What a weird, knobby-looking tuber you just pulled out of the ground.

It’s raw. It’s earthy. It’s not especially interesting.

Until you cut it open.

 

 

Then it delights your eyes with its marigold hue, tingles your nose with its deliciously fresh fragrance. When you put a slice to your tongue, you taste its drying, peppery astringency for yourself.

 

Then you look at your fingers. They’re yellow.

 

They’re probably going to be yellow for a few days. Oh, well.

 

But that’s just a distraction because what you have is a new level of health and flavor in that little root. Turmeric may not have an invigorating, stand-out flavor profile like its cousin, ginger, but it does add layers of complexity to just about any savory dish or drink. You can use it fresh or raw for incredible health benefits.

Ready to start putting turmeric into your daily diet? ‘Cause you should.

Infinitely blendable, you can sneak turmeric into just about anything:

• Smoothies – add 1/2 teaspoon of powder to anything that blends
• Bloody Marys – muddle the fresh root into vodka for a quick tincture, then strain
• Juices – juice the fresh root along with some carrot, sweet potato and beet
• Cooking – sprinkle a teaspoon of powder into a stirfry or add to salad dressing

Turmeric has a fairly mild aroma which makes it an uncommon perfumery ingredient. But it does provide some interesting flavor to a number of different spirits, like my personal favorite, amari. But you probably won’t find it listed on ingredient labels as most liqueur recipes are sworn to secrecy.

You can make a tincture of turmeric with the fresh root in pure grain alcohol, then mix it with tinctures of bitter herbs, roots and fruits, including black pepper, which increases the health benefits of turmeric. Blended with a bit of local raw honey and pure water, the end result will be your very own handcrafted bitters!