Collection: Gourmet Spice Pastes & Tapenades

Tapenade is a rich, savoury spread originating from Provence, France. It's traditionally made from finely chopped or puréed olives (typically black), capers, anchovies, garlic, and olive oil. The name comes from "tapena," the Provençal word for capers. It's earthy, intensely flavoured, and perfect with crusty bread, crackers, or as a condiment for grilled meats and fish.

Spice paste is a concentrated blend of ground spices, aromatics (like garlic, ginger, or chillies), and oil or liquid, creating a thick, workable paste. Unlike dry spice blends, the paste form allows for easier incorporation into cooking and more even flavour distribution. It's used as a base for curries, marinades, or to add instant depth to dishes.

Masala paste is a spice blend from Indian cuisine combining ground spices with garlic, ginger, chillies, and oil to create a concentrated flavouring base. "Masala" simply means spice mixture in Hindi. Different masala pastes serve different purposes - some for marinades, others for curry bases. Premium masala pastes use whole spices ground fresh rather than pre-ground powder.

Curry spice paste is a prepared blend of spices, aromatics, and oil designed to create curry dishes quickly. It typically contains cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli, garlic, and ginger in a paste form. Different regional styles exist - Thai curry pastes differ significantly from Indian versions. Quality curry pastes use authentic spices and fresh ingredients rather than artificial flavourings.