Gifts using Herbs and Spices

We have been in the herb and spice business for over 13 years and our customers have given us some great ideas for gift giving.

A gift basket full of just herbs and spices themselves for a bridal shower, a student moving out on their own, a new homeowner, or for anyone who loves to cook and experiment with some of the more uncommon culinary herbs like juniper berries, lavender, turmeric, or cardamom in several forms.

A gift basket combined with cooking gadgets, like a nutmeg grater with the whole nutmeg or a stainless steel tea ball with teas.

Themed basket suggestions – Add prepared sauces; gadgets; dishes; linens; and many other creative items to enhance a most thoughtful gift for anyone of any age.

The herb and spice shop  Please check our listings often because we are always revising and adding new herbs and spices and healing botanicals.

Worldly Spice Blends – BBQ Spice; Curry Powder; Taco Seasoning; Apple Pie Spices; Italian Seasoning; Garam Masala; Herbes d’ Provence; Chinese Five Spice Blend; Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend; Maui Onion Salad Dressing.

Basic Baking – Poppy Seeds; Anise Seed; Ginger Powder; Cloves Powder; Ground Nutmeg; Buttermilk Powder; Allspice Powder.

Elegant Gourmet - Whole Nutmeg; Decorticated Cardamom; Saffron; Four Peppercorn Mix; Blue Juniper Berries; Smoked Paprika; White Peppercorns; Crystallized Ginger; Horseradish Flakes; Coarse Pink Himalayan Sea Salt.

Whole Chinese Fives Spices – Blend your own – Star Anise; Fennel Seed; Whole Cloves; Whole Peppercorns; Cinnamon Sticks 1”.

Just Herbs – Sage; Basil; Thyme; Oregano; Rosemary; Chives; Parsley; Tarragon; Dill Weed; Bay Leaves.

Pickling Spices – Dill Seeds; Celery Seed; Ginger Pieces; Whole Coriander; Bay Leaves; Whole Black Peppercorns; Yellow Mustard Seed; Small Cinnamon Chips or Sticks.

Whole Classic Curry - Make you own – Fenugreek; Fennel Seeds; Ginger Pieces; Whole Cumin; Cayenne; Whole Allspice; Turmeric Powder; Whole Coriander; Yellow Mustard Seed; Ground Cinnamon; Ground Cardamom.

Beginner’s Best – Basil; Oregano; Black Pepper; Parsley; Coarse Grind Sea Salt; Onion Granules; Garlic Granules.

Culinary Seeds – Anise Seed; Celery Seed; Caraway Seed; Cumin Seed; Coriander Seed; Dill Seed; Fennel Seed; Black Mustard Seed; Yellow Mustard Seed; Black Sesame Seed.

Pleasing Powders (Ground / Granules) (- Allspice Powder; Basil Powder; Cumin Powder; Celery Seed Powder; Cloves Powder; Coriander Seed Powder; Cumin Seed Powder; Ginger Powder; Garlic Powder; Lemon Juice Powder; Lemon Peel Granules; Lime Juice Powder; Yellow Mustard Seed Powder; Nutmeg Powder; Onion Granules; Paprika; Smoked Paprika; Rosemary Powder; Sage Powder; Stevia Powder; Thyme Powder; Turmeric.

Italian Fare – Basil; Oregano; Rosemary; Parsley; Anise Seed; Onion Granules; Garlic Granules; Coarse Grind Sea Salt, Chile Flakes.

Magnificent Mexican – Oregano; Anise Seed; Ground Cumin; Cilantro Leaf; Epazote; Onion Granules; Garlic Granules; Chile Spice Blend; Chipotle Salsa; Chipotle Peppers; Cayenne; Annatto Seed; Ancho Chile.

Holiday Heaven – Sage; Whole Nutmeg; Apple Pie Spies; Pumpkin Pie Spices; Ground Ginger; Ground Cardamom; 6” Cinnamon Sticks; Mulling Spices.

Tasty Teas – Chinese Black Tea; Chamomile Tea Bags; Chai Tea; Mulling Spices; Orange Spice Tea; Peppermint Tea Bags; Spearmint Spice Tea; Rose Buds.

Accessories – Small Muslin Spice Bags 3” x 5”; Large Muslin Spice Bags 4” x 6”; Small Sealable Tea Bags ; Large Sealable Tea Bags.

