Essie Spice's must-have sauces and spice rubs are the result of one woman's culinary creativity and playfulness with global flavors. Originally from Ghana, Essie Bartels draws inspiration from not only West Africa but all around the world. She grew up eating tamarind straight off the trees in her native Ghana, but it wasn't until she tried tamarind candy in Mexico that she learned the name of the sour fruit. TamarindOH! balances tamarind's tart flavor with guava, vanilla and ginger for a versatile sauce that can lean savory—as a base for salad dressings, meat glazes and barbecue—or sweet: Brush the syrup on a cake, swirl it over ice cream, or use as an ingredient in a compote or in place of honey.

Essie Spice's must-have sauces and spice rubs are the result of one woman's culinary creativity and playfulness with global flavors. Originally from Ghana, Essie Bartels draws inspiration from not only West Africa but all around the world. Inspired by Jamaican scotch bonnet pepper sauce, Essie Spice's fiery-hot Mango Chili Medley starts with a base of earthy scotch bonnet peppers and onions, with layered sweet notes from bright mango and subtly fruity Thai chilies. The sauce has chunks of real mango and a thin enough consistency that it's easily incorporated into recipes. And if you're a spice-lover, you'll love Mango Chili Medley as a standalone condiment for sandwiches. It provides a tangy-sweet, spicy accent and pairs well with similarly tropical flavors such as coconut, or you can use the vibrant sauce to balance the richness of roasted meats.

Essie Spice's must-have sauces and spice rubs are the result of one woman's culinary creativity and playfulness with global flavors. Originally from Ghana, Essie Bartels draws inspiration from not only West Africa but all around the world. Coco-for-Garlic is an amazingly balanced sauce that starts with a base of aromatic coconut oil (typical of West African cuisine) then layers on savory, earthy elements inspired by Bartels' travels to western Europe, such as roasted garlic, shallots, tomato paste and bell peppers. Rounded out with sweet honey and fiery habanero pepper, Coco-for-Garlic is an absolutely one-of-a-kind ingredient that's more than the sum of its parts. Whisk it into pan sauces, swirl it into a creamy dip, use it as the base for a marinade or dressing—the possibilities are endless!

Essie Spice's must-have sauces and spice rubs are the result of one woman's culinary creativity and playfulness with global flavors. Originally from Ghana, Essie Bartels draws inspiration from not only West Africa but all around the world. Mekko Dry Rub puts a twist on Ghana's ubiquitous kebab powder, which has an aromatic base of ground peanuts and earthy, musky grains of Selim, a West African spice that reminds us of white pepper. The spice powder gets an Asian twist with Chinese five spice, cardamom and star anise. We love the balanced, complex and aromatic flavor profile of Mekko Dry Rub; use it not only as a dry rub for meat and fish but also roasted chickpeas or umami-rich portobello mushrooms. Sprinkle on roasted vegetables or cooked rice or grains as a one-ingredient seasoning. It's even great on popcorn as a snack.