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 box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Piquant Post
The Subscription Box: Piquant Post
The Cost: $11.99 a month + free US shipping. Save with 6 and 12-month subscriptions.
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
Piquant Post August 2018 Review
Each box comes with four spice blends and coordinating recipe cards. Let's get into this month's spices!
Urfa Biber Spice
Our first spice of the month is a blend of dried chilis. This blend of chilis smells of chocolate, raisins, wine, salt, and tobacco. It will also provide a little bit of spice to any dish you add this to. I was a bit surprised by how strong this blend was when I first opened it and was even more surprised to read that this could be used in any dish all the way to brownies. I thought this smelled pretty strongly of tobacco which made me think right away that this would be great used as a rub on meats that you are going to grill or smoke. A very strong and unique blend to kickoff the box!
Menemen Turkish Scramble Recipe
This recipe is simple, healthy, and full of fresh produce so I knew I had to cook it! The eggs are meant to remain slightly runny in the center to allow you to use some crusty bread to soak up all of the yummy eggs and vegetables together. I made mine as more of a scrambled egg bake without leaving any runny eggs as I am pregnant and can't eat "dippy eggs." However, I think my dish turned out perfectly, scroll for more!
I started by cooking down all of my fresh produce. I used spinach, cherry tomatoes, and red peppers. Once the vegetables were soft, I added just a pinch of my spice blend. I am going to admit, I was a bit nervous to use the Urfa Biber since it had such a strong tobacco scent, so I suggest going light at first and adding more to taste later.
This is where I changed the recipe slightly! I scrambled my eggs in a bowl before adding them to my pan to cook. However, the recipe suggests breaking the eggs directly into the pan and scrambling them slightly there, allowing them to be runnier than a scramble.
Here is my completed bowl! This dish was so simple and quick to make, perfect for this busy mom to enjoy on a weeknight. I could see myself pulling this together quickly for myself as a lunch as well. I thought this dish was perfect, but I will say that I didn't love the flavors that were brought out by the spice blend. It had a strong smokey and chocolate flavor that I didn't think blended nicely with the eggs and vegetables. That's ok though, I still loved cooking and trying this dish and unique spices!
Nutty Sumac Spice
Sumac is a spice that I am very familiar with and have cooked with a few times before. It is made with tart berries that I didn't realize are native to the Mediterranean. This particular blend contains sumac, paprika, Aleppo chili, white sesame seed, cumin, and allspice. The nutty flavors cut through the tart berry flavors to make this really bold and delicious. I could see this being great sprinkled over hummus with pita and olives for an afternoon snack.
Turkish Quinoa Salad (Kisir) Recipe
Quinoa is something that I used to eat a ton of back when I was vegetarian, but I have since moved away from cooking with it. However, this recipe looks like something I have to try! The card notes that it is similar to a Tabbouleh salad, but this contains tomato paste and spicy red pepper paste. The recipe seems very easy and it even notes that you can quickly customize it to your liking. I could see myself adding shrimp to this for a fresh meal!
Sweet Nigella Blend Spice
There are so many layers to this spice blend that you can smell right out of the packet! This blend contains nigella seed, cumin, pasilla chili, sumac, mustard, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, mace, cardamom, and star anise. You get a little sweet, a little spice, some tartness, and just an overall freshness that you can taste and smell. The card notes that this blend can be used on just about anything. This is a great blend to keep in your spice cabinet!
Turkish Kofte with Tzatziki Recipe
I wasn't sure what this recipe was going to contain until I read through the recipe card. What I read made me so hungry! This recipe is for meatballs made with ground lamb that is a Turkish tradition. They are then covered in Tzatziki dressing to make them the perfect indulgence. You could make these to impress your friends at your next party with a unique finger food. I haven't cooked these just yet, but I can't wait to make them especially since my husband is a meatball fanatic!
Turkish Herb Blend Spice
This is another blend that is filled with so many layers! It includes dill, mint, garlic, oregano, Aleppo chili, cumin, and fennel seed. The smell was so fresh and light! You can use this on just about anything, like most of the blends featured this month, and is another item to hold onto in your spice cabinet.
Stuffed Eggplant (Imam Bayildi) Recipe
This is a vegetarian recipe that seems so fresh! The great part is that you really can change this recipe to your liking. You can add meat or a different assortment of vegetables based on your preferences. I love when a recipe is something that I can build on or change without disrupting what makes it so delicious! I am going to hold onto this one to use once the weather is cooler because it looks so fresh and filling!
Verdict: This month's Piquant Post was filled with so many fresh spice blends! Each blend had many unique ingredients that created layers on layers of flavors that filled my home with so many lovely scents. The recipes were all very bold while still being relatively easy to make. Plus, I loved that so many recipes were easy to change based on what my family likes. This box is a unique one because it really challenges me in the kitchen while offering up a bit of history through the spice blends and the recipe cards.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, order by 9/15 to receive the September box!
Coupon - Use code MSA15OFF to save 15% off your first 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).
Check out all of our Piquant Post reviews and the Food Subscription Box Directory for more spice and meal boxes!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Have you received Piquant Post? What did you think of the August spices?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.