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It's really summer now -- time for barbecues, picnics, and that ever-refreshing simple summer cocktail -- the gin and tonic. But sometimes the drink can get a little monotonous with affordable storebought gin. The solution? Make the gin yourself and tinker with the flavor profiles to create something that you really love!
Did you know you can make gin at home? And it doesn’t even involve a bathtub or a still or any kind of equipment that looks like it came from Prohibition times! All you need is some vodka, some aromatics, and some time.
This gin will be warmly flavored, with floral notes from the Vanns Dried Lavender and chamomile. But you can experiment with your own flavor combinations -- try steeping the Vanns Juniper Berries for another 12 hours for more juniper flavor, or adding a little bit of Vanns Dried Rosemary or Vanns Cinnamon Sticks (in moderation -- those flavors are strong!)
This gin makes for a truly special gin and tonic, one where the flavors of the aromatics really shine through and combine beautifully with the tonic and a squeeze of lime juice. But try it in any cocktail in which you’d usually use gin -- you’ll be surprised by the amazing results!
Makes 2 cups gin. Adapted from Serious Eats.
Have you ever heard of sumac? If you live in the American South, you may think of it as a weed. But hopefully after making this recipe, you will now think of it as a delicious weed.
It’s going to be a cold one on the East Coast this weekend — time for a warming breakfast that gives you the power and energy to get through the day. Here’s one amazing option — Shakshuka! Not only is it fun to say, it’s a delicious, savory, healthy egg dish that makes for an exciting and comforting meal.
Both of these recipes are kind of magical -- they take super simple ingredients like water, flour, butter, salt, and Vanns Smoked Spanish Paprika and turn them into beautiful, impressive golden brown focaccia and a deeply orange-red, perfectly flavored smoked paprika butter to be spread on top. It makes a great appetizer for any occasion, but be careful that your guests don’t fill themselves up on it! It’s a little bit addictive.
Father's Day is coming up this weekend, and you know what that means -- big, tasty breakfast time! If you're going for a savory situation, with bacon, eggs, toast, and whatever else Dad loves, this is a great recipe to add a touch of sweetness to the end.
These falafel sandwiches are straight-up amazing. The falafel is flavorful, crisp, and light, so good that even by itself it’s a wonderful thing.
There’s a small restaurant chain in Los Angeles called Zankou Chicken that is well known for its super secret chicken shawarma recipe, which is crispy and juicy and beautifully spiced and comes with a crazy-good garlic sauce that will make your breath reek for at least the next few hours if not days.
Vanns Cardamom, Cinnamon, Black Tellicherry Peppercorns, and Vanilla add depth and warmth to sweet, chewy, candied orange peels.
This dish is like spanakopita, if it were made by a Greek grandmother. Chopped greens, fragrant herbs, salty feta, and dried Mediterranean Oregano and Aleppo-Style Pepper are enveloped in a thin and tender homemade phyllo dough.
This is it, folks. This is the perfect, unexpected, amazing vegetable soup, adapted from Michael Solomonov’s beast of a cookbook Zahav. This recipe is the perfect example of his brilliant and unusual use of commonplace spices and other ingredients.
A fairly simple set of ingredients combines with a blend of Vanns spices to create a complex and hearty dish that your guests might not even realize is vegetarian. A perfectly poached egg on top means this dish can be enjoyed from breakfast to dinner.