Food Gift 2008

Outstanding Food Gift 2008: The Seasoned Palate, Inc. dba tsp spices Sweet Basics

When Sara Engram and Katie Luber were introduced by a mutual friend, they never guessed they’d become business partners. But a shared opinion that spices in glass jars were not only wasteful but also did not stay fresh led the two to develop an idea for single-use spice packets. “We presented an elementary business plan as part of Katie’s business school project,” explains Engram, who was an editor for the Baltimore Sun at the time. “It was our basic idea and we have been building on it ever since.”

The Sweet Basic spice kit consists of 72 pre-measured, 1-teaspoon packets; 12 each of six different organic, non-irradiated spices: Allspice, Anise Seed, Green Cardamom, Korintje Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg. The tins are housed in a striking, fashionable brown box that can be reused to store recipes once emptied. (And, as Luber’s son notes, an iPod Nano can fit nicely into one of the tins.)

The stay-fresh packets have a foil lining that protects spices from light, air and moisture, giving them a three-year shelf-life. “When customers purchase a bottle of spices, they are most likely buying more than they need and are forced to waste a lot. We encourage people to use a whole packet; even if they don’t, they are wasting less spice than if they purchased a jar,” notes Engram.

Sweet Basics can be a gift for hostesses, brides, new homeowners or anyone who loves food, the owners say. Engram suggests retailers arrange them in a display with bakeware items. They also encourage merchants to demo how easy the spices are to blend. Suggested retail: $42-$48; tspspices.com.—Nicole Potenza Denis