Lose yourself in spices

That sweet smell wafting through Denver’s Platte River Valley neighborhood—could it be Tasmanian pepper berries? Honey powder, perhaps? At the Savory Spice Shop, you’ll find wooden shelves stocked to the rafters with more than 300 jars and bins holding a dizzying assortment of herbs, seasonings, and spices—from potent peppercorns and curry powders to countless kinds of sea salts. Sniffing’s encouraged, and you can leave with as little—or as much—as you need. If you can’t get to Denver, you can order online.  Here are a few of our favorite spice-driven recipes:

• Try baharat in stuffed kabocha squash with Arabic lamb stew.
• Try ras el hanout in Moroccan spiced lamb meatballs.
• Try zaatar in zaatar puff-pastry straws.