This would of course be one of the epic food battles that would be on a par with some of the classic struggles of all time – North vs. South, Yankees vs. the Red Sox, Guy vs. Rachael, or maybe Democrats vs. Republicans (ok maybe not that bad).

We had the wonderful experience of living for several years in N’awlins (a.k.a. the Crescent City, the Big Easy, NOLA) and this beautiful area that straddles the Mississippi River is truly unlike any other city in the US (yes New York, LA and Chicago we know how amazing you have been and will continue to be but it isn’t quite the same vibe). New Orleans is called by some the most European of all the US cities, what sets it apart is not just the food, the music or the oppressive humidity but the people. They have a laidback style and a unique language that’s all their own.

Even now as we live in the northeastern US we are drawn back to this jewel of the south several times a year. Always during June with Jazz Fest and of course for Mardi Gras. Now Mardi Gras is actual the last day, which is also called Fat Tuesday, which is the climax of the two week long New Orleans Carnival Season.

While the food in this southern Louisiana region is spectacular the two most arguably famous dishes have to be Jambalaya (Jam-ba-lie-ya) and Gumbo (Gum-bow). Now you really can’t say one is “better than the other” as they are both amazing in their own right.

As we are becoming more familiar in this country regarding the trends of fusion food the Cajun and Creole dishes of The Big Easy have long been the result of the ultimate fusing of people and culinary flavor. This cuisine has been influenced by the French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Native American and African people that have all had a major impact in this city and its surrounding areas since it was established in 1718.

Jambalaya
Jambalaya is the kindred culinary cousin of Spanish Paella. Jambalaya typically consists of three stages – meat and vegetables, stock and then rice. For authentic Jambalaya you have two primary styles to choose from either Creole, also called “red jambalaya” (which includes tomatoes) or Cajun (no tomatoes allowed).

One pot Creole jambalaya starts with the meat which is typically chicken and sausage. The sausage is usually Andouille (an-do-eee) or smoked sausage. Next up is the holy trinity of N’awlins vegetables, roughly 50% onions, 25% green bell peppers and 25% celery. Once the vegetables are translucent the tomatoes and seafood are then added. The seafood is some combination (or even all) of crabmeat, crawfish, firm-fleshed fish fillets cut into bite-sized pieces, shrimp and oysters. Towards the end of the cooking process stock (fish, chicken or vegetable) and rice are added. The rice is cooked in this pot.

Cajun style jambalaya also includes the holy trinity of vegetables (but no tomatoes). The meat choices are the similar but may also include alligator, duck, turtle and venison. The meat is typically cooked first in a cast iron pot so that the meat browns and sticks to the bottom of the pot. The meat is then removed from the pot and the vegetables are added and sauteed’ until soft. The meat, stock and seasonings are then added back to the pot. Rice is added towards the end of the cooking process. Cajun jambalaya tends to be a bit spicier.

Jambalayas are ideally suited for fusion experimentation. A variety of meats, stock and spices can truly make it your own. But don’t stray too far from the standard vegetables and rice otherwise it isn’t really a jambalaya it becomes more like a stew.

Gumbo
Gumbo is more like a soup that is served over a small serving of rice (unlike Jambalaya the rice is not cooked in the same pan) and is believed to have originated in New Orleans in the 18th century. Like Jambalaya there are subtle Cajun and Creole differences. This dish also draws on many different cultures including French, Spanish, German, West African, and Choctaw. No matter which version you prefer they all have a thickener (whether roux, okra or file powder).

Much of the flavor of the gumbo comes from the rich stock as it pairs with the chosen meat of the gumbo. For seafood gumbo use a well prepared seafood stock, for chicken gumbo a flavorful chicken stock. Don’t skimp on this step as it is the key to a flavorful gumbo. The best stocks are made from scratch.

