Late mother's cookbook inspires Birmingham spice company

Finding his late mother's recipe book in the attic inspired a man to start up a new business selling spice blends.

Myles Grennan, from Birmingham, said he felt a strong connection to his roots while looking through the old notes. "It brought [my mother] back to life in a way. Like she was there with me again," he said.

Friend Halle Faraj had memories of using spices with her Saudi Arabian grandmother and the pair teamed up to launch Camelēr Spice Co, which has become popular at food markets.

They are also working with Aston University into the health benefits of spices.

Mr Grennan's mother, Collette, gave up a career as a chef in Ireland to raise her family. She died in 2002.

He found her cookbook during lockdown and said he had assumed it would not be exotic.

"In fact, she had worked at high end country houses and hotels in Ireland and France having created and executed menus with dishes like chicken liver parfait, curry lamb and rice, nettle and parsley pasta, Jersey Bean Soup and Cold lemon souffle," he said.

Ms Faraj has many memories of her grandmother teaching her to blend and grind spices in Saudi Arabia.

While she could neither read nor write, her grandmother had an extraordinary memory for spices, blending by taste and experience.

"She had this incredible ability. She could taste a dish and just know what it needed," Ms Faraj says.