Hetal Vasavada Collection

Hetal says, "When I'm baking, I've learned that good spices go a long way and can make or break your recipe! You want spices where a little bit can go a long way, which means you want to use the good stuff! Burlap and Barrel's cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and more make my baked goods taste just THAT much better. Their intense flavors and aromas make the baking and eating experience so much more enjoyable!"

Pre-order her cookbook, Desi Bakes, here!

Photo credit: Andria Lo

The 6-spice collection includes:

• 1. Royal Cinnamon

  

  Highlights

  Nutritionals

  Cooking Tips

  Our Royal Cinnamon is an heirloom variety not widely harvested or exported, and it exemplifies the intense sweetness and spiciness for which Vietnamese cinnamon is prized. Use it in place of Saigon or other cinnamons in pastries and baked goods, or sprinkle into rich, savory meat or tomato-based dishes.

  Origin:

  Quang Nam Mountains, Vietnam

  

  

  

  

  Sugar Free

  Ingredients:

  Royal cinnamon, ground (Cinnamomum loureiroi)

  • Beautiful in baked goods, spice cookies and desserts
  • Sprinkle over yogurt and oatmeal, and add to smoothies
  • Brew with your favorite coffee or tea

• 2. Cloud Forest Cardamom (Ground Pods)

  

  Highlights

  Nutritionals

  Cooking Tips

  Our Cloud Forest Cardamom is sweet and tart, reminiscent of summer fruits, fresh herbs and cut grass. It comes straight from a single-estate regenerative farm in the high-altitude cloud forests of Guatemala. The fruit turns yellow as it ripens on the vine and has a softer and sweeter flavor that makes it a perfect upgrade to standard green cardamom.

  Origin:

  Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

  

  

  

  

  Salt Free

  Ingredients:

  Ground cardamom pods (Elettaria cardamomum)

  • Cook down with fruit juice for a savory/sweet sauce or jam
  • Add to your meat or veggie rub, especially for chicken or lamb
  • Use in cakes, muffins, pastries and other desserts 
  • Sprinkle over oatmeal or into smoothies

• 3. Buffalo Ginger

  

  Highlights

  Nutritionals

  Cooking Tips

  Our ground Buffalo Ginger is an heirloom ginger variety grown by a group of farmers in the mountains of northern Vietnam. Known for its fruity, floral aroma and powerful heat, this is a complex and flavorful ginger powder that will elevate baked goods, stews and curries, and beverages from hot drinks to cocktails.

  Origin: Cao Bằng, Vietnam

  

  

  

  

  Salt Free

  Ingredients: Ginger, ground (Zingiber officinale)

  

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  • Add to apple pies, cookies, cakes and other baked goods
  • Use in place of fresh ginger in soups, stir-fries and braises
  • Mix ¼ teaspoon with water and honey for a potent ginger tea (or skip the water and stir a pinch of ginger into honey)

• 4. Nyanza Vanilla Extract Kit

  

  Highlights

  Nutritionals

  Cooking Tips

  Our Nyanza Vanilla is grown in the hills around Nyanza (aka Lake Victoria) in Tanzania, where the altitude, rich soil and temperate climate produce an especially rich, sweet vanilla. Add your favorite spirit, salt or sugar to fill the jar.

  Origin:

  Kagera, Tanzania

  

  

  

  

  Ingredients:

  Vanilla planifolia, chopped pod

  • Add 100ml of your favorite spirit directly to the jar and let it infuse for at least a month (the longer the better!) 
  • Top off frequently, and use as you'd use any other vanilla extract

• 5. Herati Saffron

  

  Highlights

  Nutritionals

  Cooking Tips

  Our uncommonly delicate Herati Saffron threads have a beautiful delicate floral flavor, golden color and warm, honeyed fragrance reminiscent of dried roses and fresh hay. The threads are pulled carefully from the flower, leaving a characteristic flame-colored tail. Saffron is a key element in sweet and savory cuisines from the Mediterranean to South Asia.

  Origin:

  Herat, Afghanistan

  

  

  

  

  Salt Free

  Ingredients:

  Whole saffron threads (Crocus sativa)

  • Steep a few threads in warm water when making crunchy baked rice
  • Add a pinch of threads when making paella
  • Fold into buttery bread, cake or cookie doughs 
  • Steep in cream for a rich pasta sauce 
  
  

• 6. Wild Mountain Cumin

  

  Highlights

  Nutritionals

  Cooking Tips

  Our Wild Mountain Cumin has a savory, penetrating aroma and bright, umami flavor evocative of grilled meats and sweet caramelized onions. The tiny, oblong seeds are hand-picked by foragers in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan. The seeds are smaller and softer than the cumin you may be used to, and they do not need to be ground before use.

  Origin:

  Badakhshan, Afghanistan

  

  

  

  

  Salt Free

  Ingredients:

  Whole wild cumin (Bunium persicum)

  • Bloom seeds in hot oil or ghee and use as the base for stews, curries or braises
  • Grind seeds and mix with other spices like coriander and black pepper for a savory protein rub 
  • Mix whole seeds into guacamole, vinaigrettes or yogurt-based spreads