Spice news
ChilliChicago-Area Brand The Spice Drops Launches a Concentrated Chili Oil That Makes Food Spicy Without Changing the FlavorHarvestSaffron In The Cold Desert? Ladakh Is Putting 90,000 Iranian Corms To The TestMarketsUttar Pradesh Gears Up To Become Global Hub For Spice Processing & ExportsHarvestWhy 100 UP Farmers Are Growing Turmeric to Reduce Elephant Crop RaidsHarvestKashmir Squanders SaffronChilliChesapeake Chili Crisp? A DC-Area Chef Is Putting Unexpected Spins on the Condiment.HarvestRed Gold In Cold Desert: Iranian Corms Take Root As Ladakh Begins Saffron Farming Under 'Him Sarovar'TradeSpice market update: cumin continues its upward trendHarvestOyster Mushroom Cultivation Using Large Cardamom Residue: A Waste to Wealth Innovation by KVK AnjawFoodde' tandoor: Chinese ex-property agent turned hawker now serves masala rendang mutton & Indian mee siamChilliChicago-Area Brand The Spice Drops Launches a Concentrated Chili Oil That Makes Food Spicy Without Changing the FlavorHarvestSaffron In The Cold Desert? Ladakh Is Putting 90,000 Iranian Corms To The TestMarketsUttar Pradesh Gears Up To Become Global Hub For Spice Processing & ExportsHarvestWhy 100 UP Farmers Are Growing Turmeric to Reduce Elephant Crop RaidsHarvestKashmir Squanders SaffronChilliChesapeake Chili Crisp? A DC-Area Chef Is Putting Unexpected Spins on the Condiment.HarvestRed Gold In Cold Desert: Iranian Corms Take Root As Ladakh Begins Saffron Farming Under 'Him Sarovar'TradeSpice market update: cumin continues its upward trendHarvestOyster Mushroom Cultivation Using Large Cardamom Residue: A Waste to Wealth Innovation by KVK AnjawFoodde' tandoor: Chinese ex-property agent turned hawker now serves masala rendang mutton & Indian mee siam

The spice calendar

128 harvests, festivals, feasts and fasts of the year, with the spices each one calls for. Dates are worked out afresh every day; those marked "about" follow the moon or local calendars and can shift by a day.

October 2026

about 8 Oct 2026MehreganThe autumn festival of friendship and harvest, with saffron rice, barberry and pomegranate. 11 to 19 Oct 2026Navratri fasting foodNine nights of fasting, when rock salt, cumin, green chilli and black pepper replace the usual spice box. 11 to 25 Oct 2026DashainNepal's biggest festival: tika, family reunions and goat curry thick with ginger, garlic and timur. about 15 Oct to 11 Feb 2027Zanzibar clove harvestFrom July to December, Pemba and Unguja pick the flower buds of the clove tree, climbing tall trees by hand. 17 to 20 Oct 2026Durga Puja bhogBengal's great autumn festival, with khichuri bhog, labra and chutney cooked for the goddess and shared by all. about 18 Oct 2026Senor de los MilagrosLima's purple month, when turron de Dona Pepa, with anise and clove syrup, and anticuchos with aji panca are sold in the streets. 20 Oct 2026Dussehra feastThe victory day that ends Navratri, marked with saffron jalebi, fafda and a ritual of the new rice. about 20 Oct to 8 Nov 2026Saffron harvest in KashmirIn late October, the purple crocus fields of Pampore are picked at dawn and the red stigmas are plucked by hand. about 30 Oct to 1 Nov 2026Taliouine saffron festivalIn the Anti-Atlas, the crocus harvest and its three-day festival, with crocus picked at dawn and saffron tea. about 31 Oct to 1 Nov 2026Fiesta de la Rosa del AzafranIn La Mancha, the saffron rose festival of Consuegra, with contests of peeling the flower and windmills as the backdrop. about 31 Oct to 1 Nov 2026Espelette pepper festivalThe Basque village's late October fete, with strings of red peppers on house walls and the AOP chilli on every plate.