Herbs & Spices Names in English to Spanish + Uses/ Yerbas

We have been in the herb and spice business for over 13 years and have over 150 different Culinary (cooking), dried botanicals and Mexican healing herbs and spices in our inventory. This is just a list of translations and not a complete list of our entire inventory with some of the Herbs and Spices used by New Mexicans and other Hispanics.

As always please consult a doctor before using any alternative healing

Anise Seed = Anis - Gas; digestion; cramps; stomach weakness.

Anise / Star = Anis Estrella - For new born babies when they can't stop crying.

Basil = Albahacar - Digestion; good luck.

Boldo Leaves = Boldo - Liver; scars (face); cramps.

Chamomile = Manzanilla - Stomach; to start menstration

Chaparral = Gobernadora - Clean the system; helps with urination

Cinnamon = Canela - Digestion; can be used as a tea after strong emotions

Comfrey – Confrey - Bones; muscular pain; arthritis.

Corn Silk = Barbas de Elote - Lungs; circulation

Dill = Endeldo - Internal pain

Elder Flowers = Sauco - Skin conditions; lung infections

Epazote – Removes gas from gaseous foods. Add to pot of beans ½ hour before they are finished cooking. Good in gaseous veggies too. It is the same enzyme used in Bean-o!

Eucalyptus = Eucalipto - asthma; cough

Fennel = Hinojo - Gas; indigestion; cramps

Hibiscus = Jamaica - Lungs; stomach; fever. Great added to lemonade to make it pink and give it a kick. Especially yummy with lavender added in too.

Horehound = Manrubio - Cough; cold

Lavender = Alucema - Infections; sleep aid. Boil some in water ½ hour before kids bedtime. Will quiet them right down.

Linden Flowers = Tila - Nerves; cough; asthma

Mexican Tea = Epazote de Comer - Removes gas when cooked in food (last 30 minutes); worms; parasites

Mugwort = Estiafate - Stomach ache

Mullein Flowers = Gordolobo - Cough

Marjoram = Mejorana - Circulation; gas.

Mustard/Yellow = Mostaza Amarilla -

Nutmeg = Nuez Moscada - Appetites

Passion Flowers = Pasiflora - Best herb for sleep

PennyRoyal = Poleo - Colds; stomach ache

Peppermint = Menta - Aids digestion; stomach ache

Rose Buds = Rosa de Castilla - Skin; baby cramps; help to relax. Luxurious as a pampering cup of tea.

Rosemary = Romero - Menopause; head ache; asthma; chronic colds

Rue = Ruda - Head ache; ear

Safflower = Azafran (Mexican Saffron) - Used in cooking to add reddish color, very little taste - Spanish rice

Sage = Salvia - Menopause; digestion

Sarsaparilla = Zarzaparrilla - Veneral disease

Senna = Hojasen - Liver; parasites

Seven Blossoms = Siete Azahares - Nerves; sleep aid

Shave Grass / Horsetail = Cola de Caballo - Lungs; menopause; diahrea

Spearmint = Yerba Buena - Stomach ache

Wintergreen = Axocopaque

Window Washing Colorado Springs A BETTER VIEW

Todd and his wife worked in the private sector after they retired from the military. It was also a dream to own a business. A friend retired from washing windows and so 5 years ago A Better View was born.

They have taken care of our house several times and wash inside and out along with vacuuming the sills and tracks.

A Better View is recommended by the Better Business Bureau and is very trustworthy. Their clientele includes a large warehouse store, movie theaters, a new homebuilder, a property management company and many, many homeowners. No job is too big or too small.

They work all year around except when it is very cold that the water will freeze on the glass. Estimates are free.

If you are in the Colorado Springs area, we highly recommend this company. 719- 390-7849

Plant City, FL and Parksdale Strawberry Shortcake

Plant City, Florida is just south of Interstate 4 and not very far east of Tampa. The city is called the Winter Strawberry Capitol of the US. Even the water tower looks like a giant strawberry.

When we arrived in FL in mid Feb. 2009 harvest was in full swing. They are huge, juicy. full-flavored strawberries, that you could get ill from eating so many.

It is very interesting how they are grown. The beds are raised so the fruit never touches the ground.

http://www.flstrawberryfestival.com/

In March the city hosts the Strawberry Festival – much like a large county fair or small state fair. There were lots of booths, entertainment and food. Most all of them featured strawberries in one form or another.

On the western outskirts of the city is Parksdale Nursery. It is a regular nursery & farm stand selling all sorts of local plants, flowers, trees plus fruits & veggies.

