Spice of the Month - November

You ever try a new spice once and then the jar sits in your spice rack for years, never touched again?

Spice of the Month gives you the opportunity to try new herb and spice blends from around the world without having to commit to buying the whole jar.  We give you a recipe or two and enough spice to cover the recipes.  You take it home and try it.  If you like it, great!  If not, toss it.  

Stop by the front desk to grab a bag of this month's spice: Cardamom

Here’s a spice that if you buy it, you use a half teaspoon of it and then never use it again.  Ground cardamom loses its potency very fast, so if you don’t use it within a couple of months, you might as well throw it out.   
Cardamom is grown in pods, black & green.  Black pods are used for more savory dishes, while the green pods are featured in more dessert type dishes.  The 2 regions of the world that use Cardamom the most are South Asian countries like India, and Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.   
To use cardamom best you crack open the pods and then grind the seeds fine in a spice or coffee grinder.  This month, we’re doing that work for you! 
Grab your little bag of cardamom at the front desk and get 2 recipes: 
Scandinavian Cardamom cookies 
Gajar ka Halwa (carrots slow cooked in milk) – this recipe is a traditional dessert for Diwali, (October 31, 2024) and Eid (March, 2025).   

(Spice of the Month is a free program from the Pleasant Hills Library.  Donations to offset the cost of future spices of the month are always welcome.)