merch-spices-msg – 11/17/07
Modern sources for spices. Spice vender recommendations.
NOTE: See also the files: herbs-msg, herbs-cooking-msg, p-herbals-msg, seeds-msg, rue-msg, saffron-msg, garlic-msg, spices-msg.
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NOTICE -
This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.
This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org
I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.
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Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).
Thank you,
Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous
Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: 0003900943 at mcimail.COM (Marla Lecin)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Herbs and Spices catalog
Date: 14 Apr 1994 14:15:47 -0400
Greetings to the Rialto, from Jessa d'Avondale!
I have just received in the mail a nice catalog from Penzeys, Ltd. Spice
House ("Merchants of Quality Spices"). They have an extensive list of dried
herbs and spices, including such items as: Anise seeds, Cardamom
(whole/ground), Cassia cinnamon, Ceylon (true) cinnamon, Cloves, Fennel
seed, Galangal, Ginger, Mace, whole Nutmegs, asst. Peppercorns, White
pepper, Poppy seeds, Saffron, Sesame seeds, Juniper berries, ground Sumac
berries.
There is quite a bit of description of the various spices, along with some
recipes. There are also many seasoning blends, such as Thai style, Cajun,
Indian Curries, Garam Masala, Tandoori & Vindaloo, Chili powders, Sausage
seasonings, etc. (And 9 different kinds of Chili peppers, for them what
likes it hot.)
A quote from the catalog: "we start with the highest quality grades from
the top countries of origin. We grind and blend these spices weekly to
ensure freshness (no one else does this). We bulk pack and distribute
directly to you. By doing this we can charge about 2/3 what the big
companies get in the supermarket for lower quality spices and herbs."
Most items are priced by 1 oz/4 oz/8 oz/1 pound; usually the price per pound
is 10 times the price per ounce. Saffron is sold by the gram or quarter
ounce - 1 gram contains 450 threads, and goes for about $5. The spices come
packed in resealable plastic bags; they also sell jars in the catalog.
I have not ordered anything from this catalog before, but I will be putting
in an order shortly. If you would like to get a copy of the catalog, you
can contact: Penzey's Ltd. Spice House, PO Box 1448, Waukesha, WI 53187.
Phone: 414-574-0277. (hours 9-5 Monday through Saturday)
Jessa
From: Galen & Raven <galen at pa.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: medieval spice names wanted
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 16:21:06 -0500
Jean-Baptiste joule wrote:
> Some spices are hard to find,
> like "poivre long "long pepper"
> Graine de paradis "paradise seed"
>
> I think I might be able to find them if only I had the name in chinise
> or arabic since it's only those people who still use those herbs
> nowadays in modern France.
>
> Yours in service
>
> Jean-Baptiste de Foy
> Kingdom of Drachenwald
You may write to Herbals and Oddities
Rt. 2 Box 178
Bealeton, VA 22712
For Grains of Paradise. They are a flowery tasting peppercorn. The
package that I bought in 1993 cost $2.50 for about 1 oz.
I do not know if this merchant has moved from her residence. If you
have a Pennsic merchant listing, it is Magic Badger's lady who is the
herbalist.
In Service to the East,
Lady Raven
From: DDFr at Best.com (David Friedman)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: medieval spice names wanted
Date: Sat, 07 Dec 1996 11:12:28 -0800
Organization: School of Law, Santa Clara University
jfideli at newshost.li.net (Fideli) wrote:
> Long pepper is just that...known as Indian long pepper, Jaborandi
> pepper or Roman long pepper (Piper longum) I have been looking for a
> source for it and as of yet have not recieved any. though I continue to
> look..
Aphrodisia in N.Y. city had it recently, and I presume still does.
David/Cariadoc
From: alxandraod at aol.com (AlxandraOD)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: medieval spice names wanted
Date: 12 Dec 1996 00:07:27 GMT
I don't know if you are all still looking in this file -- this is my first
time on the Rialto.
Any medieval spices you might be looking for can be found through The
Pepperer's Guild of The East Kingdom. We are finally on-line and have an
order form and everything. We have Grains of Paradise and Cubebs and
Galangale and we THINK we have found a source for Long Pepper -- UPS is
winging it to us even as I type.
You may write to The Pepperer's Guild c/o David Chesterson, 777 N.
Greenbrier Drive, Orange, CT 06477. You may also send me an e-mail and
we'll forward an Order Form either via e-mail or snail mail.
Our prices are almost wholesale -- we are a volunteer organization and we
do not make a profit on any of this. We just want to get medieval spices
out to those folks who want to try to redact recipes.
Thanks for letting me advertise.
Yours in Service,
Alexandra of Dragonford
From: "Laurie J. Hughes" <ljh at gis.net>
Newsgroups: rec.food.historic,rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Pickled Lemons
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 12:35:27 -0500
My favorite source for herbs and spices is:
Penzeys, Ltd.
PO Box 1448
Waukesha, WI 53187
Not cheap, but fair and EXCELLENT quality. Reading the catalog is
like taking a semester long course in Herb and Spice Origins and Usage.
