The best thing about the new Penzeys Spices at 4128 N. Oracle Road is how they put samples in little snuff pots to allow for a full aroma assessment.
Some advice: Sniff lightly when checking out the curry and Vietnamese cinnamon. A deep snort nearly crossed my eyes.
The store also stocks and amazing assortment of hard-to-find spices, including great salt and pepper varieties. The gray sea salt from France has been working wonders in my kitchen, and the pink peppercorns are a nice option to the black stuff most of us have grown accustomed to.
The prices are low, too. I walked away with a sizeable amount of spices for around $30. Being a huge softie, I also like all their heartfelt slogans—”Love People. Cook Them Tasty Food”—which I’ve seen plastered on billboards out by the I-10.
Check ’em out online over here.
This article appears in Jul 7-13, 2011.
I just saw one of these billboards for the first time on my way to work this morning. I don’t get over to Oracle Rd much these days, but I think I’ll have to make an exception to go check them out.