Savory Spice

Fresh, unique hand-ground seasonings and spices created locally

When looking for a place to open the first Savory Spice shop, Janet Johnston, one of the owners, says that she was sold on Denver right away. Though neither she nor her partner, Mike, were natives, "We knew we wanted to open in the west somewhere. Coming from Chicago, Denver was 60 degrees in January and we never even looked anywhere else."

On top of that, Denver's good food vibe and great restaurants sealed the deal and the first Savory Spice shop opened in the Lower Highlands in 2004. In the five years since then, they have opened shops at three other locations (in Littleton, in Boulder and at Lowry Town Center) and are hoping to expand the concept even further in the future.

While trying to stay in touch with what's popular in the restaurant industry, they make blends based on traditional seasonings as well as truly original combinations. All of the seasonings sold at Savory Spice are created by Janet and Mike, based on their own experiences with cooking and baking. Each new blend takes a great deal of research, both in literature and in the kitchen, to get just right.

"We want people to feel inspired," Janet says, "First you get hit by a wall of aroma. Smell is a hugely emotional reaction." Tempting people in from right off the street by the scents that you can pick up half a block away, it's the welcoming and reassuring experience that gets people coming back. From offering tastes of all the spices to selling bags as small as half an ounce available, Savory Spice invites you to experiment with new flavors and recipes, just like its owners.

One of the great things that Savory Spice does with these seasonings is to offer a recipe that, as Janet puts it, "showcases the blend perfectly." They want to show the world that making a green curry or rich bisque is easy and quick, if you've got the right spices.

A secret that the grocery store never tells you, and one of the things most vital to successful cooking, is that the freshness of even dried spices is a major component. Savory Spice grinds all of its spices weekly to ensure that they are in their best possible form when you purchase. Once they make it to the shelf, they should be kept for no more than a year or a year and a half, though this shelf life varies somewhat according to the spice. Whole spices will last longer while those like cinnamon, with essential oils that quickly dissipate, will only stay fresh for a few months.

If you can't make it in to one of the Savory Spice shops, or you want to send a gift directly to an out-of-stater, you can shop online at http://savoryspiceshop.com. Also on the website are great recipes that incorporate the shop's various seasonings as well as tips on how to best use each spice.

If you don't even know where to begin, try some of these spices and seasonings to start:

• Alderwood Smoked Salt - this salt has a deep, smoky flavor that adds a great kick to all kinds of dishes. Use it in place of your usual salt in everything from macaroni & cheese to marinades to salads.
• Berbere Ethiopian-Style Seasoning - a super-spicy blend of paprika, cayenne and other flavors, use this seasoning in small quantities. Try a bit in your morning eggs to give them a kick or even in plain old macaroni and cheese to add a whole new dimension to the dish.
• Vietnamese Saigon Cinnamon - Janet's favorite spice is cinnamon, and of the five varieties sold in the shop, this is the best. With a light citrusy aroma and an intense flavor that far outstrips your regular store-bought cinnamon, you'll never want to go back. Just make sure to restock every three to six months, that's as long as it will stay fresh in your cupboard.
• Pine Nut Pesto Cheese Sprinkle - perfect on everything from pizza to pasta to salad, this seasoning is easy to use as a light flavoring or as the flavor base for a more robust sauce.