Nestled in Los Angeles, La Morena Spice, a family-operated business primarily run by a mother-daughter team, has established itself in the spice industry by providing a spectrum of quality spices for over three decades. Their involvement spans from the intricate processes of sourcing distinct spices globally to meticulous crafting of their unique blends, each aimed at enhancing culinary endeavors through their products. While the business underscores a commitment to quality and ethical sourcing, it also channels a significant effort into ensuring the diversity and authenticity of their products, providing both common and rare spices to their clientele of chefs and culinary aficionados.
In a video segment on Kauai TV, host Amanda Smith engaged with Joanna from La Morena Spices, exploring the nuanced creation and application of their spice blends. Here, Joanna shares, “I use Hawaiian salt in all of my blends. It’s a beautiful red color and is made from Pacific sea salt mixed with red clay sourced from Kauai.” This particular salt, noted for its red hue, is not only a visual enhancer but also functionally impacts the blends by providing a reduced sodium content and a variety of beneficial minerals, enabling consumers to utilize ample seasoning without resulting in excessively salty flavors.
La Morena Spices presents seven distinct blends to its consumers, each formulated with a unique taste profile and specific applications in mind. During the interaction with Smith, Joanna introduced the Paniolo Barbecue Rub, which contains Kaua‘i coffee, describing its suitability for a variety of meats including “steak, shrimp, pork, and beef.” Another blend, the Taco Seasoning, was discussed as providing a zestful kick, ideal for “making guacamole, fish tacos, shrimp tacos, and even seasoning popcorn.”
Moreover, an interesting attribute of their House Bouillon is its simplicity and versatility. With “only seven simple ingredients,” Joanna detailed how “just two teaspoons make one cup of broth,” illustrating its application in recipes that necessitate chicken stock. The All-Purpose Seasoning, Tex-Mex Barbecue Rub, Garlic Paakai, and Paakai and Pepper also find their place among La Morena Spices’ offerings, though the specific applications and creation processes of these blends were not deeply explored during the segment.
The meticulousness with which La Morena Spice crafts its offerings – ensuring a balance of authenticity, quality, and ethical sourcing – serves as a backdrop to the spices that find their way into kitchens of both ordinary households and discerning chefs alike. The brand maintains a silent resonance in the culinary field, allowing their products, crafted with such notable attention to detail and quality, to communicate the depth and breadth of their expertise in the spice trade.