Piquant Post is a monthly subscription box that offers a variety of freshly ground, small batch spice blends with their very own chef developed recipes that feature a new region each month.
This is a review of the $11.99 monthly plan.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Piquant Post
The Cost: $11.99 a month, $65.94 for 6 month pre-pay, or $119.88 for 12 month pre-pay.
ACTIVE DEAL: First Order 10% off. No coupon needed - just use this link.
The Products: 4 spice blends from a single region or country, 4 chef-developed recipes showcasing each of the spice blends, plus online access to recipes and ingredient substitutes.
Ships to: Worldwide with free U.S. shipping
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Scotch Bonnet Pepper Flakes
Our first spice for the month is the pepper flakes blend which is used in many Jamaican dishes. The back notes that this is a hotter blend and to taste before deciding how much to use on your dish. After doing a little research, the scotch bonnet pepper is very similar to a habanero so eat with caution! If you can believe it, you can smell the heat coming from this blend.
Lemon Pepper Shrimp Recipe
The corresponding recipe for the scotch bonnet blend is lemon pepper shrimp, and I knew after reading about the spice blend that this was the recipe for me! A common Jamaican recipe that can be found served at street stalls, this dish packs the heat with other yummy layers of flavor. Let's get cooking!
The first step is to remove the shell from the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and then add your shrimp to a heated skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. You want to cook on medium heat for three minutes.
While the shrimp cooks, I sliced my lemon in half, and then you would normally prepare your garlic gloves at this step. However, I had a jar of garlic already in my refrigerator so I figured I would use it up.
Next, you want to flip your shrimp and add the garlic and whatever amount of the scotch bonnet blend you feel comfortable with. I didn't measure my spice, just sprinkled some over each shrimp because I am comfortable with a spicy dish. I let this cook for about three minutes, then I added the juice from both lemons, and let it simmer for about four minutes.
My husband requested that I add some rice to this dish to bulk it up a bit, so I added about two cups of basmati rice to my pan to soak in all of that yummy lemon juice and spices. That's it! I sprinkled some fresh parsley on the top to help really round out the flavors. This dish was incredible! It really packed the heat but in a great way. I am glad I added the rice because it made so much! This is the type of recipe that really sticks with me and I can commit to memory so that I can cook it again and again. This was such a hit in my house!
Island Spice
This is an all-purpose blend that really bakes the flavors. I love allspice so I knew this blend was going to be amazing! The Piquant Post blog notes that this spice blend is meant to create a balanced flavor for any dish you want to create from the aromatics and herbs. You really can smell the rosemary which is such a refreshing scent mixed with the garlic, onion, and paprika. You really receive so much of the spice in each bag that I know I will have so much of this left to use as a rub on chicken or even to sprinkle on some popcorn!
Jamaican Run Down (fish stew) Recipe
I love fish stew and am always looking for a new recipe to test. Jamaican dishes are so flavorful because they create the perfect balance of sweetness and major spices. This stew gives you just that! The island spice blend is the perfect rounded flavors that bring all of the fresh ingredients together, plus you can add some of that scotch bonnet blend to add a little extra kick. I can't wait to try this recipe on an extra cold night!
Jamaican Jerk
You really are hit with so many different smells with this blend. You have the nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, mixed with the cayenne, allspice, garlic and more! This really is a blend of so many different spices that you wouldn't think would work together, but they do to create that wonderful sweet and spicy flavor that is authentic to many Jamaican dishes.
Jerk Chicken Recipe
I have never made jerk chicken so I am very excited to use this recipe and spice blend! Since the spice blend is packed full of so many different spices, it works best with a smoked or BBQ meat. I know from watching my Dad BBQ on the weekends that spices like this work best when there is that bit of smoke to the meat because you get so many different flavors in each bite. It also helps to create that charred look to the meat that is actually super delicious and holds in the spices.
Gingerbread Spice
It is that time of year, time for all things gingerbread! According to the Piquant Post blog, a berry from the pimento tree that is featured in allspice is native to Jamaica and an essential flavor to Caribbean cuisine. I love that this blend brings together everything that you would need to make a gingerbread cookie and so much more! Since there is so much of the blend in this bag, I know that I will be able to make so many different recipes with it. When you open this bag of spices, you are instantly hit with the smells of the upcoming holiday season!
Gingerbread Pancakes
This recipe is amazing and so unique! Pancakes are a necessity for weekend breakfasts so I was very excited to get this recipe to mix it up a bit. I have also never really followed a recipe for how to make pancakes, but it was great to finally read how they should be made properly.
Verdict: This is my first time receiving Piquant Post! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I can say that I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of spice blends and recipes. One thing I would note is that I didn't receive any information card noting what the featured region of the month was, I had to look through to the Piquant Post blog to discover that this month featured Jamaican recipes. I would love to see a little more information that brings the whole box and theme together and allows me to easily navigate each month's spice blends. I was surprised by how much of each blend came in the individual packets, which allowed me to put them safely away in my spice cabinet to use for another meal. The featured recipes were easy to follow and I loved that you received a little description on the front of each card, that really got me excited to cook each meal. I am excited to see what Piquant Post has to offer next month!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? As of today, you will receive the November box.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $11.99 with free U.S. shipping, and I received a total of 4 spices. That means that the average value for each of those items is around $3 (not counting the recipe cards). I think the overall value is a bit high for what you receive considering you have to buy your own ingredients for each recipe. I do a lot of my spice shopping at small markets in my area where I can usually get a larger quantity of blends for a little less. I would love to see Piquant Post expand the offering with maybe one or two extra spice blends to bring the overall value up a bit more.
Have you received the Piquant Post box? What did you think of the October spices?
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