Seasoning Gift Sets: How to Choose One a Cook Will Use
A seasoning gift set gets used when two things line up: the spices are fresh enough to smell when the jar opens, and they match food the person already cooks. A cook who makes curry on Sundays will reach for a curry blend first.
Below: what to check before you buy, how long spices keep, four sets built from single jars for four kinds of cook, two ready-made sets, and a price table.
What to check on the label
- Where it was grown. A single-origin spice names a country, a region or a farm. That tells you the spice came from one harvest and was not blended from several.
- Whole or ground. Whole spices keep longer. Ground spices are ready to use, which matters more to a busy cook.
- Salt in the blend. Some blends are salt-free, which lets the cook salt to taste. Check the ingredient list if the person watches their salt.
- Jar size. Small jars get used up while they are fresh. Six small jars give more variety than two large ones.
How long spices keep
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension gives these windows for peak quality: whole spices such as peppercorns and allspice, 3 to 4 years; ground spices such as cumin, ginger, paprika and chili powder, 2 to 4 years; leafy herbs and most seasoning blends, 1 to 3 years. Store them in tightly covered containers, in a dark cabinet or drawer, away from the stove, the dishwasher and the sink. A fresh spice has a strong aroma, a potent taste and a vibrant color. The guide to whether spices expire covers the smell test in more detail.
That is a practical reason to give a set as a gift: it replaces the jars at the back of the cabinet with new ones.
Four sets built from single jars
Building a set from single jars lets you match the cook. Each set below uses Burlap & Barrel, a New York spice company that says it sources single origin spices directly from small farms, and each fits in one red gift box with a magnetic flap lid, 8 by 8 by 4 inches (shop the red magnetic gift box, $10.00).
For the weeknight cook
Kebab is a Turkish blend of chilis, garlic, cumin and allspice for burgers, meatballs, beans and roasted vegetables (shop Kebab, $9.95). Adobo, made with Illyanna Maisonet, is a salt-free blend built on turmeric, oregano and garlic, for rubs and marinades (shop Adobo, $11.95). Salina Crystal Salt is evaporated from natural brine by the Syracuse Salt Co., a father-daughter team, into crunchy crystals for finishing (shop Salina Crystal Salt, $9.95). Three jars: $31.85.
For the cook who makes Indian food
Burlap & Barrel developed a line of blends with the family of chef Floyd Cardoz. Kashmiri Masala (shop Kashmiri Masala, $11.99) and Chaat Masala (shop Chaat Masala, $13.00) pair with New Harvest Turmeric, which Burlap & Barrel says is grown organically on a farm in southern India and describes as sweet and floral, with a brilliant yellow-orange color (shop New Harvest Turmeric, $10.00). Three jars: $34.99.
For the cook who likes heat
Silk Chili is the Turkish variety of the Aleppo pepper, with a warm, tomato-like flavor and medium heat (shop Silk Chili Flakes, $9.95). Smoked Chipotle flakes are jalapeños grown in California and smoked over fruit tree branches, medium-hot (shop Smoked Chipotle Chili Flakes, $9.95). Black Lime & Chili Salt blends black lime and three chilis into Syracuse brine salt for a savory, tart finishing salt (shop Black Lime & Chili Salt, $9.95). Three jars: $29.85.
For the baker
Royal Cinnamon comes from the mountains around Huế, Vietnam, sweet and spicy for pastries and baked goods (shop Royal Cinnamon, $9.50). Cinnamon Verum, the Ceylon type, comes from Zanzibar and tastes of pine and citrus peel (shop Cinnamon Verum, $9.95). Cloud Forest Cardamom seeds come from a single estate in the cloud forests of Guatemala, sweet and tart (shop Cloud Forest Cardamom, $17.00). Three jars: $36.45. A baker gets two cinnamons to compare side by side.
Two ready-made sets
Burlap & Barrel describes its Spice Passport as eight recyclable aluminum pods in a paper sleeve, each with half a teaspoon of one spice: Cobanero chili flakes, Royal Cinnamon, smoked pimentón paprika, purple stripe garlic, Robusta black pepper, sun-dried tomato powder, flowering hyssop thyme and black lime (shop the Spice Passport, $11.00). It suits a stocking, or a cook who wants to taste before buying full jars.
Jacobsen Salt Co., which harvests salt from Netarts Bay on the Oregon coast, packs six pocket-sized slide tins in one set: Pure Flake Salt plus black garlic, rosemary, black pepper, lemon zest and habanero salts (shop the Jacobsen slide tin collection, $38.00).
Seasoning gift sets, by price
| Set | For | Listed price | What is in it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spice Passport | Stocking, a first taste | $11.00 | Eight half-teaspoon pods |
| Heat set | Cook who likes heat | $29.85 | Silk Chili, Smoked Chipotle, Black Lime & Chili Salt |
| Weeknight set | Weeknight cook | $31.85 | Kebab, Adobo, Salina Crystal Salt |
| Indian kitchen set | Curry cook | $34.99 | Kashmiri Masala, Chaat Masala, New Harvest Turmeric |
| Baker set | Baker | $36.45 | Royal Cinnamon, Cinnamon Verum, Cloud Forest Cardamom |
| Jacobsen slide tin collection | Salt lover, traveler | $38.00 | Six slide tins of salt |
Set prices are the sum of the listed jar prices; add $10.00 for the red gift box. Prices follow the listed price on each product page. Products ship across the continental U.S. from theambrosianpantry.com.
Short answers
What makes a good seasoning gift set? Fresh spices that match how the person cooks, in small jars they will finish while the spices still smell strong.
How long do spices in a gift set last? Texas A&M AgriLife Extension gives whole spices 3 to 4 years, ground spices 2 to 4 years, and herbs and most blends 1 to 3 years for peak quality.
Is it better to buy a set or build one? Build one when you know the cook's favorite food. Buy a sampler such as the Spice Passport when you do not.
The shop is at 263 Josephine Street in Cherry Creek, Denver.