But what makes them unique is during the season they serve humongous strawberry shortcakes. The wait on a Sunday afternoon was about 30 minutes, but the line moved pretty fast! There is a large patio type area with tables where those who want to indulge can sit and enjoy. Under all the whip cream is a little cake, ice cream and tons of strawberries.

The large map of the US has pins in it where visitors have come from. Gene marked Belen, NM and I pinned Los Lunas, NM. Other parts of the map were packed with pins so we tagged where we lived the longest.

And of course there is a large gift shop with all sorts of Florida gifts and souvenirs including these giant strawberry pinatas.

Since the citrus is in season at the same time there are bins and bins of freshly picked oranges, lemons and grapefruits that they will gladly ship.

Anyone visiting anyplace nearby in Feb. and March need to visit and have a shortcake and take home some of the wonderful fruit. You will see us there again, for sure.

Lobster Gram - Yummy

My birthday continued after we returned home from NM. One of my gifts was a Lobstergram from my daughter Linda & Todd. They sent an email with the gift number and a phone number to call to arrange for delivery and it was sent FedEx overnight with an email notice that it was sent.

We arranged for it to be delivered on Wed 8/12, knowing we would be home for sure and would be able to cook them that night.

Mr. FedEx man brought the stryofoam box about 12:20. I laughed and asked him if they were my lobsters and he said yes. Then I told him that I would invite him for dinner – but was selfish, sorry! He walked away laughing.

Once we opened the box there was the hardware (bib, nutcrackers and pick). The food was piled in there. A box that had a plastic bag with New England Clam Chowder; 2 packages of oyster crackers; 2 1# bags of clams (there were a total of 20 of them); a whole lemon; a small container of clarified butter; 2 packages with 2 red potatoes and 1 ear of corn with the husk; and then sitting on top of 2 frozen packs were 2 / 2# lobsters trying to move around.

Preparing for dinner we had to have wine in our good wine glasses.

I steamed the clams and ate them about 2 hours before dinner, so we would be ready to enjoy our most luxurious meal.

Since we were having butter with the lobsters I made seafood sauce with ketchup and Boar’s Head Horseradish sauce.

They sure look big!!

The corn and the potatoes in their individual packages.

The instructions said to put them in head 1st so the feelers or claws won’t slap your arm, (which happened to me the 1st time I cooked lobster nearly 50 years ago)!

Dinner is ready!

And then Gene being the joy that he is, surprised me with an ice cream cake. (I am named after my grandmother and she was Weez so they call me that too!)

The cake lasted for days, so this was very special celebration.

We highly recommend LobsterGram for special gift giving. Everything was perfect from start to finish and they have other things besides seafood, like fantastic looking steaks and aged beef.
http://www.livelob.com/

Thanks to everyone who made it so very special.

My Birthday con't. Luna Mansion 8/5/09

This had to have been one of the most memorable birthdays ever. One of the others was when I turned 60 and my kids gave me 60 gifts. What fun that was! Another was a scavenger hunt for a mother’s ring that had all the kids and grandkids birthstones.

Right after we moved to Los Lunas, NM in the late 70's the Luna Mansion was opened as a steakhouse restaurant. Over the years it had its ups and downs until it was closed several months ago.

A local family recently bought it and totally renovated it and this showplace of Valencia County was reopened the end of July. When we heard this I knew that was where I wanted to have dinner on my birthday. And let me tell you we were not disappointed.

It is hard to read the sign, but it was original the hacienda of the Luna family and is built of adobe. It is very unusual to see a 2-story adobe building. (Adobe is brick made with mud, dried in the hot NM sun and used a building bricks).

The décor is black on white. It sounds stark but really is warm, elegant and very inviting.

The red velvet drapes in the curved bay window are outstanding. Gene and I shared a steak dinner that melted in our mouths. During dinner one of the family members came by our table and thanked us for being some of the 1st patrons of their new venture. http://thelunamansion.com/index.htm

(The Torres family also owns the New Mexican restaurant right across the street that serves outstanding New Mexican food.)

I had mentioned it was my birthday and that resulted in a beautifully presented and fantastic piece of cheesecake with strawberry sauce and a candle.

After dinner, with Gene’s son and wife, we went to see them play beach volleyball in a nearby park.

While we were there the full moon started to rise over the Manzano Mountains.

