Columbus Foodie

With tons of food blogging events ending in the next couple of days, you guys are going to get a double-header this Sunday! I hope you enjoy reading and looking as much as I enjoy cooking and writing.

The Spice is Right event is usually hosted by Barbara of Tigers & strawberries (one of my favorite blogs, BTW), but for this edition, The Spice is Right VII: Seasons of Love, the reins are being turned over to Danielle of Habeas Brulee while Barbara is recovering from the birth of her new daughter.

In this edition, she asks us to choose a spice mix that is common to our family. We don’t have our own family mix (although, I really should think about developing one), but we use the spice mix I’m going to feature in just about everything.

Goya Adobo is a blend of salt, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper and tumeric that is typically used in Hispanic cooking. Since I grew up in a community with a very large Puerto Rican population, I became well acquainted with this spice at a very young age, putting it on just about everything I cook, from soup to vegetables, meat and more. It truly is an all-purpose seasoning. It’s been the main feature of many of the recipes I’ve featured on this site, like Roast Pork and Rice and Beans and Chicken Legs and Empenadas. In any case, most times I also pair it with another Goya seasoning called Sazon, which is MSG (I know, I know…), salt, garlic, cumin, coriander, and annatto, which gives it a pretty bright orange color. The ideas above are a great place to start with this spice, but if you’d like to try it out first (and get an idea of the flavor you’re working with), try sprinkling either or both on a chicken breast before you grill it. Simple, easy, and delicious.

I had a heck of a time finding it when I first moved to Ohio over a decade ago, so much so that I stocked up on trips back to New Jersey, but now it’s available virtually everywhere, with Giant Eagle having the best selection of Goya products out of the major grocery chains. Also, you can find it at any of the Spanish groceries in town, too.