If your pantry is a variable disarray of jars, bottles and tins, and the only spices with which you are familiar are Posh, Sporty, and Scary, it is time to reinvent how you look at flavouring your foods.
Storage
Do not even bother to load up on various spices if you do not have a suitable place in which to store them. You will find storing spice advice at: www.astaspice.org. The American Spice Trade Association maintains this site. This organization recommends keeping your spices away from heat and humidity, so do not store above the sink, stove, or dishwasher. Keeping your spices in a cool, dry place will help preserve their integrity and colour. “Paprika will lose 1% of its colour every 10 days” if stored at or above 25 degrees Celsius. Keep your spices out of direct light. This means that a window ledge is not a good storage area. Invest in proper containers–ones that are labeled and seal tightly.
What do you like to eat?
This might seem like a very simple question; however, different types of cooking require different types of spices. This step is very important if you do not have the foggiest idea of what kind of spices you actually like. Do you like to bake? Do you like Mexican, Jerk, Italian, meat/potatoes, vegetarian, Indian, hot-n-spicy, or colourful foods?
Baking
If baking is your thing, and you enjoy chocolate chip cookies, apple pie, or lemon meringue tarts, your spice inventory should contain certain spices found in a variety of “baking” recipes.
- Vanilla. The fragrant and delicious ingredient found in almost every cookie recipe. Although in its most popular liquid form it does not qualify as a “spice”, it does in its original bean form, and to exclude it from the list on a technicality would be a culinary travesty. At www.theepicentre.com, you will find that vanilla “derives its name from the Latin word vagina [and] …from the time of the Aztecs, vanilla was considered an aphrodisiac”. In 1762, a “German study found that a medication based on vanilla extract cured impotence.” Caveat Emptor, indeed.
- Cinnamon. Often combined with sugar to create a sweet and fragrant topping. Used in almost every baking recipe that contains apples. It is defined in Spices of the World Cookbook by McCormick as “the most important baking spice.”
- Nutmeg. McCormick describes this as “sweet, warm, and highly spicy.” A common ingredient in carrot cake and pumpkin pie.
Italian Food
McCormick defines the term “spice” as “often used in a general sense to mean any aromatic flavouring material of vegetable origin.” If you enjoy traditional Italian foods, then you will get the most use out of the following ingredients, the first two of which are, technically, herbs, not spices.
- Oregano. Goes well in any recipe that has a tomato base, including bruschetta topping. Also a key ingredient in poultry stuffing.
- Basil. Again, used in tomato-based recipes. Look for several varieties, including sweet or lemon, which is great in a marinade.
- Garlic. Available in powder, but fresh cloves are best! Fresh garlic is inexpensive and stores well.
Pan-Asian Food
Do you enjoy Pan-Asian cooking? Ginger is a commonly used spice in almost every type of cooking, especially Oriental. Prefer spicy foods? Several spices are famous for invoking that heated response often found in Mexican and Indian foods:
- Chili Powder. Adds a punch to any sauce, soup, or homemade chili.
- Curry. A little goes a long way. Indian Curry is especially hot.
- Coriander. Include this milder herb in your salsa recipe.
If you are more of a meat/potatoes type, sage and thyme are common ingredients in meat, fish, and poultry recipes. Not sure what goes with what? Check out: www.epicurious.com for a chart of herbs and spices, and a list of which spices go well with which foods. Have spices in your pantry that need to be used up? Log on to: www.spiceguide.com and select your spice from the pull-down menu. This site also contains a spice encyclopedia for a quick reference.
Spices can also be used purely for visual effects. Parsley flakes add a punch of green. Paprika adds a splash of red. Saffron or Turmeric a hit of yellow; however, some cooks refer to it as $affron as it is the most expensive spice available.
Whichever spices you choose, use them often. You will find that over time, you will be able to detect their unique flavours in restaurant dishes, and then be able to recreate these culinary masterpieces at home.