Spiced Pantry July 2016 Subscription Box Review – “Mexico”

Spiced Pantry is a monthly food subscription box that features a different foreign cuisine each month and then sends 4 items and 4 easy to follow recipes to help you prepare dishes using those ingredients. It is $19.00 a month (plus $3.75 shipping – currently US  only).  You may choose from the standard or vegetarian plan, and your subscription will renew monthly until you cancel. You can also gift a 1, 3, or 6 month plan which also renews after the original term so if you only want to send 1 (or 3 or 6) box(es) make sure to cancel before the next shipment.

¡Hola mis amigos!  Let’s take a trip to Mexico.  I am big fan of Mexican food and can’t wait to see what recipes and spices are in this box.

Everything in the box.  I received 3 spice/herb packets, masa harina, and 5 recipes (this month had a bonus included).  Ingredients may include custom spice blends, unique grains, legumes, dried fruit, nuts, or other dry goods.  Spiced Pantry provides enough product so that you can make each provided recipe at least once, with extra spices so you can experiment with other recipes you may find on your own.  You can also visit the Spiced Pantry Pinterest page for recipe ideas.

The information card provides an introduction to the month’s cuisine, as well as notes on the ingredients included.

Recipes

Recipe card #1 – Tortillas:  A staple in Mexican cuisine, tortillas are very versatile.  Use them when making your favorite taco, enchilada, or quesadilla recipes.  Cut them up and drop in a fryer to make chips for salsa or nachos.

Recipe card #2 – Al Pastor Tacos:  This recipe uses pineapple and vinegar to tenderize and marinate pork for bright, fresh tacos.  Use the Al Pastor Spice Blend to season your marinade and serve on your homemade tortillas.

Recipe card #3 – Enchiladas Rojas:  Seasoned shredded chicken (or black beans, if you’re vegetarian) rolled in tortillas and baked in a red, tomato-based sauce.  This recipe seems easier than some I’ve tried before.

Recipe card #4 – Elote: Sometimes referred to as Mexican grilled corn.  If you’ve never tried this, you are missing out on one of the best street foods ever.  Grilled corn is slathered in a mayo/butter mixture and topped with chile powder, queso fresco, and cilantro.  A blend of sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy in one bite.  YUM!

Recipe card #5 – **BONUS** Mexican Hot Chocolate:  What makes Mexican chocolate so unique is that it is not as sweet as most chocolates and includes a bit of spice for a small kick on the finish.  I’ve never tried making this at home and can’t wait for winter to come so I can test this recipe out.

Spices/Ingredients

Dried Guajillo Chile:  This is the 2nd most commonly used dried chile in Mexico, with mild to medium heat.  It is often paired with ancho chile powder.  The bag contained 3 chiles with a total weight of 0.75 oz.

Ancho Chile Powder:  This is the most commonly used dried chile in Mexico, with mild to medium heat.  This is a 1.15 oz. bag.

Al Pastor Spice Blend:  This is a hand-blended mix of Mexican chiles and spices for making tacos – ancho powder, guajillo powder, onion powder, chipotle powder, annatto, coriander, garlic powder, salt, cumin, cilantro, and Mexican oregano.  It is also great as a seasoning for enchilada and quesadilla fillings.  This is a 0.9 oz. bag.

Masa Harina:  Made from ground corn, this is the traditional flour used to make tortillas and tamales.  I received a 4.6 oz. bag.

Normally, I would include a picture of a finished dish here.  However, I made the mistake of scheduling back-to-back vacations and didn’t get time to go shopping or cook.  Sorry, readers.  However, I will include a picture in next month’s review because these ingredients are definitely not going to waste!

I have been having such a good time tasting the world with Spiced Pantry.  The recipes have helped change up my dinner routines by injecting some new flavors!  To me, the flavors in the recipes seem authentic (at least they taste similar to what I’ve had before).  What do you think about this subscription?  I’d love to hear about the dishes you’ve made with Spiced Pantry.  Share a comment below and tell me about your experience. If you haven’t tried it out yet you can save 15% on your first month’s box with coupon code SPICED15.

Sign up by August 25th to receive the Sicily box.

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