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    Spice & Life

    About

    👋 Hello! Ciao! Namaste!

    We are Jay and Elle John, creators and recipe developers of Spice and Life!

    My name is Elena [Elle for ease!], and I am Italian-Canadian, born in a beautiful, sleepy seaside village in North-Eastern Italy.

    My husband, the gastronomic researcher, is Indian from Mumbai, although his parents come from Kerala, South India.

    Jay and I bring over 40 years of combined cooking experience, from his culinary school days at 17 to my start in a seaside restaurant at 16.

    Together, we've created Spice and Life, a treasure trove of our favorite, time-tested homemade recipes.

    Elle Spice and Life Author
    Jump to:
    • 👋 Hello! Ciao! Namaste!
    • 🤷 How Did Spice and Life Come Along?
    • 🎯 What's Cooking on Spice and Life?
    • ⏲️ Beyond Spice and Life
    • ❓ Why Spice and Life
    • 🔎 How To Get Around Spice and Life
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Recipes
    • 📖 Food Facts
    • 🙋‍♀️ People Also Ask [FAQs]
    • 🌟 In the Spotlight
    • ❤️ Elle's Favorite Recipes
    • 💙 Jay's Favorite Recipes
    • ⭐ Let's Stay Connected on Social Media
    • 🎤 Spice and Life Media Mentions
    • 📝 Let's Cook Something Together!

    🤷 How Did Spice and Life Come Along?

    I inherited my love for cooking from my family, with recipes passed down from my grandmothers, who mastered the art of simple, hearty meals in the post-WWII period. These dishes, once born of necessity, are now beloved Italian classics.

    My parents showed me two sides of cooking: my father's elaborate meals and my mother's quick, fuss-free dishes, both equally delicious.

    My journey in the culinary world spanned from my teens to my late twenties, culminating in a role as a head chef in London.

    Jay's culinary path was equally diverse, from relishing homemade South Indian cuisine and Mumbai street food to formal training in culinary school, followed by a career in flair bartending and hotel management.

    Now, he's in hotel finance, and I've pursued my passion for sustainable interior design. Our shared love for food and architecture profoundly influences our lives.

    Elle and Jay wedding day

    🎯 What's Cooking on Spice and Life?

    Italian, Indian, American, and Canadian recipes, with a few other dishes we fell in love with during our holidays or were curious to try after watching some Rick Stein travel series.

    ⏲️ Beyond Spice and Life

    Jay and I, have been together since 2009 after meeting in a flatshare in London. We married on the beach in my hometown, blending traditions with bridesmaids in blue saris and a feast of Italian and Indian flavors.

    I'm a bookworm, inseparable from my Kindle and a soundtrack of rock and country music. Jay, the analytical one, loves crunching numbers in Excel.
    Our shared moments are filled with nature walks, cooking [and feeding our neighbor Mike, who is happy to share his thoughts!], dreaming up beach vacations, and choosing what to watch next on TV!

    Elle wedding day
    Elle from the spice and life

    ❓ Why Spice and Life

    In our cultures, homemade cooking is a cherished tradition, blending carefully chosen ingredients and a balance of flavors, reflecting our love for food and family. 

    No matter where life leads us, Jay and I treasure our time in the kitchen, relaxing with fresh ingredients and lengthy chats, culminating in a comforting homemade meal, often a nice bowl of tuna pasta or potato curry!

    🔎 How To Get Around Spice and Life

    👩🏻‍🍳 Recipes

    Our diverse recipe collection caters to various tastes and preferences, ensuring you find exactly what you need or pleasantly stumble upon something new, like our delicious leek mashed potatoes!

    📖 Food Facts

    This is where you will find all the 'How To's, food substitutes, and details on herbs and spices. My experience in balancing Indian spices and understanding each ingredient's importance has been truly enlightening! Need to tweak a recipe? Whether finding a sriracha alternative or a heavy cream substitute, our practical kitchen experience guides you in adapting dishes to various tastes and requirements.

    🙋‍♀️ People Also Ask [FAQs]

    Do you have recipes that will suit someone new to cooking Italian?

    Yes, I have many! Start with a classic like Bucatini al Pomodoro, a Stuffed Chicken Breast, or opt for Eggplant Parmesan.

    Do you have recipes that will suit someone new to cooking Indian?

    Of course, I was a newbie myself back in 2009! The three basics are a Potato Curry without tomato, a simple Chicken Curry you can make in no time, or a classic Dal Tadka.

    How do I know what is new on Spice and Life?

