Photo: Duane Tinkey
A sprinkle here, a drizzle there — I’m often amazed at just how effortlessly the vinegars, olive oils, spice blends and condiments from Allspice have enhanced my cooking over the years. But if you’re less familiar with this East Village “culinarium,” it can be hard to know where to start.
Owner Rory Brown recently recommended the best way to spend $100 in the shop:
Colonel Pabst Worcestershire Sauce ($20 for 16 ounces): Brown uses this to flavor steaks, burgers, roasts and sauteed mushrooms for an extra touch of umami.
Vanilla Paste ($28 for 5 ounces): This brings intense vanilla flavor with those enticing little flecks of vanilla seeds. Anyone who’s ever wrestled with vanilla beans to extract those clingy seeds will know what a boon this jar can be.
Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar ($17 for 12 ounces): I love using this in the braising liquid for a beefy braise, like my pot roast. It adds both depth, from the chocolate, and a touch of brightness, from the vinegar.
New York Steak and Burger Seasoning ($7 for 1/2 cup): Brown keeps this in his kitchen, often swapping it for pepper. “It’s mostly pepper with Worcestershire powder and thyme,” he said, noting how it “bumps up” any dish needing pepper.
Seared Salmon Seasoning ($7 for 1/2 cup): This blend of spices stars fennel, anise, cumin and coriander, plus some brown sugar, and makes salmon taste like something you’d spend top dollar for at a high-end restaurant. I’ve been using it for years.
Paella Seasoning ($7 for 1/4 cup): Never mind if you never make paella — I use this blend of garlic, chiles, turmeric, paprika and saffron on any kind of firm white fish, like rockfish, before grilling to enrich and exotify the flavor.
Herbes de Provence Olive Oil ($19 for 12 ounces): Brown has captured the earthy-woodsy flavors of Provence in a bottle, and he uses this oil when roasting root vegetables or Brussels sprouts. He says it’s also a great flavor-enhancer for potatoes and roast chicken.
– Wini Moranville
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