After the games we went for pie at the Village Inn and got the call that a friend had a baby at 10:21 – Evan William.

What a day! Rail Runner to Santa Fe and the plaza, dinner at the "Mansion", volleyball, and Evan. And it wasn't over yet. After we arrived home a Lobster gram was delivered with live lobsters and clams. OMG was that good and the subject of another blog.

My birthday in Santa Fe, New Mexico Plaza 8/5/09

We have visited Santa Fe many, many times but arriving to Santa Fe this time on the Rail Runner Commuter High Speed Train was a 1st for both of us. Once a day there is one that goes directly from Belen, NM to Santa Fe without any delays or change of trains. There are several that go north from Albuquerque every day but there is a lay over for anyone traveling from the south.

Once we arrived in Santa Fe there was a shuttle sitting there waiting to take the Plaza.

It was still morning so our 1st stop was for breakfast. This little café is on the northeast side of the plaza – just across the street from the east end of the Palace of the Governors. We ate a very good breakfast burrito. After we ordered we saw a sign advertising their pancakes made with blue corn meal. There is nothing better than blue corn tortillas, but it was too early for cheese enchiladas with red chile. Yum-my

As we were leaving we noticed the door handle. How New Mexico! It is a brass chile pepper.

We strolled back to the plaza and one of the streets that surround it is The Old Santa Fe Trail. I remember bringing my German uncles here over 30 years ago and they were so tickled to see the Santa Fe Trail after seeing western movies in Germany for many years.

Just off the plaza is the famous La Fonda Hotel. There are 2 kinds of building styles prominent in Santa Fe. La Fonda is in the adobe style. The other is territorial that has sharper edges and not as rounded as the adobe. The State Capitol building is not that far from the plaza and the law is that no building can be higher than the capitol building, so you will not see very many multi storied buildings in the immediate area.

St. Francis Cathedral is a block off the plaza on the east side. It is the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Santa Fe. Not far from the Cathedral is the Miraculous staircase. It is a circular stairway built in 2 – 360 degree circle without the use of any nails. The sisters of Loretto tell the legend that St. Joseph arrived at the chapel one day, built the staircase to the choir loft and left. No one ever saw him again.

The Palace of the Governors is the longest occupied public building in this country. The Native Americans have sat under the eaves for centuries, selling their wares. The building itself is a museum.

After just a few hours in Santa Fe we returned on the shuttle of the return trip south on the Rail Runner.

RAIL RUNNER Commuter Train - Belen, NM to Santa Fe, NM

We moved away from NM 8 years ago and this train wasn’t even started. The track is there and actually runs from Cheyenne, WY all through Colorado south to El Paso, TX.

For right now the Rail Runner only goes between Belen (about 30 miles south of Albuquerque and Santa Fe (about 60 miles north of Albuquerque).

It is strange to watch this train go by because going south the engine leads all the cars. I guess they are not able to turn it around so when it goes north the back end goes first with the engine in the back.

On our recent visit to NM we rode from our RV campground at Isleta Lakes to Santa Fe and enjoyed the whole trip. Gene grew up riding trains since his father worked for the Santa Fe Railroad out of Belen. This was the 1st time I was on a full sized train for so long a trip. We went upstairs and were able to really enjoy the views.

Just north of Albuquerque we passed a rock outcropping standing all by itself. When my kids were small they would call it “The Thumb” and wave their thumb pointing up as we came up to it and then wave with their thumb pointing down as we went past it. To this day I can’t pass The Thumb without thinking about that and smiling.

Some new rail had to be built and for a short distance, just south of Santa Fe, they put it right down the middle of I-25. It is very strange driving down the highway and having a train coming toward you in the middle of the road.

Even the new station on the south side of Santa Fe straddles both north and south lanes of the Interstate.

When we arrived in Santa Fe (and at all stops) there are FREE shuttles to take you to different locations in the area. We took ours to the Plaza (see follow up blog for our few hours in Santa Fe.)

Finally New Mexico got something right. The trip took about 90 minutes and with a senior discount the round trip cost $12.00 for the 2 of us!!! There are so many categories NM ranks in the lower 10 but they have to be really congratulated on this shuttle.

It seems to be successful too. The conductor said the 4:30 train from Santa Fe south has 600 –700 people every day.

Good job New Mexico!!! If you are visiting the area, take a few hours to ride the Rail Runner, sit back and enjoy the incredible scenery of the Land of Enchantment!!