Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 41 of Life On the Brink!
Nothing screams fall quite as much as a cup of spicy tea, or maybe a comforting dish full of fall flavors. But what are “fall flavors,” really?
I think that the essence of autumn lies not only in the pumpkins, apples, and leafy greens, but in the warming spices that complement the harvest so well, like cinnamon, clove, and ginger. Even the beloved Starbucks drink isn’t a “pumpkin latte,” but rather a “pumpkin SPICE latte.” We’ve come to associate these flavors with this time of year, and this year I’m exploring just how much we can do within our spice cupboard.
Today we’re diving into the spices that make up all our autumn flavor memories. We’ll learn some of the unique properties and health benefits of some of the big players, plus how to make your own spice blends. I’ll also be sharing some of my favorite recipes that incorporate these spices, so your kitchen can be full of warming and yummy things all season.
What’s in my teacup? Celestial Tea’s Caramel Apple Dream
THE SPICES OF FALL: let’s take a look at each of the spices that make up our autumnal spice pantry.
CINNAMON
What is it? inner bark of trees, Cinnamomum
What does it look like? Either whole sticks or ground into powder
Health benefits: anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, lowers blood sugar
CARDAMOM
What is it? Seeds of plants from Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae
What does it look like? Either whole pods or a ground spice
Health benefits: helps upset stomach, might help fight inflammation, high in magnesium and zinc
GINGER
What is it? Rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale
What does it look like? Either fresh (called ginger root) or as a dried ground spice
Health benefits: anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, eases nausea and cramps
CLOVE
What is it? flower buds of the clove tree, Syzygium aromaticum
What does it look like? Either as whole cloves or ground
Health benefits: antioxidants, high in manganese and may aid in bone health, may help regulate blood sugar
BLACK PEPPER
What is it? dried berries from the vine Piper nigrum
What does it look like? Whole dried peppercorns (I don’t recommend the pre-ground stuff)
Health benefits: anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, may help improve blood sugar metabolism, boosts absorption of nutrients
TURMERIC
What is it? particular rhizome of the ginger family, Curcuma longa
What does it look like? Either fresh (looks like ginger) or as a dried ground spice
Health benefits: high in curcumin, an antioxidant that eases inflammation, may help ease pain
NUTMEG
What is it? a seed of Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree native to Indonesia
What does it look like? Sometimes sold as whole seeds, but mostly as a ground spice
Health benefits: anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, has been known to combat certain strains of bacteria
Also: What the heck is Allspice?
Dried berries of the plant Pimenta dioica (it’s actually not a spice blend). It tends to bring out the flavors of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper
HOMEMADE SPICE BLENDS: making at home is so simple!
PUMPKIN PIE SPICE (I really like using this blend)
Use in pumpkin pies, breads, pancakes, or oatmeal. Making a batch from spices you already have will be more cost effective than buying a blend, plus you can customize it to your taste.
-3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
-2 teaspoons ground ginger
-2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
-1 teaspoon ground allspice
-1 teaspoon ground cloves
CHAI SPICE (I like using this recipe)
Chai is often described as “Christmas in a cup”, I think that’s because we associate it with the flavors of gingerbread. Gingerbread houses became a Christmas tradition in 16th century Germany, so the combination of ginger and fall spices bring us comfort to this day.
Use this blend in oatmeal, granola, sprinkle on apple chips, or add it to your chai latte!
-2 teaspoons ground cardamom
-2 teaspoons ground allspice
-2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
-4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-2 teaspoon ground cloves
-6 teaspoons ground ginger
GARAM MASALA (recipe taken from Feasting at Home)
Garam masala is different from curry powder, as it’s not based on turmeric. It’s just the magic key to making your curries so incredibly delicious.
-1 tablespoon ground cumin
-2 teaspoons ground coriander
-2 teaspoons ground cardamom
-1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon ground pepper
-½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
-½ teaspoon ground cloves
-1/4– ½ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
LET’S GET COOKING! Here are some sweet and savory recipes to help inspire you to use all these fall flavors…
-Tomato-Yogurt Chicken Curry (uses turmeric, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, ginger)
-Sesame Chicken and Noodles in Spicy Broth (uses ginger, clove, cinnamon, black pepper, also star anise)
-Spiced Rice (uses cardamom and black pepper)
-Jjapaguri Black Bean Noodles with Steak - (uses ginger)
-Cream Cheese Swirled Pumpkin Bread with Salted Maple Butter (uses pumpkin pie spice)
-Brown Butter Maple Glazed Cinnamon Apple Scones (uses cinnamon)
I hope you’re inspired to seek out these spices in your cooking and eating, it’s a wonderful part of eating seasonally during this time of year.
Now that your pantry is stocked and your recipe box is full, I wish you a warm, spicy autumn season full of delicious moments. Bon appétit!
This Week’s Little Joy: Last week Josh and I took a walk around our apartment complex. There’s one unit in particular that has a huge, lush garden bed out front, and as we approached it we recognized a fellow neighbor (David, he’s a runner) talking with another man (I assume the gardener) by the beautiful garden. Josh and I said hello and kept walking, but after we passed I heard David say to the other man:
“She’s the one who plants the sunflowers…..”
And that absolutely made my day. I forget that people notice each other’s gardens and that people beyond my unit might know about the sunflowers. I’m just fine being known as the girl with the sunflowers, it made me so proud.
What I’m Listening To: That Bad Eartha- Eartha Kitt. This album is as spicy as a ginger chai. Eartha is so underrated, I think; this album is such a triumph. Not only does she sing in like 4 languages on this album, but her style is so flawless (the first track ALONE) and unique, I can’t stop listening to this record.
Thank you so much for listening! Feel free to leave a comment with your favorite fall spice, and don't forget to leave a rate or review on Apple Podcasts. Have a lovely week!
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