VANN'S SPICES
We are very
pleased to welcome Vanns Spices to our web site, as their exclusive source
on the internet. Vanns bottles my original spice blends and is the finest
spice house in the country, some say the world! Founded by Ann Wilder, a woman
who has turned a hobby into an award-winning spice company, Vanns' scours
the world for the best growers and farmers. They select only premium grade
herbs and spices for their products.
ANN WILDER WITH A FEW OF HER SPICES
All the world's
spices, except herbs which grow best in summer, grow near or around the equator.
Vanns' buys spices from where they grow best, and that has taken a lot of
time and travel to figure out. Ann figures she spends 25% of her time traveling
and researching spices. She's found that the best rosemary grows in France,
and the best bay leaves and oregano come from Turkey. The best pine nuts are
in China, the best cinnamon from Vietnam and the best sage is grown on the
coast of Bosnia.
Everything that comes into the warehouse is shipped out within
30 days so the spices do not lose their flavor. Her spices are used by the country's
leading chefs and were chosen by the 1992 Canadian Culinary Olympic Team as
their exclusive line of seasonings. The team went on to sweep every gold medal
in every food category, including the grand prize in the World Culinary Olympics.
In 1996 the National Board of the American Tasting Institute awarded Vanns'
Blackened Spice, Islan Jerk, Fennel Seeds and Dried Shallots it's coveted American
Taste Award.
Ann's entry into the spice world was gradual, starting out
as a hobby cook taking lessons from James Beard, Jacque Pepin and others. As
Ann developed her skills in the kitchen she became increasingly aware of the
absence of quality herbs and spices to season her culinary endeavors.
Although Ann was a South Carolina native raised on Southern
barbeque and spoon bread, she developed a passion for Indian cuisine, especially
Tandoori dishes. Dissatisfied with the spices and blends available in local
markets, she frequented Asian and Indian spice markets in New York and Philadelphia.
Through a series of experiments she developed her signature Tandoori mix along
with a few other seasoning combinations. At the urging of some friends, she
presented six of her creations for sale in Baltimore and Washington DC food
markets and specialty stores. They were a hit. Ann left teaching and entered
the spice trade full time in 1981.
The rest as they say, is history. The aromas that emanate from the building housing Vanns Spices now intoxicate passers-by, sweet and hot, herbal and pungent with delicious cinnamony over-tones. Now, all of Ann's creations and fine quality herbs and spices are available on the net, exclusively at our website. You'll find them all at The SPICEMAN section of our on-line store. Stop by and check out the incredible array, we think you'll find Ann's descriptions quite educational as well, she may not be in a classroom anymore, but she is still teaching, educating cooking buffs and some of the nation's best chefs alike on the importance of quality herbs and spices to elevate their dishes to culinary excellence.