Their Mail-order isn't instantaneous, but I've never been displeased
with anything I've bought.
--
Laurie J. Hughes
ljh at gis.net Bobbin Lace, Orchids, Herbs and Victoriana.
From: tater at patriot.net (Ramon L. Tate)
Newsgroups: rec.food.historic,rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Pickled Lemons
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 23:36:03 -0500
Organization: Casa Mañana
ljh at gis.net wrote:
> My favorite source for herbs and spices is:
>
> Penzeys, Ltd.
> PO Box 1448
> Waukesha, WI 53187
>
> Not cheap, but fair and EXCELLENT quality. Reading the catalog is
> like taking a semester long course in Herb and Spice Origins and Usage.
> Their Mail-order isn't instantaneous, but I've never been displeased
> with anything I've bought.
> --
> Laurie J. Hughes
I'll second this loudly. If you do a significant amount of cooking and you
aren't using Penzey's spices, you've been cheating yourself. I've been on
their customer list for several years now, and have never been
disappointed. Their latest catalog just arrived yesterday, and it's a real
work of art, complete with detailed descriptions, advice, and recipes. The
best way to order is pool your needs with friends/relatives to cut the
shipping charges and take advantage of the incredible bulk prices
(examples: Whole Leaf Croatian Dalmation Sage, 4 oz for $2.99; Ceylon
Cinnamon [NOT cassia, but the real thing], 4 oz, $7.49; Whole Tellicherry
Indian Black Peppercorns, 4 oz, $2.19)
Enough! I'm salivating all over the keyboard.....
[Penzeys, Ltd., P.O. Box 1448, Waukesha, WI 53187; (414) 574-0278 8am-6pm CT]
--
Been there, done that.........
Ramon L. Tate in another time warp
tater at patriot.net
From: alxandraod at aol.com (AlxandraOD)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: re: Medieval Herbs & Spices
Date: 25 Feb 1997 16:41:18 GMT
Unto the Known World does The Pepperer's Guild Bid Greetings!
Looking for some of those wierd herbs and spices you've seen listed in
period recipes, but can't find? Contact The Pepperer's Guild of The East
Kingdom for Cubebs, Grains of Paradise, Galangale, Poudre Forte, Saffron,
Long Pepper (yes, we finally found it!), and other whole spices at very
reasonable prices.
If you can't get out to Pennsic this year, you'll be happy to know that
The Guild is doing Mail Order, at last. Please send your mundane name,
address and phone # to the following e-mail address, and an order
form/price list will be sent out to you asap.
E-mail to: dchesty at netcom.com
As many of you know, The Pepperer's Guild is a volunteer guild -- we don't
get paid and we don't make a profit. All the money we have goes right
back into spices and materials for weighing, bagging, and now, shipping.
All our prices are as close to wholesale as we can manage. Send in for a
price list, and you'll see.
Hope to hear from many of you.
Yours in Service to The Dream,
Alexandra of Dragonford
Master Pepperer
From: Eden Rain <erain at Adobe.COM>
To: sca-cooks at eden.com
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 15:15:18 -0700
Subject: sca-cooks Sources for Period Spices
Greetings from Eden of Lionsguard, in the Barony of Madrone, kingdom of AnTir
boy do I ever know a source for you
We call him "Tony the spice guy" and he's wonderful, he carries both types
of cinnamon, long peppers, grains of paradise - you name it, Tony can get
it, the only question is whether or not he'll sell it to you. Tony
refuses to sell stale/old spices, so sometimes things are out of season and
you have to wait a while...
Have fun!
Eden
World Spice Merchants (tm)
"Gourmet Spices & Teas From Around the Globe"
Downtown Seattle between Historic Pike Place Market and Pike Hillclimb
1509 Western Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101
V:206.682.7274 F:206.622.7564 EMail:hill at worldspice.com
**********************************
Eden Rain eden.rain at adobe.com
Adobe Systems, Seattle WA
**********************************
From: gfrose at cotton.vislab.olemiss.edu (Terry Nutter)
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 23:33:37 -0500
Subject: sca-cooks SCA cooks Sources for period spices
Hi, Katerine Rountre here. Kofryna the Goatherd asked for sources for
period spices. My first suggestion is right down the road:
Herbals and Oddities
Rt 2 Box 178
Bealeton, VA 22712
This is Miriam and Badger, and unless things have changed a lot, you
should be able to find them at most Atlantian events in the northern
half of the kingdom. If you need something Miriam doesn't carry,
try these:
PENN HERB CO., Ltd.
603 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123-3098
Phone number: 1-800-523-9971.
(Carry Grains of Paradise)
Aphrodisia
282 Bleeker St.
NY, N. 10014
(212) 989-6440
Penzeys, Ltd.
