Where can we buy your spices and recipe book?

At the retail shop at 152 Thistle St Gordon Park in Brisbane. I welcome fax/mail orders using my order form or email me your requirements or simply purchase online in the SPICE SHOP on this web site.

What is Mistress of Spice?

Mistress of Spice is a family business selling top quality traditional spice blends, individual herbs & spices and accessories like grinders and mortar & pestles. I'm the "Mistress", a passionate foodie and Brisbane mum.

What is the Mistress of Spice Promise?

To give those who love to cook access to the freshest and finest quality herbs and spices available anywhere in the world. To provide the very finest hand made blends - from those used in the simplest traditional cooking to those used in the worlds most exotic dishes.

What inspired you to start Mistress of Spice?

A love of flavoursome food, easy cooking and a desire to use only the very best quality spice blends in my own cooking.

What were you doing before you started Mistress of Spice?

I was a secondary teacher of home economics and biology, here in Australia and overseas. I have always enjoyed entertaining friends and relatives and collecting recipes, magazines and recipe books.

What do you love most about cooking with spices?

You can prepare meals that are enjoyed in the world's most exotic places and eat traditional dishes that go back thousands of years...and all without leaving home. That's probably the key - the flavours of the world really are within your reach and can be as easily achieved as by sprinkling some Persian Advieh on the vegies or some Ras el Hanout on the roast lamb. Fast and simple is important to me, but so is flavour and style.

What is your favourite spice blend?

Oh that's a difficult one - I love them all. It really depends on what I am cooking - some of my favourites are Persian Advieh, Sweet Ras el Hanout (used in desserts), Mauritian Massalé, Berbere (a hot African curry powder), Za'atar (fresh & zingy)....I guess I had better stop there!!

Where do the recipes in your new book come from?

The recipes are the culmination of many years of travel and experimenting with foods from the Middle East, India, Asia, Pakistan, Europe and North Africa. They are a combination of tradition and imagination. I've designed them to be tasty and quick to make and accessible to everyone, not just the restaurant chefs.

Remember to experiment with the blends and recipes and most of all have loads of fun indulging in sensational flavours.