If Mayor Daley needed paprika for his famous deviled eggs or nutmeg to prepare his secret Daley-nog recipe, Patty and Tom Erd know exactly where he's heading. Quick to point out their shop's "made in Chicago" seal of approval, courtesy of the mayor himself, the Spice House owners acknowledge, "The Mayor LOVES things made in Chicago."

Who doesn't?

Located in the heart of Old Town, The Spice House is the Candy Land equivalent of spices, featuring hand-selected spices and herbs prepared weekly in small batch grinding to ensure the highest quality ingredients. Customers can daydream about the journeys of vanilla and cardamom while reading the individual tags that detail the spices' distant origins. The shop is decked out in old-world details; think heavy wooden doors with wrought iron handles, exposed brick walls and antique light fixtures. The employees have an abundance of product knowledge that makes them more like spice guides than salespeople.

The shop regularly offers seminars on topics like "A Spice Asian Journey" to help you get your bearings in a land where exotic seasoning rules. Check the web site for costs and details.

Centerstage Reviewer: Jennifer Berg