    On our homepage, you can find our recent homemade recipes just below the seasonal ones. You can also get them all directly in your inbox with our weekly newsletter, which you can subscribe to!

    🌟 In the Spotlight

    Our culinary journey and Spice and Life's unique recipes have earned recognition in several esteemed publications, which is a humbling and exciting honor for us.

    • Daily Meal took a fancy to our spicy twist, highlighting our Thai peppers article in their feature on Unexpected Ingredients You Never Thought To Use With Pork Chops.
    • Insanely Good Recipes recognized our love for Indian cuisine, featuring one of our favorite dishes, potato curry recipe, in their roundup of the 25 Best Indian Potato Recipes for Dinner.
    • Our insights on the fiery Jalapeño & Habanero peppers found a place in the esteemed Wikipedia: Wikipedia-Jalapeño & Wikipedia-Habanero pages.
    • Tasting Table warmed hearts by mentioning our achiote article in their feature on the Nicaraguan Chicken Stew, Arroz Aguado.
    • How Stuff Works turned up the heat by quoting our Naga Viper Pepper article in their spicy roundup of the 7 of the Hottest Peppers in the World.
    • And, Mashed sweetened the deal by ranking our take on Do blueberries have seeds in their Every Yoplait Yogurt Flavor Ranked article.

    ❤️ Elle's Favorite Recipes

    • Mushroom pappardelle with garlic and cream
      Delicious Creamy Mushroom Pappardelle With Garlic
    • Kerala Beef Fry
      Delicious Kerala Beef Fry with Coconut
    • Light grey bowl with rigatoni bolognese and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.
      Best Italian Rigatoni Bolognese Recipe
    • roasted Mediterranean vegetables recipe
      Simple and Delicious Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables

    💙 Jay's Favorite Recipes

    • Kerala fish curry red
      Simple and Delicious Kerala Fish Curry [Kottayam-Style]
    • tuna pasta recipe
      Perfect Tomato and Tuna Pasta Recipe
    • Top view of sage and onion stuffing inside a large grey saucepan with a wooden spoon on the side.
      Easy Sage and Onion Stuffing Without Eggs
    • Indian potato curry
      Perfect Indian Potato Curry Without Tomato

    ⭐ Let's Stay Connected on Social Media

    Linkedin
    Instagram
    Pinterest

    🎤 Spice and Life Media Mentions

    Top media mentions of spice and life.

    📝 Let's Cook Something Together!

    Need help perfecting a recipe or bringing a dream dish to life? Reach out to us for guidance! Email elle[at]spiceandlife[dot]com, jay[at]spiceandlife[dot]com, or use our contact us page. We're eager to hear your culinary ideas!

    Primary Sidebar

    Picture of the author Elle from Spice and Life.

    Thank you for stopping by!

    My husband Jay and I share tried and tested delicious homemade recipes that are made from scratch in our kitchen.

    We are the expert recipe developers of Spice and Life, with 40+ years of exposure in the hospitality industry between the two of us, with a culinary school qualification and professional chef experience in our pocket!

    More about us →

    Christmas Recipes

    • White bowl filled with mashed potatoes and topped with fresh herbs and butter.
      Creamy Mashed Potatoes Without Milk
    • fluffy low carb pancakes with banana maple syrup
      The Best Banana Pancakes Without Milk: Fluffy and Delicious
    • Top view of a saucepan filled with chicken, mushrooms, and cream with a red tea towel on the left.
      Italian Creamy Chicken Mushroom Recipe
    • Top view of sage and onion stuffing inside a large grey saucepan with a wooden spoon on the side.
      Easy Sage and Onion Stuffing Without Eggs
    • Spoon full of homemade gravy lifting from saucepan.
      The best Homemade Gravy Recipe
    • Leek mashed potatoes in a grey bowl with a wooden spoon.
      Creamy Leek Mashed Potatoes Without Butter
    Spice and Life press coverage

    Italian Homemade Recipes

    • Mushroom pappardelle with garlic and cream
      Delicious Creamy Mushroom Pappardelle With Garlic
    • Saucepan with bolognese sauce with a wooden spoon lifting from it, filled with sauce.
      Delicious Bolognese Sauce The Italian Way
    • bucatini pomodoro with basil.
      20 Minute Italian Bucatini Pomodoro Recipe
    • Baked seasoned potato wedges bowl.
      Yummy Italian-Style Baked Seasoned Potato Wedges
    • tuna pasta recipe
      Perfect Tomato and Tuna Pasta Recipe
    • Roasted Fennel Recipe
      Perfect Roasted Fennel Recipe with Herbs

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