The base of the best Cajun gumbos is the roux which is a mixture of oil and flour. Some believe the ideal mix is 1 to 1 and others ¾ cup oil to 1 cup flour. You’ll have to experiment to get your perfect roux.  The roux is mixed and cooked in a cast iron pot until brown (the color and texture is like a creamy peanut butter). Some prefer their roux to be a bit lighter in color and some a bit darker. Roux needs to be cooked slow and easy and should take 25 to 40 minutes with frequent stirring.

Creole gumbo tends to use file powder as its thickener while African style gumbo uses okra as the thickener. A traditional Louisiana gumbo would never mix any of the three thickening agents.

All versions use the holy trinity of New Orleans vegetables. Arguably the two most popular meat combinations for gumbo are chicken and andouille sausage or a seafood gumbo with shrimp, crabmeat and andouille sausage. With the exception of sausage and occasionally ham you’ll never find pork or beef used in a gumbo.

So which one is better? That really depends on the judge (that would be you). Both have their fans and as you can see both Jambalaya and Gumbo have their own subtle differences as well. What I can guarantee is that the possibilities are practically endless.

There are lots of serious debates (some might call them crazy) going on in our country today – Should we raise the debt ceiling? Tax the rich or let them keep their tax cuts? Why are we investing in the war(s) in Muslim countries when China is investing in technology and kicking our butts? This is all some ridiculously serious stuff…

Well we at SpicesInc.com have been having our own internal struggle for a while as it relates to China and in particular “Garlic”.

Now Garlic, and onions for that matter, create their own controversy among spice lovers. One camp says that these shouldn’t even be considered a spice as you should only use fresh. While the “other side” says “I can’t live without my garlic (or onion) powder, flakes and granules as these save me when I only need a little or I am pressed for time”.

Well we’ll waffle a bit on this one (hey maybe I should run for office) – we use fresh whenever and wherever we can but also use powder, granules and flakes for various dishes as well.

Our debate here has stemmed once again from some great customer feedback. As you know from past posts that to me talking to customers about spices is absolutely as good as it gets. Lately it seems that we’ve had more asking us about California grown garlic vs. garlic imported from China.

An interesting fact – for every man, women and child in the US we consume more than 4 lbs of garlic a year. That is a lot of garlic!

While many think that California is the garlic capital of the world most of the garlic that we consume actually comes from China. Back in the early 90’s China only accounted for about 2% of the total amount of garlic imported into the US. In 2009 it was up to around 50% and this year it is expected to increase another 30%.

It isn’t just that imports are up on garlic it is the systemic way that China has been flooding our garlic markets and driving down the price of garlic. Naturally this has been eliminating the amount of acres dedicated to growing garlic in California over the last 10 years. Last year California planted a little over 17,000 acres of garlic while in 2001 it was over 29,000 acres.

Well China bashing has certainly been in vogue for numerous import imbalances for a while now and maybe we should consider the demise of the California garlic farms as well.

But can you tell the difference in flavor? There have been several studies (scientific taste tests) that have continuously shown that California garlic tastes better than imported garlic, with higher ratings on the Brix (flavor) scale. California’s Central Valley region has an ideal warm Mediterranean type of climate with fertile, rich fields that provides ideal growing conditions for garlic.

We at SpicesInc.com are driven more by flavor than price and heck we import spices and dried herbs for around the globe. So we are not saying that you should only buy “American spices”. But we are also big believers and supporters of the local food movement and supporting our local farmers as much for better flavor as for supporting our local community. Sometimes that means paying a little bit more than if we got our fruits and vegetables from the local supermarket.

So I’ve made the decision that from now on we will buy our garlic that has only been grown, harvested, peeled and processed in California. We have already begun to turn over our inventory and you will see this identified as “California grown garlic” on the specific product pages for our Roasted Garlic Flakes, Garlic Powder and Organic Garlic Powder. We are also working with our suppliers to get the rest of our organic and non-organic garlic products moved over to California grown before the 4^th quarter begins.

I just felt that this was the right thing to do at this time.