November 2026

1 to 2 Nov 2026Day of the DeadMexico's days of remembrance, with ofrendas of pan de muerto, mole and hot chocolate scented with cinnamon. 5 Nov 2026Bonfire Night and parkinBritain's fireworks night, with treacle toffee and parkin, a sticky ginger cake of Yorkshire. 6 Nov 2026DhanterasThe day for buying new vessels, when coriander seed and jaggery are offered to Lakshmi in many homes. 6 to 10 Nov 2026Tihar in NepalNepal's five days of lights, with sel roti and a meal of lentils flavoured with jimbu and timur. 7 to 8 Nov 2026Terlingua chili cookoffThe first Saturday of November, when cooks in a Texas ghost town compete with chilli seasoned with cumin, ancho and cayenne. 8 to 12 Nov 2026Diwali, the festival of sweetsFive days of lamps and sweets, when cardamom, saffron and nutmeg are the scents of every kitchen in India. 13 to 16 Nov 2026Chhath PujaThe four-day sun worship of Bihar, with thekua, fried in ghee and perfumed with fennel and cardamom, as the key offering. about 15 to 28 Nov 2026KimjangThe communal making of winter kimchi, with mountains of cabbage packed with gochugaru, garlic, ginger and fish sauce. 22 Nov 2026Stir-up SundayThe Sunday before Advent, when families stir the Christmas pudding mix and make a wish. 23 Nov 2026Karthigai DeepamThe festival of lamps in Tamil Nadu, with sweet appam, pori and adai flavoured with cardamom and dried ginger. 24 Nov 2026Guru Nanak GurpurabThe birthday of the first Sikh Guru, with langar for thousands: dal, rice, kheer and sweet halwa. about 24 Nov 2026Loy KrathongThe November full moon, when floating baskets are set on the water and street stalls sell hot, sweet and sour snacks. 26 Nov 2026ThanksgivingThe American harvest feast, with turkey stuffing seasoned with sage and thyme, pumpkin pie and cranberries. about 27 Nov to 24 Dec 2026Advent and Christmas marketsWeeks of markets in German-speaking cities, where gluhwein, spiced almonds and lebkuchen perfume the cold air.

December 2026

5 to 12 Dec 2026HanukkahEight nights of lights and oil, with latkes, sufganiyot and spiced treats such as cinnamon doughnuts. 6 Dec 2026St Nicholas Day and speculaasThe Dutch and Belgian gift day, with speculaas biscuits spiced with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, white pepper and cardamom. 13 Dec 2026St Lucia DayThe Swedish festival of light, with lussekatter, golden saffron buns, and gingerbread and mulled wine. about 15 Dec to 12 Feb 2027Kerala pepper harvestFrom December to February, the Malabar coast picks green pepper berries and dries them in the sun to black. 16 to 24 Dec 2026Las PosadasNine nights of processions before Christmas, ending in warm ponche de frutas with cinnamon, tamarind and cane. about 21 Dec 2026Dongzhi, the winter solsticeThe solstice, with dumplings, tangyuan and warming ginger soups, and in Korea red bean porridge. about 21 Dec 2026Yalda NightThe longest night, kept with pomegranate, watermelon, nuts and Hafez, with spiced fruit and saffron sweets on the table. 24 to 26 Dec 2026Christmas in the CaribbeanBlack cake soaked in rum, sorrel drink with ginger and clove, pastelles, ham glazed with allspice and a pot of pepperpot. 24 Dec 2026Christmas Eve feastsWigilia in Poland, Weihnachtsplatzchen in Germany and the Feast of the Seven Fishes in Italian-American homes. 25 Dec 2026Christmas in Kerala and GoaPlum cake soaked in rum with cloves and cinnamon, and a Goan bebinca layered with nutmeg and cardamom. 25 Dec 2026Christmas Day bakingPlum pudding, mince pies, gingerbread, eggnog and pumpkin pie: the Christmas table is built on the warm spices. 25 Dec 2026Christmas in Australia and New ZealandA summer Christmas, with spiced fruit mince, ham glazed with clove and a pavlova perfumed with vanilla. 31 Dec to 1 Jan 2027HogmanayThe Scottish new year, with black bun, a spiced fruit pie, shortbread and a first foot who brings whisky and coal.

