Staff Spotlight: Karen

Karen is the newest member of the AllSpice team, and she's so much fun! She spent the majority of her career in journalism and newspaper editing, so if you find an error on the AllSpice blog, it wasn't on her watch!

We sat down with Karen and asked her several questions to help you get to know her better. Here's what she had to say:

How did you hear about AllSpice?

"My late husband started shopping at AllSpice when he was on the hunt for Prague Powder #1 to make his own bacon and pastrami. It's difficult to find locally." She went on to share that her first purchase was ground Yellow Mustard, which is perfect for deviled eggs, salad dressings, and mac and cheese sauce.

What do you like to cook?

Karen is our soup queen, specializing in gumbo, chili, green chili, and tomato soups. She's also known for her delicious salsa.

What do you do when you're not at the shop?

"You'll likely find me at the state capitol," she shared. Karen spends a few days each week leading folks around the capitol building as a tour guide.

Karen added that she's also a fan of live music. "My favorite local and regional haunts are Noce, Hoyt Sherman, the Englert in Iowa City, and the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. They're great venues."

She's also passionate about shopping locally. "I'm a regular at the Des Moines Farmers' Market, and frequently buy from Iowa Food Coop farmers and producers," she said.

What do you like about working at AllSpice?

"I love seeing our customers connect with one another," Karen said. "Whether they be neighbors, coworkers, or complete strangers, I love seeing them connect to talk food, news, or local gossip. It's a real throw-back to the days when locals gathered at a local shop or town square to swap stories."

What's your guilty (food) pleasure?

Karen shared that she's generally not into processed foods, but added, "I do love to indulge in a Chicago dog, complete with neon-colored relish and celery salt."

Karen is a wonderful and entertaining addition to the AllSpice team. Her sense of humor is second to none, and she's always down for talking food! Make sure to say hi the next time you see her in the shop.