It’s been almost a full year of our Spice of the Month Club! In that time we have handed out over 850 samples of spices, helping the community to learn some new recipes and maybe branch out of their comfort zone by using some spices that they may not have tried before. It’s been an exciting year and I’ve enjoyed hearing all the positive feedback, which is the whole point of the Spice of the Month Club!

2025 Spice Club offering

For those who may not be familiar with our Spice of the Month Club, you can read the original blog, and here’s a very brief recap: The Spice of the Month Club offers a sample of a new spice each month. You can take home this spice and try it with the two recipes that we have provided, or venture out and find some recipes of your own. Samples are available on the 4th Monday of the month and can be found on the second floor at the Reference Desk.

This first year we decided to test the waters and keep the spices a bit on the basic side. We wanted to offer simpler spices so that everyone, regardless of their culinary background, would feel comfortable and empowered to try cooking with the monthly spice. I’m happy to announce that:

1. Spice of the Month Club is coming back for 2026 and
2. We’re getting a tad more adventurous with those spices!

To give some background on how we got to the 2026 theme of “Explore the World Through Spice,” I was working at the Reference Desk a while back and had someone stop in and inquire about the Spice of the Month and how it worked. After hearing the details they recommended a spice traditionally used in Nowruz, the Persian New Year celebration, and explained how the Haft-Sin table is central to this tradition. The Haft-Sin table features seven symbolic items beginning with the letter “S” in Persian, one of which was the recommended spice. The person who shared this story with me spoke of this tradition with such endearment that I immediately made a note to indeed add this spice for 2026.

Over the course of the past year I have often thought of this interaction, and while planning out this global theme during the cold months of winter, I couldn’t help but reflect on my earlier blog about winter’s darkness and how cultures around the world share this experience – that pull toward light and renewal. Nowruz, meaning “new day,” celebrates the end of darkness and nature’s rebirth. It’s a beautiful reminder that while our traditions may differ, many of us mark the transition from winter’s heaviness into spring’s hope. This reflection solidified my decision: for 2026 we would take a trip around the world and learn more about the different cultures and celebrations. Unfortunately, I’m unable to do a deep dive into each month’s spice and why it was chosen, but we will include some information in the brochure to get your started so you can do some exploring of your own. (Make sure your first stop is AtoZ World Food).

We’re kicking off this global adventure January 26, 2026! I can’t wait to see where these spices take you – whether that’s trying a recipe that we provided, exploring different recipes, or learning more about a different culture. As always, samples will be available at the Reference Desk on the second floor. In the meantime, if you haven’t participated in our spice club I encourage you to stop in at the Reference Desk. We do have some extra samples of past spices (available while supplies last) and can get you caught up on all the recipes.