January 2027

1 to 3 Jan 2027Oshogatsu and osechiJapanese New Year, with osechi boxes and toso, a spiced sake of sansho, cinnamon and other herbs drunk to start the year. 1 Jan 2027Vasilopita and St Basil's DayThe Greek New Year's cake with a coin baked inside, scented with mastic and mahleb. 6 Jan 2027Epiphany and Three KingsThe twelfth day of Christmas, with roscon de reyes, galette des rois and the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 7 Jan 2027Nanakusa no sekkuThe seventh of January, when a porridge of seven spring herbs is eaten to rest the stomach after the New Year feasting. 7 Jan 2027GennaEthiopian Christmas, after a 43-day fast, with a feast of doro wat, injera and tej. 12 Jan 2027Zanzibar Revolution DayThe anniversary of the 1964 revolution, a public holiday in the archipelago whose economy depended on cloves. 13 Jan 2027LohriThe Punjabi winter bonfire night, with sesame, peanuts and gajak, and sarson da saag seasoned with ginger and garlic. 14 to 17 Jan 2027PongalThe Tamil harvest festival, with rice boiled over in a new pot and flavoured with cardamom, pepper and cashews. about 14 to 15 Jan 2027Makar Sankranti and sesame sweetsThe winter-sun festival, shared with til ladoo, with the saying to speak sweetly as sesame and jaggery are sweet. 14 to 15 Jan 2027Bhogali BihuThe Assamese feast of the winter harvest, held in field huts around fires with sesame sweets and spiced meat. about 15 Jan 2027Laba and laba congeeThe eighth day of the twelfth month, with a congee of grains, beans and dates and Laba garlic pickled green in vinegar. 19 to 21 Jan 2027TimkatThe Ethiopian Epiphany, with processions of the tabot and a festive meal of wat and bread. 22 Jan 2027ThaipusamThe Tamil festival of Murugan, with milk pots, vegetarian fasting and sweets scented with cardamom and rosewater. 23 Jan 2027Tu BiShvatThe new year of the trees, with a seder of fruit and nuts and carob, almonds, dates and figs. 25 Jan 2027Burns NightThe supper for the poet Robert Burns, with haggis, neeps and tatties and a haggis spiced with black pepper, coriander and nutmeg.

February 2027

3 Feb 2027SetsubunThe bean-throwing day marking the start of spring, with sardine and holly sprigs and a lucky sushi roll. about 6 to 10 Feb 2027Carnival in Rio and BahiaThe four days before Ash Wednesday, with street food in Bahia: acaraje fried in dende oil and served with malagueta pepper. about 7 to 13 Feb 2027Tet Nguyen DanVietnam's lunar new year, with banh chung, braised pork with eggs and a sweet pickled shallot, spiced with star anise and cinnamon. about 7 to 21 Feb 2027Lunar New YearThe great spring festival, with five-spice braised dishes, ginger and scallion fish and tangerine peel soups. about 7 to 9 Feb 2027SeollalKorean New Year, with tteokguk, rice cake soup, and japchae with sesame oil, black pepper and soy. 7 Feb 2027Grenada Independence DayThe Spice Isle's national day, with the nutmeg on the flag and oil down, a one-pot dish of breadfruit, coconut milk and turmeric. about 8 Feb to 9 Mar 2027Ramadan and iftarA month of fasting from dawn to sunset, broken each evening with dates, spiced soups, samosas and sweet drinks. 9 Feb 2027Mardi GrasFat Tuesday in New Orleans, with gumbo, red beans and rice, king cake with cinnamon sugar and Creole seasoning. 9 Feb 2027Shrove TuesdayPancake day in Britain and Fat Tuesday in Sweden, with lemon and sugar and cardamom-scented semlor in whipped cream. 11 Feb 2027Vasant Panchami and yellow riceThe first day of spring, when saffron or turmeric turns rice and sweets yellow for Saraswati. about 21 Feb 2027Lantern Festival and tangyuanThe end of the new year season, with glutinous rice balls in sweet ginger syrup or osmanthus broth.

March 2027

about 6 Mar 2027Laylat al-QadrThe Night of Power, spent in prayer, with a light meal of dates, sweet milk and rose or cardamom tea before dawn. 7 Mar 2027Mothering Sunday and simnel cakeThe fourth Sunday of Lent, once a break in the fast, with a spiced simnel cake topped with eleven marzipan balls. about 9 Mar 2027Eid in HyderabadSheer khurma, haleem and biryani: Eid in the Deccan is a feast of saffron, mace and slow-cooked meat. about 9 to 10 Mar 2027Hari Raya AidilfitriThe end of Ramadan in the Malay world, with rendang, lemang and ketupat made from lemongrass, galangal and turmeric leaf. about 9 to 11 Mar 2027Eid al-FitrThe feast that ends Ramadan, with sweet dishes in every country: ma'amoul, sheer khurma, baklava and kolak. 20 Mar 2027Founding of the Dutch East India CompanyOn 20 March 1602, the VOC was chartered, becoming the world's first major joint-stock company and a master of the clove and nutmeg trade. 21 to 23 Mar 2027NauryzThe Central Asian spring new year, with nauryz kozhe of seven ingredients and plov seasoned with cumin and barberry. 21 Mar to 2 Apr 2027NowruzThe Persian new year at the spring equinox, with sabzi polo mahi, herbed rice and fish, and saffron in every sweet. 22 to 23 Mar 2027Holi and thandaiThe spring colour festival, with cooling thandai made from fennel, black pepper, cardamom and rose. 23 Mar 2027PurimThe carnival of Esther, with filled three-cornered hamantaschen and, in Yemenite homes, a spiced meat soup. 26 Mar 2027Good Friday hot cross bunsThe spiced buns marked with a cross, with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and currants, baked on Good Friday. 28 Mar 2027EasterThe Western Easter, with lamb studded with garlic and rosemary, spiced breads and cakes in every country.