There is just something about Moroccan flavor that just drives me crazy. Every time I try a new dish I am surprised by the subtle blending of spices and textures that always leaves me wanting (and ultimately eating) more! This Moroccan Stew was no exception.

We prepared this in the crock pot so that only made it even easier and we certainly are huge fans of flavorful and easy meals! This is the kind of dish that is perfect as the weather starts to turn cold and you get in the mood for a variety of soups and stews. This one didn”t call for exotic hard to find ingredients and we also didn”t have to stress about buying an ingredient and wondering what else can we use this for before it goes bad!

This is a healthy dish with a touch of sweetness to it and after devouring it for dinner I had leftovers twice the following day -  I certainly could not get enough of it.

Ingredients
1 Tsp ground allspice
3 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb), cut into 2″ chunks
2 cans chickpeas (15.5 oz cans), drained and rinsed
1/2 medium size butternut squash
1 can low sodium diced tomatoes (15.5 oz can)
1 can low sodium tomato sauce (15.5 oz can)
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup of carrots, chopped in 1/2″ chunks)
3 medium onions, cut into wedges
2 red chile peppers, fresh
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup of dried cilantro
1/2 cup dried parsley
1 garlic clove, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Mix the allspice and Kosher salt in a small bowl
2. In the bottom of your slow cooker add the chicken
3. Take 1/2 the allspice Kosher salt blend and season the chicken breasts
4. In a larger bowl combine the chickpeas, squash, apricots, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, raisins, carrots, onions, chiles and remaining allspice/ Kosher salt blend
5. Pour the vegetable blend over the chicken breasts
6. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 hours

To Make the Parsley/ Cilantro Sauce

1. In a small food processor mix the lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin and olive oil
2. Drizzle onto the top of your bowls of stew

Serves 8

Nutritional Information (per serving)
Protein 26g
Carbs 82g
Fat 10g
Trans Fat 0g
Saturated Fat 1g
Fiber 14g
Sodium 403mg
Sugar 36g
Calories 510

I have to say if we had one product that we”d call our “signature spice” Saigon Cinnamon would be it. Hands down this has been our most popular spice since the day we opened our web doors.

In actuality this really shouldn’t be called “Saigon Cinnamon” as it doesn’t come from the largest city in Vietnam but actually comes from the dried, cultivated bark of cinnamon cassia grown in the mountains of Northern and Central Vietnam. But given the research that I did on this product most consumers searched for this as Saigon Cinnamon and not Vietnamese Cinnamon.

If you’ve never tasted Vietnamese cinnamon it is unlike any other cinnamon you’ve ever had. This is a sentiment shared by high profile chefs and high end bakeries across the country. Our Saigon cinnamon is organic as well and one of our customers is an organic bakery in Texas that buys this by the case throughout the year. We consider that to be the ultimate endorsement.

The world’s most aromatic cinnamon, Vietnamese cinnamon has the highest concentration of essential oils of any cinnamon currently found in the world today. The oil content of this comes in at 5% where most grocery store versions come in around 2%.

What we really love about this is that it’s savory, sweeter and more potent than the cheaper Indonesian cinnamon typically found in your local supermarket. Most cinnamon has a subtle sweetness to it at best but Vietnamese cinnamon has an eye-opening sweetness and hearty spiciness that some call similar to “red hot candy”.

Experienced bakers are especially fond of this cinnamon as it practically melts through their baked goods, providing an unmistakable cinnamon flavor in every bite.  Bakers have also told us that this cinnamon transforms their baking from the expected to extraordinary.

You are probably most familiar with using cinnamon in baking – deserts, cakes, spiced cakes and of course cinnamon rolls. But it’s also amazingly wonderful when combined with apples, bananas, pears and chocolate.

Cinnamon is very popular in spice blends and we especially like it in our Pumpkin Pie Spice and Apple Pie Spice.

Cinnamon is found around the globe in places like the Middle East and India where it is used for its signature flavoring in meat and vegetable dishes. We’ve even found Vietnamese cinnamon as a secret ingredient in some championship winning chili recipes.

