The blog
Spice guides, recipes and tea notes
Twenty articles on cooking with Sri Lankan spices and brewing Ceylon tea.
Spice guidesCeylon vs cassia: how to tell true cinnamon apartTwo barks, one name. Here is how to spot true cinnamon on the shelf and at the table.4 min read
Kitchen and recipesSeven ways to use cinnamon quillsA single quill can flavor rice, tea, fruit and more. Here are seven easy ideas.3 min read
Origin and giftingWhy Sri Lanka is the home of true cinnamonThe island supplies most of the world's true cinnamon. Here is how a quill is made.4 min read
Spice guidesHow to store spices so they stay fragrantHeat, light and air are the enemies. A few small habits keep your spices vivid.3 min read
Spice guidesWhole or ground? Choosing your spicesWhen to buy whole spices, when ground is fine, and why most kitchens need both.3 min read
Kitchen and recipesToast and grind: a five-minute spice lessonToasting whole spices wakes up their oils. Here is the simplest way to do it.4 min read
Kitchen and recipesThe Sri Lankan curry pantry: a beginner's guideThe spices, leaves and pantry staples behind a Sri Lankan-style curry.5 min read
Kitchen and recipesA simple Sri Lankan-style chicken curryA weeknight chicken curry built on a roasted spice blend and coconut milk. Serves four.6 min read
Spice guidesBlack pepper: how to choose it and crack itWhat makes good pepper, and why cracking it fresh makes such a difference.3 min read
Kitchen and recipesCloves beyond the ham: eight ways to use themCloves are powerful and a little goes a long way. Eight ideas to use them well.3 min read
Spice guidesNutmeg and mace: one tree, two spicesThey grow on the same tree, and they taste different. Here is how to use each.4 min read
TeaThe perfect cup of Ceylon black teaWater, leaf and time: how to brew a bright, balanced cup.3 min read
TeaCeylon tea regions, explainedSix growing regions, three altitudes, and many different cups.5 min read
TeaMeet Ceylon Silver Tips, the island's rarest teaA white tea made from unopened buds, handmade in tiny quantities.4 min read
TeaEarl Grey, explainedWhat bergamot is, where the name comes from, and why a Ceylon base works so well.3 min read
TeaHow to make iced lemongrass teaA simple, caffeine-free summer pitcher with a bright citrus lift.3 min read
TeaGinger and cinnamon tea for cold morningsA warming, caffeine-free infusion you can make in five minutes.3 min read
Origin and giftingFive spice gifts that actually get usedHow to give spices people will open, cook with and remember.4 min read
Origin and giftingHow to host a Sri Lankan curry nightA relaxed menu and a simple timeline for a table full of dishes.5 min read
Origin and giftingThe arch and the sunrise: the idea behind Ellara CeylonWhy our mark is a doorway, and what we promise when you open a tin.3 min read