In early to mid-October, look for a new vendor to join the 331 Cortland Marketplace in Bernal Heights: SPICE HOUND will be offering a full selection of unique spices and gourmet salts in the space formerly occupied by Della Terra Organics. Spice Hound owner and spiceologist Tammy Tan, who started the company three years ago out of Sunnyvale, said she was super excited when she heard that she’d been chosen for the spot. This will be her first retail storefront.
At 331 Cortland, Spice Hound will be stocking over 100 different spices, dried herbs, and specialty salts for home cooks and professionals. They’ll carry smoked and flavored salts (like black truffle sea salt, and chardonnay and oak fleur de sel), as well as salts from all over the world (like French grey sea salt). As for the spices, they’ll have pantry staples like peppercorns and cinnamon (three kinds, in fact, for you bakers out there), and hard-to-find items like grains of paradise, crystallized ginger, and the super-hot (seriously) ghost chiles. You’ll also be able to grab freshly ground blends and rubs, from poultry and beef rubs to more eclectic blends like garam masala, Egyptian dukka, and Middle Eastern za’atar.
All their unique salts and spices will be available pre-packaged, or BYOC (“C” for container) and get just the amount that you need. As the seasons change, expect to see blends like pumpkin pie mix, mulling spices, as well as a rotating selection of vanilla beans from eclectic places. They also plan on holding spice tastings and classes in the future. Tammy also relies on her customers for new ideas, so she encourages people to ask about any obscure spices they’re looking for. You can also find Spice Hound at the College of San Mateo farmers market on Saturdays, the Campbell farmers market on Sundays, or online to ask about your favorite spice.