Here are some of our favorite recipes using Saigon Cinnamon.

Saigon cinnamon also goes well with almonds, apples, apricots, bananas, chocolate, chicken, coffee, eggplant, lamb, oatmeal, pears, sweet potatoes and rice.

Vietnamese cinnamon partners well with cardamom, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, mace, nutmeg and turmeric.

Many people (and some in the media) still think of Almonds as fatty, high calorie and salty – more or less a junk food.

Ok,  yes almonds are a high fat food. But almonds are high in monounsaturated fats. These are the same kind of positive healthy fats found in olive oil and this type of fat has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease. The bad rap that almonds get is that they are too fatty to be considered a healthy snack even while research shows that they actually reduce cholesterol levels.

Almonds are also loaded with protein, fiber, vitamin E, calcium, potassium and other antioxidants. Studies have found that overweight individuals are able to lose weight more efficiently when on an almond aided reduced calorie diet than on a reduced diet that is heavier on complex carbs (starches & grains).

Many even find dry roasted almonds to be a great snack due to their signature taste and unique texture. Dieters also find that the crunchiness is very satisfying and particularly enjoyable as their diets go through the initial stage of realigning their carbohydrates intake (replacing bad carbs with good and carb tapering).

As an added fat burning benefit, dry roasted almonds are not only excellent sources of protein (over 6 grams per ounce) but they are also high in fiber (with over 13% of the daily recommended amount). Research has suggested that the consumption of almonds prevents some of the fat and calories from being absorbed into the body — it acts like kind of a super highway right through the body.

As is the case with many of the best fat burning and healthiest foods the skins contain many of the best nutrients and almonds are no exception to this. Almond skins contain flavonoids that when combined with the high amount of vitamin E in the inner almond more than doubles the antioxidant benefits than when these two are ingested separately.

So enjoy almonds as a great stand alone snack but they can also be combined to form a powerful one two punch when cut into slices and added to your oatmeal, smoothies, green beans, mixed in with low fat yogurt, added to potatoes or just about anywhere else some extra crunch is desired.

Be sure to consume unsalted, dry roasted almonds and stay away from those that may be coated in salt or sugar.

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) recently cited six emerging food “mega trends” that more consumers are looking for and these include more natural health solutions and increasingly convenient meal options.  There is also an increasing demand that food suppliers need to be processing and flavoring foods in more natural ways.

These are the most popular trends to watch out for in the next couple of months but they are not necessarily in any order.

• Consumers want simpler, “clean” labels and products that lack preservatives.

• Popular weight-management ingredients are fibers, low-glycemic sweeteners and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Products that focus on metabolism, satiety benefits, body toning and fat-burning will continue to be well received.

• More consumers are also searching out food products that are “naturally rich” in healthy ingredients, such as superfoods, phytochemicals, carotenoids and resveratrol. Natural sweeteners, most notably stevia, are the hot new naturally functional sweetening agents. Artificial sweeteners are on their way out of consumers’ diets as they embrace these natural options.

• Free-from foods are beginning their second generation, moving from additive- and preservative-free products to also include gluten- and lactose-free, and interest in these types of products is surging. Ingredients that offer tasty, safe alternatives to allergens are in high demand. Popular gluten-free options include chickpeas, lentils, peas as well as amaranth, quinoa, millet, sorghum and teff. Consumers also are avoiding high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), MSG and any artificial ingredients.

• Rounding out the list are niche flavors, especially the fifth basic taste, umami (or savoriness). Nut flavors including almonds, cashews and pistachios, are being found in drinks, milks and yogurt. Hot spicy ingredients such as chiles are moving into candy, while cooling spice and herb ingredients, such as anise, cinnamon, coriander, ginger and mint, are popping up in dairy, ice cream and gums.

• Yogurt is enjoying a comeback of sorts with vegetable flavors including cucumber, dill and carrot. Flower flavors are also moving into the global market.

