Spice Girl

In the Kitchen with Ann Wilder

By Cynthia Glover

You may never have heard of Vann's Spices and its owner Ann Wilder. But there's a good chance you've sampled her products. If, for instance, you've ever bought spices -- or dried beans or grains, for that matter -- from a specialty grocer like Dean & DeLuca on the east coast or Draeger's Markets in the west, then you've tasted her goods. The label on that dried oregano may sport the store's logo, but the contents come from Wilder's Baltimore-based spice company. Hailing from a city that's home to Goliaths like McCormick & Co. and The Baltimore Spice Company, Vann's Spices has developed a David's reputation among gourmet shops and restaurant chefs. Who better to give us a lesson on cooking with spices, I think as I step into the kitchen of her Ruxton, Maryland, home.
         As gloriously scented puffs of smoke rise from a pan of toasting cumin seeds on their way to becoming curry powder, Wilder tells me her tale. In the 1970s, inspired by an Indian friend's cooking, she began whipping up spice blends at home. "We couldn't find tandoori powder we liked anywhere," she recalls. "And I just had to have it." So she began experimenting --toasting, grinding, mixing, tasting -- until she had recreated the precise flavors she so enjoyed. The process struck a chord, and soon Wilder had created a spice-rack full of different blends. "With these mixes in the cupboard, I was unflappable," says this former high school teacher in a soft Carolina accent. "I could throw together a dinner in minutes and people would think I'd been in the kitchen all week."

Wilder's blends leapt from church bazaar staple to commercial product in 1982 when a local grocery store owner enticed her to sell them through his store. A large order from Macy's in New York followed. But what happened next shows how an easy-going Southerner turns spice-house pro.
         "I didn't know anything about the business when I started," Wilder says with a chuckle. "So I drove that first order up to Macy's myself. And while I was there, I decided to stop into Dean & DeLuca and introduce myself." Moxie carried the day: She came home with her second big order, this time from one of the country's leading fine food retailers. Today, Vann's Spices weighs in at just under $3 million a year in sales and includes such high-profile clients as TV-chef Jacques Pepin, for whom it makes spice blends, and Martha Stewart's catalog sales.
         What Wilder's customers discover in her products is a difference in quality and freshness. "We buy from small farmers growing premium products or harvesting wild spices," she says. "These producers are not at all prolific, which is why the big spice companies are more likely to use commercially farmed versions."

As Wilder continues her curry powder demonstration, it's easy to see and smell the difference. Her spices -- pungent, yet sweet, red chili pepper flakes; lemony coriander seeds; earthy cumin seeds -- are highly aromatic and richly colored. "Curry powder's easy to make," she exhorts. "Do it yourself and it'll be just how you like it."
     Cooking to suit your own taste is what Wilder's cooking style is all about. Her recipes give us starting points, basics with which to tinker. Her dry rub for barbecued ribs, for instance, lends itself to all sorts of variations. So do her wheat berry-barley and curried six-bean salads. Wilder's risotto gives plenty of leeway for exploring the great variety of dried and fresh mushrooms, while her ginger-tellicherry pepper cake is an open invitation to expand upon its spicy theme. Most important, Wilder says, is to be sure your spices are fresh. "Whole spices are practically immortal, but ground spices are only good for about a year." Replace them as soon as the aroma begins to fade.

Recipes
Dry-Rub Barbecued Pork Ribs
Salsa for Grilled Fish
Wheat Berry-Barley Salad
Curried Six-Bean Salad
Double Mushroom Risotto
Ginger-Tellicherry Pepper Spice Cake

Dry-Rub Barbecued Pork Ribs
Serves 6

1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 racks of pork ribs, under 3 pounds each

1. Mix the dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Apply rub generously to the ribs, massaging the spices into the meat. Let sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Grill the ribs over the slow heat of a gas, charcoal or wood fire for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat releases from the bone.

Salsa for Grilled Fish
Makes about 2 cups

2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut in small dice
1/2 cup peeled, coarsely chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup yellow onion, peeled and cut in small dice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small can chipotle chiles, cut in small dice
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
pinch of sugar

1. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl. Season to taste. Serve at room temperature or chilled, spooned over your favorite grilled fish.

Wheat Berry-Barley Salad
Serves 8

1 cup dried wheat berries
1 cup pearl barley
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 scallions, bottoms and light green tops, thinly sliced
1/2 pound smoked Gouda, cut in 1/4-inch cubes
4 plum tomatoes, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Bring medium saucepan of salted water to boil. Add wheat berries, reduce heat and simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Add the barley and simmer for 30 minutes more.
2. Meanwhile, combine the red onion, garlic, salt, vinegar and oil in a large bowl.
3. Drain the grains and toss them with the onion mixture. Let cool. Add the scallions, Gouda, tomatoes, herbes de Provence, parsley, and pepper.

Curried Six-Bean Salad
Serves 6 to 8

1/4 cup dried Christmas limas (large, with burgundy markings)
1/4 cup dried European soldier beans (medium, with red markings)
1/4 cup dried Swedish brown beans (medium, caramel colored)
1/4 cup dried Appaloosa beans (small, tan and white)
1/4 cup dried cranberry beans (small, splotchy red)
1/4 cup dried Flageolet beans (small, pale green)
curry vinaigrette to taste (see recipe below)
2 large, ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 red onion, peeled and diced
1 green pepper, cut in strips

1. Cook each type of bean separately as follows: Rinse and pick over the beans, removing any debris. Cover them with water by 2 inches and soak at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain, then place beans in a saucepan, and cover with fresh water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender. Cooking time will vary from 1 to 1-1/2 hours, depending on the type and age of the bean.
2. Place curry vinaigrette in a large bowl. Add beans and vegetables, and toss gently.

Double Mushroom Risotto
Serves 4

1 ounce dried mushrooms (any variety)
3 cups chicken stock (home-made or low-sodium)
4 tablespoons butter, divided use
1/3 cup scallions, cut in small dice
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
2 cups fresh mushrooms (any variety), coarsely chopped
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground tellicherry pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain them, reserving the liquid. Strain the mushroom liquid through a coffee filter into a small saucepan. Add chicken stock and bring mixture to a slow simmer.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, saute onions in 2 tablespoons butter until translucent. Add rice and stir until it begins to sizzle. Add mushrooms, then wine. Cook, stirring continuously, until liquid has almost evaporated. Lower heat to medium and add enough of the hot chicken stock mixture to just cover the rice. Add salt and pepper. Continue stirring until the liquid is nearly gone, then add more stock and continue cooking. Continue stirring and adding stock until rice is al dente, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Remove from the stove, stir in remaining butter, parsley, and cheese. Serve immediately.

Ginger-Tellicherry Pepper Spice Cake
Serves 8 to 10

1/4 pound unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup molasses
2 teaspoons instant coffee
2 eggs
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teasppon ground tellicherry pepper
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup very hot apple juice

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, instant coffee and eggs. Mix until smooth. Add ginger, cinnamon, allspice, tellicherry pepper, and salt. Add baking soda to flour and sift the mixture into the liquid. Mix well. Add hot apple juice and mix well.
3. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake 45 minutes, or until the center of the cake springs back when touched. Place on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and continue cooling for 10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

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