Berbere embodies some of our favorite flavor combinations. Background: We truly enjoy the Ethiopian collective dining experience ... everyone sits around low tables and eats from the same plate. Usually prepared from a cupboard-full of herbs and spices, our Berbere is roasted before is is fresh-ground.

The combination of fenugreek and red pepper is essential to Berbere; while one or two of the other ingredients may be left out, the fenugreek and red pepper are must-haves. Regional Cuisine Pheasant would be an ideal partner, to make a version of doro wat, a chicken stew considered the national dish of Ethiopia; remember African chickens tend to be old and tough - closer to pheasant than American chicken.

Or, you could use venison to make a dish of segi wat, which is typically prepared with lamb. Add water or oil to form a paste to flavor stir-fries, soups and casseroles or use it as a base for curry.