These are the flavor trends that food manufactures are going to be focusing on in the next 12 months so be on the lookout at your local grocery store (they will be arriving soon). Maybe you won’t need to completely skip the middle isles anymore.

If you are serious about getting as lean as possible then you should be following a clean eating program. This concept while originating from the bodybuilding world is now practiced by a much wider range of fitness and nutrition experts as the best way to get your lean muscle and body fat in ideal proportions.

Turkey breasts are probably the second most popular source of lean protein (right behind chicken breasts) for bodybuilders, fitness competitors and those following a clean eating program. The breast meat is healthier with fewer calories and less fat than the darker thigh meat.

Now don’t confuse the deli counter turkey breast as being the same thing as the healthier turkey breast cutlets. The lunch meat variety is made from a secret mixture (that can’t be good) which is then poured into a mold and as with most processed foods some magical additional preservatives and extra sodium are then tossed in for good measure — now that sounds healthy, nutritious and delicious doesn’t it?

So stick with the real thing… natural turkey breast cutlets.

Turkey breasts are also just a bit leaner than chicken breasts. Here are how four ounces of each compares:

• turkey breast has 152 calories with 32 grams of protein and 0 grams of fat
• chicken breast has 184 calories, 36 grams of protein and 4 grams of fat

Now both of these choices are still better from a lean protein perspective than even the leanest beef such as top sirloin which for the same 4 oz serving size has:

• top sirloin has 232 calories, 32 grams of protein and 8 grams of fat.

Turkey breasts are also an excellent source of protein (65% of the recommended daily amount), selenium (47%) which boosts your metabolism while also strengthening your antioxidant defense systems, B3 (36%) and B6 (27%).

Foods that are packed with lean protein sources act like rocket boosters for your body’s ability to burn calories by speeding up your metabolism and adding hi octane fuel to your lean muscle mass.

You should always plan to include some form of lean protein with every meal. We like to stay about around 4 oz. for each meal for best results.

Most of us know that a diet high in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of many leading causes of death while also playing a significant role in helping Americans getting leaner. The CDC has just released their annual report and it shows that only an estimated 26.3% of adults consumed vegetables three or more times per day in 2009 while only 32.5% of adults consumed fruit two or more times per day.

Both of these critical figures are down in 2009 compared to 2000. Fruit consumption dropped from 34.4% to 32.5%, while vegetable consumption remained relatively flat 26.7% in 2000 and 26.3% in 2009. Other interesting numbers from this report show that women are much more likely than men to be getting their fruits (36.1% to 28.7%) and vegetables (30.9% to 21.4%).

So I guess that means that the KFC commercials for the Double Down Chicken Sandwich, with two pieces of fried chicken, two strips of bacon, two slices of cheese and  no bread (and not even a token piece of lettuce) sandwiches has been quite successful in their targeting of men. You Go Colonel!

According to the nutritionists of some of the fittest athletes in the world when your goal is fat loss, your diet should contain larger amounts of foods that have a high thermic effect. That means lean protein and fibrous vegetables. You would find it impossible to be fat if you are on a feeding regimen of lean protein and green salads.

Fruits and vegetables also make the best in between meal snacks – they are generally nutrient rich and light on calorie density. And if you are a believer in eating smaller meals frequently then vegetables fit right in line with this program.

Fresh fruit is packed with healthy nutrients

Fruit consumption is best when used as a smaller part of your overall carbohydrate calories and they should not be the primary source. Your goal should be one to two pieces of fruit a day (like blueberries or kiwi) and the remainder of your carbs coming from complex starchy carbs (such as oatmeal, brown rice and sweet potatoes) and also from fibrous carbs (i.e. asparagus, carrots, broccoli, etc.).

Sweet potatoes - a healthy alternative

Helpful hint – try to consume a variety of colors and kinds of produce, this gives your body the best mix of the various nutrients it needs.  Your best bet? Go for dark leafy greens, tomatoes and anything that’’s a rich orange, yellow or red in color.

