Tasting notes
Ras el hanout
Every respectable spice merchant in North Africa will create and then sell their own signature blend of top-quality spices called Ras el Hanout. It means “the top of the shop”, and is usually quite expensive compared to other spice blends, as it contains only the very best ingredients. There’s no fixed formula, but most will contain many familiar spices —cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, pepper — as well as several that are lesser known to North American palates including: grains of paradise, orris root, rosebud, and long peppers. It’s a kaleidoscope of fragrance and flavour that adds dazzling colour to Moroccan food. Also delicious as a rub for grilled lamb.