Hey, guess where I went yesterday!!!

That's right -

PENZEYS!

This place is like a toy store! This is actually only the second time I've been there, but it's been way too long!

It's a small store, but spice jars are small merchandise, so it all works out. Generally, I buy my spices in bulk so that I can buy just what I need, and use it before it loses its flavor. Penzeys doesn't sell spices in bulk, so I have to really consider which new spice I'm going to invest in as a treat.

There's a chili and pepper section, a cinnamon section, a baking section, and some more I'm forgetting. You can also just follow the alphabet as it snakes around the store, accomodating the herbs and spices that don't fit into the sections I listed above. And, every single spice has a detailed description of where it comes from and what it's used for. And, of course, you can SMELL every single one of them.

Last time, I went with some coworkers and came out with pink peppercorns, smoked Spanish paprika, and "Bangkok Blend" (oh yeah, that's the other thing about Penzeys - they make a zillion interesting blends and mixes. It's fun to read the ingredients blend, and then try to recreate the mix at home).

This time, I got annatto seeds, savory, and black cardamom pods. They smell so smoky! I'm excited to put them in a spicy stew, or lentils, or something.

Oh, and I also got mace!

So, I had always assumed mace was, you know, in the pepper family. As in, pepper spray. But no. Here's the description that came on the bag. I was like... nutmeg skin? Really?

So, now the challenge is to figure out ways to use my new toys. I'm thinking I'll make some pink polenta with the annatto. At least, I hope it turns out pink. Pink-ish, anyway.