Spices: questions and Band 8 answers

Yes, quite often actually. I am a huge fan of dishes with a bit of a kick, like Thai curries or Mexican chilli. I suppose I have something spicy at least two or three times a week, especially when I go out for dinner with friends.

I tend to reach for paprika and ground cumin most days. They add a lovely warmth and depth of flavour to roasted vegetables and lentil stews without being overwhelmingly hot. I also use a dash of cinnamon occasionally when I make homemade porridge.

Not really, no. My palate was much more sensitive back then, so anything with even a pinch of black pepper felt like my mouth was on fire. I definitely preferred bland, simple meals like pasta with cheese until I hit my teenage years.

Traditionally, not so much, as our staple dishes are fairly mild and rely more on fresh herbs. But these days, our food culture has become really diverse, and you will find aromatic spices like turmeric and ginger in almost every supermarket and restaurant.

Definitely. I would love to take a short cookery workshop on blending whole spices, like toasting cardamom pods and mustard seeds. At the moment, I just stick to pre-ground jars, so it would be great to know how to balance flavours from scratch.