Thanksgiving is around the corner, and it’s time to start planning the perfect feast for your loved ones to indulge in. The turkey and gravy are essential, but they’re not the only things that need careful attention. With so many dishes on the table, it’s crucial to have the right spices and seasonings to add flavor to your culinary creations.
Preparing Thanksgiving dinner is all about using the right ingredients and spices that not only complement your dishes but also enhance their flavor. With so many spices and seasonings available, it can be tricky to decide which ones you should go for. In this blog post, we’ll reveal the eight spices and seasonings you need to make your Thanksgiving feast a culinary masterpiece.
Turkey Brine Seasoning
If you’re smoking, roasting, or frying a turkey this year, you’ll want a delicious blend of spices, herbs, and seasonings to create the perfect brine for your bird. While you can spend time scouring the internet for a brine mixture that you’ll need to blend yourself, Old Town Spice Shop can help you make quick work of the brining process to save you time. Not only that, but we have perfected our turkey brines to ensure exceptional flavor that hits the spot every time.
Whether you want a Savory Turkey Brine or a Sweet Turkey Brine, we have the brine you’re looking for! Prefer to make the brine yourself? Check out our selection of high-quality spices, herbs, and seasonings like rosemary, gourmet salt, allspice, crystallized ginger, and more to create your very own blend! Not only that, stay tuned for our upcoming blog to learn how to brine the perfect turkey!
Mulling Spice
Mulling spice is a great holiday staple to have on hand — and not just for classic holiday beverages like mulled red wine or hot mulled apple cider. But what is mulling spice, exactly? Mulling spice is a delightful blend of aromatic herbs and spices like cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg that are carefully selected to create a warm and festive flavor. It's traditionally used to spice up a variety of drinks like Old Fashioneds, apple cider hot toddies, and mulled wine sangria, but you can get creative with your cocktails to create something truly unique and indulgent.
So why not pick up a pack of Old Town Spice Shop's pre-blended Traditional Mulling Spice or Gourmet Mulling Spice to infuse your holidays with the enticing aromas of traditional fall and winter spices? Want to make your own instead? We have all the spices you need to create your own mulling spice blend!
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a versatile spice that adds warmth and depth to a variety of dishes. It's a must-have spice for Thanksgiving because it enhances the flavor of dishes like sweet potato casserole, pies, and bread. You can also sprinkle some cinnamon on roasted vegetables to give them a unique flavor or create a honey-cinnamon butter to slather over warm rolls baked fresh from the oven. And if you’re making a ham, you’ll want some high-quality cinnamon in your pantry, which is one of the key ingredients for the perfect ham glaze!
Old Town Spice Shop has a wide variety of cinnamon species to choose from. One of our favorite and most popular varieties is Saigon Cinnamon Powder, which has 1-5% essential oils and is sweeter than other varieties. It’s perfect for any recipe that calls for cinnamon!
Sage
Sage is a fantastic herb that complements turkey and other Thanksgiving dishes exceptionally well. It's warm and earthy flavor adds depth to dishes while enhancing their aroma. It has a savory flavor that brings out the best in white meats, stuffing mixtures, and casseroles, but it can also be used in gravy or sprinkled over roasted potatoes in combination with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Making soup for Thanksgiving? You’ll want dried sage on hand! Try Old Town Spice Shop’s Rubbed Sage for all your savory Thanksgiving dishes!
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is a classic spice that adds a nutty, warm, and slightly sweet flavor to dishes like pumpkin pie and mashed sweet potatoes, among many others. Nutmeg is also perfect for baking all your favorite fall sweets and treats like banana bread, pumpkin bread, and cookies like Snickerdoodles. It’s also a perfect garnish for numerous holiday libations like rich eggnog, a comforting hot toddy, and dessert martinis. You don’t need to use a lot of nutmeg; a sprinkle can transform your dish entirely. Check out Old Town Spice Shop’s whole nutmeg and ground nutmeg for your spicy and sweet culinary creations!
Paprika
Paprika is a spice made from dried and ground peppers. It adds a smoky flavor to dishes like roasted vegetables, fresh-made hummus, deviled eggs, or even a smoked paprika aioli perfect for dipping or glazing. It’s also a key ingredient in Bloody Marys! There are different types of paprika, including smoked and sweet paprika, so make sure to get the kind that suits your recipe.
At Old Town Spice Shop, we take our love for paprika even further with a variety of flavors to suit any palate, including:
Add all five to your pantry!
Thyme
Thyme has a fragrant, herby flavor that can enhance the taste of roasted vegetables, stuffing, gravy, and a variety of soups. Its lemony and slightly minty flavor elevates the taste of many dishes while adding a refreshing aroma. In addition to its delightful taste, thyme has anti-inflammatory properties and can boost your immunity, making it an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving meals.
Old Town Spice Shop offers both Thyme Leaf and Thyme Powder to give you the perfect flavor and consistency for whatever dish you’re creating, so be sure to pick up both for the holidays!
Garlic Powder
Garlic is a staple seasoning in most kitchens and is a must-have for your Thanksgiving feast. It’s a versatile ingredient that can enhance the taste of a variety of dishes from appetizers to main entrées. It has a pungent, slightly sweet flavor that adds depth to savory dishes like mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, stuffing, and of course, garlic bread. Just be careful not to go too heavy-handed, or it might overpower the other flavors. Garlic powder is also an excellent alternative to fresh or jarred minced garlic, especially when you’re cooking a big pot of gravy that needs lots of garlic.
When it comes to garlic, we don’t mess around! At Old Town Spice Shop, we carry gourmet Garlic Powder, as well as a variety of garlic blends like Roasted Garlic Salt, Granulated Garlic, and Roasted Garlic Flakes.
Absolutely love your store and always stop by when we are in town. Otherwise I order on line, but that is not as much fun as shopping in the store. I recommend highly that everyone should shop here!!