It isn't often that I collide with inspiration while meandering the aisles of Safeway begrudgingly doing my weekly duty - grocery shopping. But today, as I scoured the shelves searching for curry paste, a pop of color caught my eye. A single hue shined so gloriously from the top shelf, my eyes {and my hands} were drawn to it. Turmeric. Lovely, saffron-ish, mustard-ish, turmeric yellow. {Is it fate or irony that I can only think of other 'spices' to describe the brilliant turmeric yellow?}
Though turmeric can be admired for its little grains of sunshine through any label, it is Morton & Bassett that truly built a jar to display turmeric's luster.
And not just turmeric; anise displays its sculpted edges, poppy seeds stacked as if by hand, red chili and bay leaves resting peacefully in a heap. The transparent Morton & Bassett jars seem to function more like museum cases than spice jars.
There is something so simple about these little glass spice jars that make the contents seem so exquisite. Any kitchen would be privileged to house a rack full of Morton & Bassett spice jars; functioning first as art, then as a 'dash' or 'sprinkle', and finally as a thrill for your taste buds.
Though my account of the local spice aisle may be {a little} melodramatic, it was an unexpected visual oasis among the otherwise busy blur of groceries - and a pleasant reminder to always step back and appreciate the subtle inspiration and beauty found in the most ordinary places.
Oh, and I never found curry paste. Where are they hiding the curry paste?!?!