A variety of fresh, healthy vegetables

And as a last thought – try to eat your fruits and vegetables in their most natural state possible. Fresh is always better than canned or frozen. Eat them as Mother Nature intended and you can’t go wrong.

If you are looking to eat clean and get lean then eat your five total servings of fruits and vegetables every day!

For those working on a fat burning diet one of the ongoing struggles is finding good tasty, clean food. I love to experiment with different foods and Kiwi fruit is one of the healthiest pieces of fruit that you can find. Because it isn”t as well known as the more popular super fruit blueberries, it most likely doesn”t make it’’s way into your grocery basket.

Here are some of my favorite kiwi fruit nutrition facts.

Not only are these one of the most nutrient dense amazing fruits but they will have a wonderfully delicate and sweet taste unlike just about any other fruit or vegetable. Kiwifruits are also called called kiwi fruits or simply kiwi. No matter what you call them they are are jam packed with many vitamins, minerals and flavonoids.

Just one kiwi contains almost the complete daily recommended amount of vitamin C and has as much potassium as a banana. You’ll also find these to be excellent sources of Vitamin E, beta-carotene, dietary fiber (12% of the daily recommended amount) and are very low on the glycemic index.

Brimming with more vitamins and minerals than 27 more commonly consumed fruit the kiwi provides a semi truck full of other benefits too. A study released by the University of Oslo found that consuming two kiwis per day may significantly lower the risk of blood clots, combat the signs of aging and dramatically increase your fat burning potential during exercise.

When choosing the perfect kiwi here are a couple of helpful tips to be on the lookout for. Hold one in your hand and gently squeeze. Those that provide the sweetest taste will give a little to the pressure of your fingers. Stay away from those that are really soft, mushy or are bruised. Just slightly firm is ok but you will need to let them sit at room temperature for several days to fully ripen. Research from Austria shows that kiwi when fully ripened (almost to the point of over ripe) actually boosts the release of their antioxidants.

So the next time you are craving something a bit sweet, but you are also working on perfecting your fat burning diet, try a kiwifruit instead.

Well summer is beginning to wind down and fall is right around the corner. Are you someone who looks forward to September? When football finally kicks off — there is nothing like watching the boys of fall under the lights on a Friday night at the local high school, tailgating at your favorite college on Saturdays or enjoying the sights, sounds and raw excitement at one of the NFL stadiums.

We think that football and hot wings make a pretty unbeatable combination. While we also like our wings baked (but never fried), we especially love our wings hot off the grill which makes them perfect for tailgating or for watching your team with friends and family.

This weekend’s Labor Day festivities also coincides with the 9^th Annual National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo, New York! Last year over 78,000 attended and consumed more than 500,000 wings and they have already ordered 45 tons of wings for this year’s event.

Whether you call them Buffalo wings, chicken wings, hot wings or just wings this tasty treat has developed quite a cult following. You know that it has reached the level of a definitive American food when in addition to a national festival it becomes the signature dish to several restaurant chains – most notably Hooters and Buffalo Wild Wings. In 2009, Esquire Magazine even released their own list of the best national restaurants serving wings.

If you would rather search for the best wings in your area and prefer local bar and grills that may be a bit more off the beaten you might like these reviews from BestHotWings.com.

Me, I am partial to homemade wings as there are so many ways to prepare them and so many flavor options – sweet, spicy and hot, hotter and hottest. Of course preparing them for friends and family makes it even better!

We recently had a get together at our house for our SpicesInc.com staff for a wing taste testing night/ welcome celebration for some of our new team members. Penny seasoned our wings for a couple of hours and I got to threw them on the grill.

Now while I like ‘em hot – especially the Habanero Chile Seasoning, Hot Cajun Wings and Thai Wings our big winners, as selected by our guests,   were the Honey Chipotle and the Kickin’ Chicken. Both of these last two had just a hint of heat and more sweetness than some of our others.

How do you like your wings?

Do you prefer to cook them yourself of go out to a restaurant?