Seven Spices to Explore this Fall

Add some seasonal flavours to your meals with these fall and winter spices

Fall cuisine is all about levels of flavour. Many fall dishes are cooked over long periods of time, and different ingredients are added throughout the cooking process to heighten and build on the overall flavour. Spices help build these different levels and can add distinct notes to a dish.

Click through for seven seasonal spices to explore this season.

Chris Mills is the Executive Chef of JOEY Restaurants

Persimmon

Persimmon is a small fruit that looks like a baby tomato. You will want to select ones that are ripe, otherwise they will be very bitter in flavour. A ripe persimmon will have a beautiful deep orange color – perfect for fall. They can also be made into jams, compotes, sorbets or added to salads. And they make a great garnish for desserts like crème brûlée.

Allspice

Allspice is a popular flavour in fall and winter cuisine. Allspice is actually dried berries, and is often paired with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Although it is most often used in desserts, allspice is also great with savoury dishes like lamb or pork. Try creating an apple glaze for pork chops infused with allspice and other seasonal flavours. 

Fennel

Most people love or hate the flavour of fennel, as it is highly aromatic and distinctive. The seeds have an anise-y or liquorice flavour. Fennel can be added to braised dishes as the fragrant flavour will stew over, adding a distinct flavour note. 

Clove

You will often find cloves paired with nutmeg and allspice in traditional fall desserts like pumpkin pie. Cloves also pair well with orange peel and coriander, which you will find in hefeweizens. You could experiment with this combination in a chicken dish. 

Turmeric

Popular in Indian cuisine, turmeric adds beautiful color and an earthy heat to a dish. A curry is a great way to explore this flavour and perfect for warming the belly on a cold day. Turmeric can also work wonders in a soup and pairs well with ginger. We have added a new curry ginger soup to our fall lineup at JOEY that plays on these flavours. 

Juniper Berries

Often times associated with gin cocktails, juniper berries are criminally overlooked when it comes to cooking. With their citrus notes, juniper berries can work well in a marinade for fall meats like lamb, venison or pork. They pair well with smoky flavours like chili and with a subtle hint of earthy pine, it can be a really festive way to incorporate the season without overpowering a dish.  

Ginger

Ginger not only pairs well with turmeric, but cardamom as well since they are all from the same plant family. Ginger can add a very fresh and vibrant flavour to a dish and works well in both savoury and sweet foods. A traditional use for it during the fall and winter is gingerbread. Try a modern take on a holiday treat by incorporating into biscotti.