P.O. Box 1448
Waukesha, WI 53187
(414) 574-0278 8am-6pm Central Time
The Pepperer's Guild
c/o David Chesterson
777 N. Greenbrier Dr.
Orange, CT 06477
dchesty at ix.netcom.com
Cheers,
- -- Katerine/Terry
From: Alys of Foxdale <foxdale at wolfstar.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 1997 10:41:17 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: sca-cooks SCA cooks Sources for period spices
> Hi, Katerine Rountre here. Kofryna the Goatherd asked for sources for
> period spices. My first suggestion is right down the road:
>
> Herbals and Oddities
> Rt 2 Box 178
> Bealeton, VA 22712
>
> This is Miriam and Badger, and unless things have changed a lot, you
> should be able to find them at most Atlantian events in the northern
> half of the kingdom.
This address is outdated; they moved down to the Marinus/Tir-Y-Don
area a year or two ago. They still travel around in Atlantia (and of
course to Pennsic!), but now they stretch further south.
Alys of Foxdale Shire of Stierbach, Kingdom of Atlantia
mka Sallie Montuori Chantilly, Virginia, USA
foxdale at wolfstar.com
From: Stephanie Rudin <rudin at master.ceat.okstate.edu>
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 1997 16:14:15 -0700
Subject: SC - spice source
I have a catalog from:
Francesco Sirene, Spicer
RR 2, Site 38, Comp B.O.
Peachland, BC
V0H 1X0
Canada
This is a fellow SCA member who sells just about any spice I've seen
mentioned in primary sources.
Mercedes
From: salley at niktow.canisius.edu (David Salley)
Date: Wed, 7 May 97 10:12:26 EDT
Subject: Re: SC - Long pepper
There's a store in Syracuse that I always go to whenever I visit my mother
in law. It's called "The Hot Shoppe". 142 Walton Street (in Armory Square),
Syracuse, NY 13202. Toll free phone: 1-888-HOT-EATS. If it's a pepper,
hot spice, or hot sauce, he carries it. The back wall of his shop is "The
Wall of Flame" and has to be seen to be believed. It's all painted in
streaks of red, orange and yellow, roped off with police tape and all the
bottles are arranged by country of origin. It's the only place I've ever
seen with a "Must be 21 to buy" sign that isn't above the alcohol. ;-)
-- Dagonell
______
/ | INTERNET : salley at cs.canisius.edu
/ | USNAILNET : David P. Salley, 136 Shepard Street,
________/ | Buffalo, New York 14212-2029 U.S.A.
|* | WEB-NET : http://www-cs.canisius.edu/~salley
/ Rhydderich Hael | ICBMNET : 42 55 32 N / 78 51 10 W / Alt 600
|______________ | PERSONA : Lord Dagonell Collingwood of Emerald Lake
AEthelmearc, `_ | AKA Dagonell the Juggler
East Kingdom `__| DISCLAIMER :"Canisius never agrees with me."
From: Uduido at aol.com
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 23:24:32 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: SC - Sourse (SCA Merchant) Period Spices Address
<< and so the hunt begins... >>
Long pepper, cubebs, galingal, grains of paradise, etc. and many other SCA
oriented cook's needs are list ed in a wonderful little catalog put out by:
Franscesco Sirene, Spicer
R.R. #2,
Site 38
Comp B.O.
Peachland, B.C. VOH1X0
Prices are extremely reasonable! 25 gr. long pepper....1.85; whole
cloves....25 gr. .35 (compare with $3.00 + at the supermarket); cubebs....25
gr.....1.75, etc. I have no affiliation with this company and am not
recieving any special consideration or gain from this announcement. I sent
for the catalog less than 2 weeks ago and it has already arrived!
Lord Ras
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 1997 19:32:02 -0700
From: Aaron & karen Benson <aaronben at olympus.net>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: found local spicer
I searched and found a local spice and herb co. online and in Olympia,
Wa. They have a good site and lots of stuff. Thay are called "Nickeland
Thyme Shoppe and are at
http://theherbshop.com Mathilda of Griffons Point
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 1997 17:03:17 -0500
From: maddie teller-kook <meadhbh at io.com>
Subject: Re: SC - spice guy
ND Wederstrandt wrote:
> Has anyone ever ordered from Da Spice Guy? What do you think of the prices
> and the quality?
>
> Clare St. John
Clare,
Hi, I have ordered from Spice Boy (aka Tony Hill). His quality is
excellent as you saw the other night. He carries cubebs, grains of
paradise, long pepper, etc. He probably has saunders. If not, I am sure
he can order it for you. His web page (which is still under construction
is: http://www.worldspice.com. Or his email address is:
hill at worldspice.com
enjoy!
meadhbh
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 1997 22:55:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: rousseau at scn.org (Anne-Marie Rousseau)
Subject: Re: SC - spice guy
>Has anyone ever ordered from Da Spice Guy? What do you think of the prices
>and the quality?
>
>Has anyone found a mail order source for cubebs, and red saunders?
Spice Guy, Tony Hill's Shop is down the street from my lab. I am a
regular. We get many of our spices for banquets there. He meets or beats
any other mail order source I've seen and is at least half as much as the
spices at the grocery store.