Piquant Post Subscription Box Review – August 2017

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Piquant Post is a subscription box that delivers a package of spices to your door to help spice up your life! Monthly, you will receive an assortment of small-batch, freshly ground spices sent with recipes from a region of the world. Piquant (pronounced “PEEK” “ant”) by definition means “pleasantly spiced and appetizing flavor”, it also means “intriguing to the mind”.  The spices do not contain sugar or fillers, and never have preservatives.

Cost:

  • Month-to-month (pay-as-you-go): $11.99
  • 6 month prepay: $10.99/month
  • 12 month prepay: $9.99/month

Shipping: Free - US only

The flavor kit arrived in a medium sized brown envelope and was fairly plain to look at. It can easily blend in with your other mail. This month, I spotted it right away and was eager to open it up to see what culinary adventures awaited me. Spain is the themed region for August’s kit. August’s flavor kit included four spice packets and four recipes.

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Gazpacho Spice (2 ½ Tablespoons)

Full of flavor this spice packet is bold and hearty. It is a combination of Fennel Seed, Rosemary, Tangerine Peel, Lemon Peel and Cayenne Pepper. One of the recipes calls for this spice.

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Royal Saffron (a pinch)

Known as “red gold”, saffron is the world’s most expensive spice. Hand-harvested from the stimata of the violet-colored crocus flower, it takes roughly 200 hours to painstakingly hand pick one pound of saffron, which sells for thousands of dollars! The kit includes a pinch of pure Spanish Saffron “Mancha” grade. Two of the recipes call for Saffron.

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Paella Spice (2 ½ Tablespoons)

This spice mixture on its own tastes hot and peppery. It is a blend of Spanish Smoked Paprika, Black Pepper, Oregano, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper and Bay Leaf. One of the recipes uses the Paella spice.

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Spanish BBQ (3 Tablespoons)

This packet contains a bold and spicy hot blend of Cumin, Spanish Smoked Paprika, Coriander, Oregano, Garlic Powder, Fenugreek, Turmeric and other spices. This spice packet is used in one of the recipes.

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Paella Mixta - Recipe 1735

This recipe is one that I tried in my home. I bought groceries as detailed and followed the easy instructions. It uses two of the four spice mixes and the instructions were very easy to follow. At the end of following the recipe, I still had the frozen peas...the peas were on the ingredient list, but there were no instructions on when or how to use them. I threw them in at the end...they really brightened up the dish.

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I love this Paella! It was bold and flavorful, and I went back for seconds. It reminded me of my time in Spain and that was a very good feeling.

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Pinchos Morunos (Pork Skewers) - Recipe 1736

Pinchos are Spanish-style skewers (or kebabs) full of marinated meat, grilled then served as “tapas” or small plates. The marinade in this recipe is typical of Andalucia and neighboring regions in Southern Spain. I am looking forward to trying this, and the instructions are clear that you can use a BBQ or the broiler! In addition to pork, the spice packet will have a bit left over to try the recipe with other meat, perhaps chicken or beef.

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Spanish Saffron Cod - Recipe 1737

This recipe is inspired by the classic fish stew recipes from Catalonia region of Northeastern Spain. Like many Spanish recipes, it's delightfully simple and fast preparation belie a complex layer of flavors. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the sauce or over hot rice.

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Spiced Green Gazpacho - Recipe 1738

On sweltering summer days, when it’s too hot to eat, Spaniards turn to gazpacho: a zesty, chilled vegetarian “soup” to refresh and recharge. Packed with a garden full of veggies, gazpacho is mostly known for its red, tomato-based version, but it can come in many flavors and colors including white and this green recipe.

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I really enjoyed my second edition of the Piquant Post flavor kit! This month's culinary adventure took me back to my travels to Spain when I was a young woman. I recall Paella being served on every corner, and that summer, I ate my bodyweight in Gazpacho. I feel inspired to stretch my boundaries and cook this month with these wonderful spices and spice blends. On my own, I would never spend the time curating this spice collection with individual bottles of spice. I do think that the spice kit overall was light this month. The total spices was approximately 8 tablespoons with a pinch of Saffron. Perhaps, because the Saffron is so expensive, the other spices were light…Overall the value is there if you use the packets. If I was to go out and buy half of these spices on their own, I would spend well over the $11.99. This subscription is perfect for former travelers turned culinary curious. Or for the culinary curious that are not able to take up traveling. Piquant Post delivered once again my tastebud adventure and inspired great healthy food in my kitchen.

What do you think of the Piquant Post?

Disclosure: This page may contain external affiliate links or referral links. The opinions on this page are my own and I do not receive payment for favourable reviews.

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