Now that you’re stuck indoors, have you reorganized your spice rack? (It’s a great project to tackle with kids: They can tell you which tin of paprika or curry has faded in color or aroma and needs replacing.) And while you’re at it, maybe it’s time for a real upgrade. Burlap & Barrel, a spice importer specializing in fine, single-origin products, now offers an assortment they call Fundamentals Collection, six spices that will take you through the major demands of everyday cooking without wandering toward wild Icelandic kelp or Euphrates mint leaves. Turkish hyssop thyme has the herbal profile of thyme with a spicy anise cast; Vietnamese royal cinnamon is deeply aromatic; Afghan wild mountain cumin is finely textured, pungent and hardly needs grinding; smoked pimentón paprika has an abiding sweetness; Turkish silk chili delivers moderate heat and saltiness; and fine-textured purple garlic powder is sharply pungent, making it unlike the supermarket variety.
Burlap & Barrel Fundamentals Collection, $47.99, including shipping, burlapandbarrel.com.
