Sluttery by Post: The Spicery

My kitchen shelves are groaning under the weight of out-of-date spices. It's getting to the stage where donning a hard hat is advisable before opening any cupboard doors, lest you are rained on by myriad jars of asafoetida, nigella seeds, grains of paradise, or some other exotic ingredient, a pinch of which was ABSOLUTELY VITAL to a recipe in 2007, and has never been used since.

So I'm abstaining from unusual spice-buying for the foreseeable future. At least I was, until The Spicery waltzed into my life in a cloud of cassinamon. Because - yes, Mum, I'm starting a sentence with because, BECAUSE I AM EXCITED - because (I've stopped. I promise) they offer monthly spicebox subscriptions which are the answer to all my culinary hopes and dreams.

Each monthly box contains recipe cards and the spices you need to make a delicious meal, all carefully selected, blended, and measured out so that you only receive exactly what you need. No more overflowing cupboards! What's more, you can choose from two options. The Season & Spice Box includes recipes and spices for one seasonal main course and one pudding for four. The recipes have an international flavour, and past creations include Gado Gado (an Indonesian vegetable salad), goulash with caraway dumplings, and lemon pepper posset. Be still my beating heart.

The Friday Night Curry Box includes all the spicy goodness you need for one main course curry plus all the sides - like rice, veggies, and chutneys - to create a feast for four people. One month you might get a Burmese recipe, another month might be Goan, but you'll never get the same recipe twice. Is that the ingredients for a hibiscus cocktail I spy in this box? OH YUM. Also: HIC.

You can choose a 3-, 6-, or 12-month subscription for £19.95, £39.95, or £79.95 respectively. When you order, you can select whether you'd prefer vegetarian or non-vegetarian recipes in your boxes. You can't specify your personal tastes, but you are allowed a sneak peek at what's coming up each month, and if the recipes aren't really your thing, or you're allergic to one of the ingredients, you can contact The Spicery and request an alternative box. For me, though, the surprise element is a big part of the appeal here.

The Spicery prides itself on the freshness of their spices, and their spiceboxes will certainly mark the end of my stale spice shame. And if I decide I'll definitely use anardana on a regular basis (unlikely), all their spices, herbs, blends, and other ingredients are available to buy in a variety of pack sizes - from a teaspoon (69p each) to a kilo. If you want repeat ingredients for one of your spicebox recipes, you can buy 'em ready-mixed for just £2.70. 

A spicebox subscription would be an excellent gift for the foodie in your life. Even better - it would be an excellent gift for you, with love from you. I'm definitely signing up. My poor cupboards will thank me for it.