Foodie Freebie Friday: The Spice House!

The first Foodie Freebie Friday is here! Are you ready for the giveaway item of the week? Before I announce it, here's a little background on the items...

Many folks are more familiar with the popular Penzey's name when it comes to quality spices. Ruth and Bill Penzey, Sr. opened and founded their spice shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1957. The Penzeys sold the business to their firstborn child (Patty) and son-in-law (Tom) as they looked toward retirement. Patty and Tom took the business and created The Spice House in the early 1980's.

The Penzey's spice name you're probably familiar with is as a result of Bill Penzey, Jr - who is Patty's younger brother. Penzey's Spices was founded by Bill Penzey Jr. back in the 80's as a mail order only business which later started to open storefronts in the 90's. So technically, Patty & Tom created The Spice House before Penzey's Spices became so popular. Between Patty/Tom and Bill Penzey, Jr. is some sibling rivalry... and I confess I'm loyal to The Spice House and Patty & Tom, as I've met and worked with them personally.

You may notice that I am a frequent user of The Spice House spices as I've linked to their site whenever using one of their specific spices in recipes. I wanted to share with my readers some Chicago inspired spice love with my first Foodie Freebie Friday giveaway...

This giveaway includes:
Front pocket apron
Time Out Chicago's Eating & Drinking 2008
The Spice House catalog
Greektown 'Billy Goat' Seasoning
Chicago Steak Seasoning
Pilsen Latino Seasoning
Argyle Street Asian Blend
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Pizzazz

I hope the lucky winner will enjoy a taste of Chicago with these spices! I've featured some of the neighborhoods (Greektown, Pilsen, and Argyle) within my food tours you can read about on my blog. These are the neighorhood flavors that really make Chicago special... and you have a chance to receive this!

Some guidelines:
- Giveaway is only for those who live in the United States. My apologies to my international readers!
- You must have a valid email address so that you can be contacted if you win.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment about:
- Your favorite spices. What spices do you tend to use regularly? Savory for cooking? Sweet in baked goods? I'd love to hear your spice stories!

Deadline: Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 12 midnight CST

Winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org's Interger Generator based on the number of your comment and will be announced on Friday, January 9, 2009. Good luck!