Maggi is an umami-intense all-purpose seasoning, and according to Jack Carneal in his recent article in Lucky Peach, it has come to "define the taste of Malian cuisine." Maggi is used in everything from traditional tige dege na to spaghetti sauce, and at this point, Carneal says few people remember how Malian food tastes without this mass-produced seasoning. Good or bad, it sounds like Maggi is here to stay. More

There is only one problem with niter kibbeh: I can't stop eating it, whether I'm melting a spoonful into a pot of lentils or sneaking a dollop straight from the jar. This spiced clarified butter is the "secret ingredient" to many Ethiopian dishes, as well as anything else you can imagine using it on, from meat to eggs to vegetables. (Psst... try it on popcorn!) More

It isn't always easy to find premade versions of common African spice blends like Ras el Hanout at the local supermarket, but the truth is, if you have a well-stocked spice rack, you likely have almost all the components to make these mixtures on your own. With a spice grinder and the recipes below, you can easily bring the flavors of Morocco, Ethiopia, Egypt and Tunisia into your kitchen. More

If you've ever eaten food from the eastern Horn of Africa – Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia – chances are you've encountered berbere, a complex blend of chile peppers and spices. This all-purpose spice mix can add warmth and depth to all sorts of dishes like beans, meats, and stews, and even non-African fare from burgers to roasted vegetables. More

Let's talk about this tagine for a second: it's crazy good. The dish has so much going on—the fragrant and heavily-spiced sauce, the jammy apricots, the crunchy almonds—and yet it totally works. There's good reason why this Moroccan dish is a classic. More

In the past we've talked about taking spices with you on road trips and backpack or camping adventures. It is the number one way to make road food taste like it came straight from your kitchen (especially if you make custom blends). And here's a way to keep them safe and sound in this oh-so-identifiable breath mint container. More

From the ingredients you use to the foods you put them on, flavored salts are wide open to your imagination. Start with a flaky salt, add herbs, spices, or other ingredients, and you have a quick, unique way to season everything from sliced tomatoes to chocolate cakes. They make wonderful edible gifts, too. Here's a template with basic ratios to get you started, tips for how to use seasoned salts, and a few of our favorite ingredient combinations. More

I was fortunate to grow up regularly visiting the original Spice House in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. (The Spice House was owned by the parents of the people who went on to create Penzey's.) At a tender and impressionable age, I was imprinted with the sensual, magical experience of walking through their door and immediately being surrounded by a cacophony of smells and the promise of new discoveries. So needless to say, there's no way the Internet or a grocery store, no matter how convenient and practical, is going to be my go-to when it comes time to purchase my spices.

While it's great to buy specialty products in-person from the maker, sometimes it's just not possible. (We don't all live near a food or farmer's market.) So to appreciate the full scale and variety of today's artisanal offerings, you have to go online. These nine marketplaces have you covered: More

Q: I received this jar of black truffle finishing salt for Christmas. What foods or dishes are good to add it to? Suggestions please!

Sent by Brenna More