Bart spice blending masterclass

The powerful aroma of coriander and cumin hit me as I walked through the door to the Bart spice blending masterclass. In addition to the heart-warming smells, a colourful array of blends brightened up the room overlooking the New Cut, containing spices from all over the world.

A history lesson kicked off the morning. Next it was time for a practical.

My mediocre spices knowledge was put to the test as I had to guess the individual ingredients in a blend. Any ideas what spices go in to a Panch Phoran or Pilau blend? Neither did I. Needless to say my score of two out of eleven reflected my lack of culinary expertise. However, the task showed how each single ingredient added immense flavour and could change the overall taste of each blend.

All that brain power used guessing the ingredients made me hungry. Thankfully the next agenda of the day was my favourite of any day: lunch! The delicious spread of flavours included spiced mango flatbreads and pilau rice. The heat varied from dish to dish, with my less adventurous pallet favouring the milder thai-style cured salmon with mango and cucumber relish. However to an avid spice lover I would recommend the piri-piri prawns with aioli, which were bursting with flavour. 

It was apparent from the more exotic blends of Zatar and Sichimi Togarashi that Bart targets more adventurous cooks, providing them with less common blends of ingredients.

Having had all my senses satisfied during the morning, as a final treat I was able to create my own unique blend using a selection of spices. I was presented with a pot, a spoon and a table of over 20 spices to choose from for my blend. After spending 10 minutes surveying the spices in detail and concluding that I had no idea what half of them tasted like, my tactic was to focus on the visual. 

I gingerly began to add green (coriander), red (red bell pepper flakes), black (salt) and even purple (basil) spices to my pot. I soon got a bit carried away and my sprinkles became more like tablespoons of spices of all different proportions. I had no idea what it would taste like, but the important thing was that it looked pretty.

Next came the moment of truth: the taste test. I knew an overwhelming aroma of red bell pepper flakes was not a good sign as I brought the chicken covered in my blend to my mouth. My eyes watering after the first mouthful was not a great sign either. Aside from the heat erupting in my throat I could just about make out garlic, paprika and the purple basil.

As a final treat I was able to take my blend home to try it out. My family, who knew the extent of my culinary skills, felt far from treated. The brave few who attempted my ‘Jo’s ‘Cajun’ chicken with a twist’ were surprisingly full after just a few mouthfuls; they must have all had big lunches. Maybe I will leave creating new blends to the experts at Bart.