It’s not quite as exotic as a trip to the coast of Africa or the Basque region of France but stepping inside Savory Spice Shop in Hinsdale is a journey that encourages shoppers to go beyond those old standbys of salt, pepper, rosemary or thyme to flavor foods.

The store, which opened in October, offers 400 dried herbs and spices – many that cannot be easily found elsewhere. A flood of fragrances greets visitors to the store that is lined with glass jars filled with the spices and herbs that can be custom mixed to suit a chef’s desires.

“We can turn (those 400 herbs and spices) into over 140 hand-blended spices,” said owner David Trout.

One of those glass jars contains Kaffir lime leaves. Another holds a pepper from West Africa called Grains of Paradise. Still another is filled with Piment d’Espelette, which is a type of paprika made in France.

“We just developed a relationship with some Basque farmers in southern France (who supply the paprika),” said Trout.

The bright orange Paprika sells for $9 an ounce. The Kaffir lime leaves are $5.50 for a half ounce.

“We get a whole range of customers,” Trout said. “We have people just learning to cook to people who know just want they want to people who want something new.”

Shoppers can try a pinch of herbs or spices from any of the containers to make sure they are getting what they want to kick up the flavor of a dish they want to prepare.

“You shouldn’t leave here without knowing what you bought,” Trout said. “You can try it and get an idea of how spicy it is.”

The store also offers recipe cards to give people an idea of what they can make with the various spices and herbs. (See sample recipe) The store also is planning to offer cooking classes in April and May at Fuller’s Hardware store.