During the dead week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, we joined friends for lunch in Menlo Park, and afterward, because we all had the time, they suggested visiting Penzeys to check out their larder.
Penzeys, a longtime mail-order spice purveyor, opened the shop on Santa Cruz Avenue two years ago, and I’ve been meaning to visit all this time. Had I made the trip sooner, I would have known years ago about black cardamom, no relation to real cardamom, which adds a smoky element to slow-cooked meats and curries across Asia.
I also would have known about ajwain or ajowan, a seed with a scent reminiscent of celery that’s used on Afghan bread. And I would have realized that bratwurst’s distinctive flavor comes from a mixture of nutmeg and mustard.
I learned these things because at the shop, unlike with the catalog, everything Penzeys sells is available for smelling. It was thus that I chose my favorite black peppercorns — Tellicherry — which have covered nearly everything on my plate since our visit.
Photo: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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I just discovered their Southwest seasoning mix. My life has changed for the better or at least my version of hash browns has.
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