Indian as Apple Pie

I might have said this before, but I used to be quite the snob about spice mixes. I thought, gee, if I own individual spices, why on earth do I need a blend? I can mix oregano, basil. marjoram and rosemary ... I can mix lemon and thyme.

What I was saying was that I can mix the easy stuff. That's before I knew anything about Indian food, where the list of spices can be a mile long.

Now I know better. When the folks at Indian as Apple Pie asked me if I wanted to try their products, I said sure. This showed up.

This is the six-jar Custom Blend Spice Set with generously sized jars of spice blends. The first thing I did was sniff all of them, and I can tell you that they're fragrant and definitely different from each other.

The second thing I did was use the Tandoori Masala as a dry rub on a pork roast. I wasn't trying to make a true Indian dish - I just wanted to sample it and and add some flavor to the roast.

Wow. A little bit of rub truly did add a lovely punch of flavor. Since then, I've tried a few other flavors and I have to say that I'm really impressed. I still haven't made an actual traditional Indian dish with any of these, but that's fine. I'm okay with using the flavors of a cuisine in non-traditional ways.

Sooner or later, I will make a traditional Indian dish, but meanwhile, I'm enjoying them on different meats and vegetables.

Who's it for: Anyone who wants an easier way to make Indian cuisine and use Indian flavors.

Pros: The prices seem very reasonable for the spices. Flavors are very good. I've tried other Indian spice blends, and I have to say that something about these is much more appealing - brighter and deeper flavors.

Cons: When you're buying spices online, you can't sniff them to see which you like best.

Wishes: For people who don't know which blends they like the spice set is a good idea, but it's a lot of spice - it would be great if there was a sampler set with smaller jars or even packets for people who aren't sure what they will want.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.