#246 How to choose the best Spices with Ren Patel

I have the Queen of Spice from Ren’s Kitchen on the show today talking about everything to do with sourcing and investing in the best spices for your food, not just from a nutritional standpoint, but a flavour perspective too. 

I’ve always been a fan of spices for their medicinal properties, but today I was blown away by how much Ren taught me about spices and I was shocked at how different spices can taste in their raw whole form.

Ren has been in the spice business for years and has some of the best chefs and restaurants use her spices. Tom Kerridge, Bubala, Palomar, Raffles hotel, Ottolenghi to name a few.

Remember, spices add diversity to your plate – they count as 1/4 point each and we’re aiming for 30 different plant points a week! Even used in small amounts, the addition of spices is suggested to improve gut microbiome composition and reduce markers of inflammation. Plus they have been part of the diet of human populations for thousands of years and add a ton of flavour.

Today we talk what we’re doing WRONG when using spices, what Ren has taught people in her cooking classes and how to source correctly and how to spot the best spices in the market.

You can find out more about Ren and Rens Pantry on her website renspantry.com.