, Encourage Early Submission Los Angeles County officials have announced that FEMA has agreed...

Judge to L.A. Leaders: ‘I Am Your Worst Nightmare’ in Scathing Homeless Spending Rebuke

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Carter Warns of Court Intervention if City and County Fail to Fix Broken Systems U.S. District Judge David O. Carter,...

Mayor Karen Bass Texts Sent During the Palisades Fire Have Been Released

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Newly Recovered Texts Were Recovered After Sharp Criticism Over Deletions As wildfires swept through Los Angeles in early January, Mayor...

Serial Fraudster Swindled $18M From Investors in Fake Hemp Ventures

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Feds Seize Ferrari, Real Estate as Judge Jails Beverly Hills ‘Con Man’ Mark Roy Anderson, 70, of Beverly Hills, was...

Music Mogul Convicted, West Hollywood Co-Defendant Heads to Trial

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

West Hollywood Talent Executive Awaits Trial in Multi-Count Kingpin Act ​A federal jury has convicted José Ángel Del Villar, 44,...

Culver City Police Nab Eight in Overnight Burglary, Series of Drug Arrests

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Two Arrested for Burglary, Six More Booked for Narcotics  Culver City Police made a series of arrests in the last...

LAPD Sets Weekend DUI Checkpoints and Saturation Patrols Across West Los Angeles

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Checkpoints Begin Friday, March 28; Patrols to Follow Throughout the Weekend Officials announced that the Los Angeles Police Department will...

Film Review: A Working Man

March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

By Dolores Quintana A Working Man is the second collaboration between director David Ayer and actor Jason Statham, in which...

Cocktail Season Arrives in Brentwood While Beverly Hills Hosts Wine Dinner Affair

March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

Bar Toscana Unveils Spring Cocktails as Nerano Prepares Wine-Paired Feast Bar Toscana is welcoming spring with a lineup of vibrant...