April 2027

2 Apr 2027Sizdah BedarThe thirteenth day of Nowruz, spent outdoors with picnic dishes: ash reshteh, kebabs and sour tamarind-flavoured treats. about 5 Apr 2027QingmingThe tomb-sweeping day, with green rice dumplings and cold dishes kept plain and lightly seasoned. 7 Apr 2027Ugadi pachadiTelugu and Kannada new year, begun with a relish of neem flower, jaggery, raw mango, tamarind and green chilli. 7 Apr 2027Gudi PadwaThe Marathi New Year, with shrikhand scented with saffron and cardamom and a neem and jaggery mouthful. 13 to 14 Apr 2027Sinhala and Tamil New Year (Avurudu)Kiribath, kavum and kokis, with the first meal cooked at an auspicious hour and the sweetness of cinnamon and cardamom. 13 to 16 Apr 2027ThingyanThe Burmese water festival, with thingyan rice served in cold, scented water and eaten with fried fish and salads. 13 to 15 Apr 2027SongkranThailand's water festival, with khao chae, rice in jasmine-scented iced water, served with sweet fried sides. 14 Apr 2027Puthandu and mango pachadiThe Tamil New Year, when six tastes are blended in a pachadi of neem flower, jaggery, tamarind, chilli and salt. 14 Apr 2027Baisakhi and VaisakhiThe wheat harvest and the founding of the Khalsa, with langar of dal and kadah prashad scented with cardamom. 14 to 20 Apr 2027Bohag BihuAssam's new year, with pitha, laru and a dish of herbs and greens, including bhut jolokia cooks use sparingly. 14 Apr 2027Poila BoishakhThe Bengali New Year, when shops open new account books and homes cook with panch phoron and mustard. 14 to 16 Apr 2027Khmer New YearCambodia's new year, with amok in banana leaf and kroeung, the fresh spice paste of lemongrass, galangal and turmeric. 15 Apr 2027VishuThe Malayalam New Year, begun by viewing the kani and eaten with a bitter, sweet and sour dish of neem flower, jaggery and raw mango. 22 to 29 Apr 2027Passover sederThe festival of freedom, with a seder plate of bitter herbs and charoset, a paste of fruit, nuts, cinnamon and wine.

September 2027

4 to 13 Sept 2027Ganesh Chaturthi and modakTen days honouring Ganesha, with steamed modak filled with coconut, jaggery and cardamom. about 4 to 5 Sept 2027Hatch Chile FestivalThe Labor Day weekend harvest festival of New Mexico, with chilli roasting in drums and green chile on everything. about 12 to 21 Sept 2027Onam sadyaKerala's harvest feast of a dozen or more dishes on a banana leaf, built on black pepper, coconut oil and ginger. 12 Sept 2027EnkutatashThe Ethiopian New Year, the day of the "gift of jewels", with doro wat, injera and coffee roasted and served in the ceremony. about 15 Sept 2027Mid-Autumn Festival and chuseokThe harvest moon, with mooncakes of lotus paste, osmanthus tea and in Korea songpyeon scented with pine and sesame. 16 Sept 2027Independence Day and chiles en nogadaThe national day, with chiles en nogada in the colours of the flag: green poblano, white sauce and red pomegranate. about 18 Sept to 3 Oct 2027OktoberfestMunich's beer festival, with roast chicken, pretzels and spiced pork, and caraway, juniper and mustard on the tables. 24 Sept 2027Heritage Day and braaiSouth Africa's heritage day, known as National Braai Day, with Cape Malay curries, boerewors with coriander and bobotie. about 24 to 26 Sept 2027Hungarian paprika harvest daysIn Kalocsa and Szeged, September brings the paprika harvest, with strings of red pods and goulash cooked in kettles. 28 Sept 2027MeskelEthiopia's festival of the finding of the True Cross, with a bonfire (demera) and feasts of doro wat and tej, flavoured with berbere.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: seven spices you may not know, what is cooking this week, and one blend explained step by step.