Indulge in a uniquely crafted culinary history and recipe guide as Halifax’s resident “Spiceman,” Costas Halavrezos, blends genres as expertly as he does spices and leads an educational and sensory exploration. With 30 essays and 50 accompanying recipes, Seasoned demystifies domestic and familiar spices, like cloves, fennel, and paprika, and introduces readers to a whole new world of flavour, including Kaffir lime leaves, Moroccan rosebuds, and Isot Kurdish black pepper—and that’s just a taste!

Featuring facts and anecdotes, storage and preparation methods, and recipes from Halavrezos’s personal collection paired with delightful illustrations by Joanna Close, Seasoned is a fabulous resource for foodies, home-chefs, and aspiring spice connoisseurs.

Costas Halavrezos is best known as the former host (1987–2010) of CBC Radio’s Maritime Noon. Costas grew up in Saint John, New Brunswick, where his parents operated Nick's Coffee Counter. Nick’s introduced him to people from all walks of life, an ideal training ground for public broadcasting and for selling spices, which is what he does every Saturday as “The Spiceman” at the Historic Farmers’ Market in Halifax. Costas loves pickup basketball, playing bass with the BBQ Kings, cooking for friends, and tending his grapevines in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Costas Halavrezos' profile page

Joanna Close's profile page