One thing the Mediterranean region is not short on is flavor. From Spain to Morrocco via the long route, this region is home to plenty of distinct cuisines, and spice plays a huge part. Tapping into this variety is what is making Billy Riddle and co-owner/fiancé Jen Carroll’s Spice Finch a favorite since opening its doors. 
Prior to Spice Finch, Billy hung his aprons at Lacroix, Ela, Volver and Townsend, as well Carroll Couture Cuisine, the catering company he operates with Jen, a Top Chef-testant whose own resume includes posts with Marcus Samuelsson and Eric Ripert.

After a welcome “aperitif” of ginger juice, lemon and simple syrup, we dived into a trio of spreads from the restaurant’s menu – lemon yogurt, beet borani and muhammara. While not utilizing a particular spice per se, the lemon yogurt incorporates preserved lemon into a Greek style yogurt. The borani also uses Greek yogurt but introduces the beet’s earthy notes to the sharpness of garlic and feta cheese. Muhammara combines the smokiness of Hungarian paprika with the complementary Aleppo pepper and walnuts.

Next up: honeynut squash. If you aren’t familiar with it, this hybrid squash is a collaborative invention from a professor and a chef. The resulting product is smaller than its larger parent (butternut squash) and offers both more nutrients and a nutty sweetness. It presented a wonderful companion to the pink-fleshed Mountain Rose apples, fennel and feta they used for the salad. Unlike the majority of salads, this did not come with a traditional vinaigrette but rather a chraime. This flavorful sauce combines tomatoes, ginger, paprika and parsley, cooked with water and then pureed.

Before delving into the final savory course, Billy brought out another special guest: a whole duck. Breaking down a whole fowl is easy when you keep a sharp knife and attack the joints. Outside of the breasts, legs, and wings the rest of the bird is great for making sauces and stocks. Each part of the duck in itself requires its own technique. To Billy, the best preparation for the breast is a low and slow approach skin side down in a pan versus putting it in the oven after searing it. After resting and being sliced, the perfectly-medium pieces were plated with a sweet potato and brussels sprouts hash, pickled cranberries and smoked yogurt. Bonus: paired with this course was the pomegranate cobbler, a cocktail made using 2.5 oz of slightly sweetened pomegranate juice, 3 oz of dry sherry and 1/2 oz of lemon juice served over ice and garnished with orange and mint.

If you’ve ever wondered what Teddy Grahams tastes like in ice cream, you’ve come to the right place. If you have a stand mixer with a paddle, you can easily add in toppings as opposed to just dumping them on top. Grab your favorite ice cream, let it soften some before scooping it into your mixing bowl. Take the desired topping, in this case crushed cracker bears and cinnamon, and fold it in. If said item has crunch, do that last before putting the ice cream back into the freezer. Scoop and serve. Of course, this iteration makes for  a great partner for apple pie, which is exactly what Billy and Jen served it with.

Be sure to visit Spice Finch and partake of an inventive, seasonal menu. Tell them your friends at COOK sent you.

Spice Finch
220 S. 17th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-309-2238