Meet Chef Kristin Costa

Chef Kristin Costa developed Pinch of Fancy spice blends to show people that great meals don’t have to be difficult, and to inspire people to be creative in the kitchen and try new things.

Home cooking should be fun, done by feel with a touch of imagination, not rote science. Despite what your parents might have told you, it’s okay to play with your food!

An executive chef by training, other spice blends left Kristin feeling that something was missing. Spices have different flavor profiles depending on whether they are whole, ground or toasted, and in how they are used in different cuisines.

Playing with those differences opened new opportunities for Kristin and she began working with different flavor combinations to create blends that leave people satisfied and wanting more.

As she learned about spices and different cultures, she noted food was appreciated in a different way in those cultures.

Everyone helped to put food on the table, shared slowly and appreciated with a sense of togetherness and love. She developed her blends to evoke that sense of warmth, happiness, and family.

Kristin’s goal in developing these blends is to make home cooking delicious, exciting and a little exotic without too much work. Her blends are approachable, easy to use and developed to take the guesswork out of cooking.

As you’re cooking you’ll be transported to a spice market, and as you dine you’ll be tantalized with bold flavors that leave you wondering: “what’s in there?”

Pinch of Fancy is for you if:

• You have a busy life but enjoy making mealtime fun.
• You like to experiment and want to add a dash of flavor to tried and true dishes.
• You love to eat at ethnic restaurants but don’t know how to recreate your favorite dishes at home.
• You like to try new foods and shop at farmers markets and specialty stores for new foods to try.