Welcome to our first edition of The Spice Vault! 

We had to retire our beloved pickling spice, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have it at home! Our Culinary Director Alyse Baca is handing over the exact recipe from our tin, all nine spices, so you can mix a batch whenever the cucumbers start piling up!

Here's why this particular combination works. Mustard seed and coriander form the backbone, earthy and a little nutty. Allspice, clove, and cinnamon bring warmth that reads almost sweet against a sour brine. Ginger and crushed red pepper handle the heat. Dill seed delivers the flavour your brain files under "pickle." Bay leaves sit quietly in the background and hold it all together.

And making the blend yourself comes with one advantage the tin never offered: you control the ratios! More red pepper if you like your pickles with an edge. Fewer cloves if they read medicinal to you.

Pro tip from Alyse - "You can go without allspice, ginger and cinnamon, but mustard seed, coriander seed, and dill seed are kinda non-negotiables. They're the pickle trifecta."

Once it's mixed, put two tablespoons straight to work in our Quick Pickle recipe, or go deeper on the history in our Spice Advice: Pickling Spice.