ABOUT SPICY CHAMELEON
Discover how adaptable and exciting spices can be!
We have always been in pursuit of flavour, in its many forms...
An enthusiasm for delicious food and drink - whether that be making it, eating it, talking about it, and seeking out new ingredients to try - has occupied much of our time over the years. A well stocked spice cupboard accompanied us in our experimenting, and every now and then a new spice or aromatic herb would be added. Often, trying out these new additions amazed us - how could so much flavour possibly be contained within a tiny seed, berry or leaf? How could there be so much variation in the flavour of similar looking chillies? And, how could we not have known about this ingredient before?
Spices - or in fact, any dried, plant-based ingredient that can add aroma and taste to food - are indispensable when it comes to creating nuanced layers of flavour and getting the best out of your ingredients, whatever they are. They can elevate the most basic, ordinary ingredients into something that makes you stop in your tracks and wonder why you haven't tried them together before.
Moments like these inspired an interest in how taste and flavour works. Led by a preference to cook based on the ingredients to hand rather than choosing specific recipes, we started playing with flavours differently. We realised that once you understand the flavour profile of a particular spice, it becomes almost infinitely adaptable. Coriander is a spice often associated with Indian cooking. But taste it in isolation and it has floral and citrus notes that are beautiful when teamed with a little honey and fresh orange juice, creating a perfumed dressing for fresh fruit.
Thinking outside of the box with spices also gives a freedom to combine them in different ways that can be surprisingly delicious. We created our blends to showcase the impact that spices can have in any kitchen, with an intention to demystify them and encourage others to explore the many wonderful flavours that spices can bring to every meal!
THE TEAM
Karinna
Karinna is an inventive cook, having always preferred to open the cupboard and fridge to see what inspires her rather than being driven by specific recipes. Having grown up in a house where spices were used regularly, she was familiar with using them to give a tasty depth. Through cooking creatively she built an understanding of how to select ingredients based on their inherent characteristics, and how to spice dishes in a way that compliments and balances their different flavours. With our spicy chameleon blends she shares this passion for packing food full of flavour!
Beth
Beth's background in speciality coffee developed her understanding of flavour - with coffee, it can differ depending on origin, processing, roasting and brewing methods. Alongside this learning, Beth was introduced to new flavours from the spices used by Karinna in her cooking, which expanded her interest in taste, whilst also improving her sous chef skills. Today, Beth is still every bit as excited by flavour notes, and holds the very important role of taste tester of our spicy chameleon blends. She can't get enough of Urfa chilli, and could happily eat potato (spiced, obviously) every day.
Radish
Canine companion of Karinna and Beth - technically not a consumer of spices, although he does enjoy some herbs. He's also a flavour lover, always searching out new delicious morsels to try. Karinna loves to encourage his enthusiasm for new tastes, within the confines of a dog-friendly diet, of course. His palette is quite sophisticated - one of his favourite snacks during the winter is persimmon, which his owners also enjoy, particularly when sprinkled with one of our spicy chameleon finishing blends. Although not very hands-on, he's a great asset to our team - we wouldn't be where we are today without him.