A classic French four-spice mix. It can also have five or six spices, though it’s still quatre. Strange, no? Regardless, it’s fantastic for forcemeats, soups, paté, and sometimes sweets.

Sort of like a French pumpkin pie spice, but with a heftier kick. Cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper come together for a fragrant medley. Sometimes people also add cinnamon or allspice to the mix, but the base is almost always the same. It’s a classic blend for charcuterie and soups, but these days young and modern home cooks are adding it to breads, pastries, and chocolates. For a fantastic Christmas cookie add 1 ½ teaspoons of quatre épices to a batch of sugar cookies for a unique sweet-savory treat that’ll wow everyone at the holiday cookie exchange.