Some like it hot

“I’ve found that a quarter teaspoon in a cup of boiling water with honey makes a lovely headclearing drink.”

The spice merchant says the mix of soil, farming methods and processing techniques all contribute to a quality spice. “The post-harvesting handling and processing are absolutely critical,” he says.

He says Paradise Spices has sophisticated methods of quality control, processing and managing allergens. Because it is producing things on a small scale, the spices are really fresh.

The PNG spices have been available in Australia since January and the response is already very good. Herbies Spices are stocked in 400 specialty shops around Australia and used by top Australian chefs including Neil Perry, Tetsuya Wakuda and Peter Gilmore. Home cooks need to develop a spice memory, Hemphill says. “When you’re cooking, smell your spices every time you use them. If you sniff them you will recognise whether they are as fresh as they should be and you will develop a better understanding of how to use the spices.”

Home grown ... PNG ginger, perfect for curries and Asian dishes.