Lebanese Seven Spice - Warm, Aromatic Blend

Instructions:

1. Break the cinnamon. Snap the 2 sticks of cinnamon into smaller pieces by hand. Note: This prevents the grinder blade from catching on a large piece.
2. Heat the pan. Place your small skillet over medium low heat for about 2 minutes.
3. Toast whole spices. Add the 2 tbsp allspice, 2 tbsp peppercorns, 1 tbsp cloves, and cinnamon pieces to the dry pan.
4. Agitate the spices. Shake the pan constantly for 3 minutes until you smell a deep, toasted aroma.
5. Cool completely. Remove the spices from the pan and let them sit on a plate for 5 minutes. Note: Grinding hot spices can create moisture and clumping.
6. Grind to powder. Place the cooled whole spices into your grinder and pulse in 10 second bursts until the mixture looks like a fine, velvety dust.
7. Sift the mix. Pour the powder through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to catch any stubborn cinnamon shards.
8. Add ground spices. Whisk in the 1 tbsp ground nutmeg, 1 tbsp ground fenugreek, and 1 tbsp ground ginger.
9. Stir thoroughly. Use a small whisk or fork to ensure the ground and fresh ground spices are perfectly integrated.
10. Bottle it up. Transfer your finished Lebanese Seven Spice into an airtight jar immediately to lock in the flavor.