Spices

When my daughter began to set up her kitchen after she was married, I got an email or IM everyday about ideas for meals.  I hadn't done the best job teaching her to cook.  Today, I'm glad to say that she's doing well.  Her family hasn't starved or gotten sick from her cooking.  Rather, she's turning into an excellent cook and is learning what to do when she has little in the frig and less in the pantry.

One of the first questions she asked me was about what spices she needed.  She knew the basics: salt and pepper.  But what else did she need, in the way of spices?  And more, what did she need to buy first?  She remembered looking at our pantry and the spice cabinet at her grandmothers' homes and knew she could do a lot with salt and pepper, but wanted a lot more variety.  Since she was born in the Orient and raised in Texas, she loved Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Tex-Mex and international food, in general, in addition to standard American cooking.

I know that spices are expensive, especially when you are making a first buy to start a spice shelf, so I listed the spices by essential and secondary.  I knew that my list of essentials might be different from others so I compared a number of lists prepared by a variety of cooks.  This is the list I came up with and I believe it is a good cross section.

Basil - A necessary spice if you do any Italian cooking.  Dry works well in sauces but there is nothing like fresh for that added flavor.  Added to tomato soup, it's awesome

Bay leaf - Nothing beats it to add a depth of flavor to soups and stews.  Be sure to take it out before you serve.  ;)

Cayenne Pepper -  A must for Cajun and Indian foods.  Adds a little zing to just about any spicy food.

Chili Powder - This is basically a blend of dried chilies, cumin, coriander and oregano.  Needed for Mexican and Tex-Mex foods

Cinnamon, ground and whole - Use the ground in baking, stews, chilies and curies and the stick is great if you're making a hot punch or Wassail.

Cloves, whole and ground - Great in holiday cooking, but don't use a lot or it will overpower everything.

Cornstarch or Arrowroot - Needed as a thickened for gravy and sauces.

Cumin - Adds a smoky taste and any savory dish.  I love it in Tortilla soup.

Garlic Powder - I use it all the time in practically anything savory.  Makes a great additive if you want to dress-up mashed potatoes.

Ginger, ground - I usually reserve this for baking, but in a pinch, I have used it in place of fresh.  Not the best choice.

Mustard, ground - Adds a kick to any salad dressing.  Mix with water as a dip for egg-rolls, but he prepared for clear sinuses.

Nutmeg - It's best whole that you grate as you need it.  The flavor is better.

Onion Powder - Great in soups and when you want that flavor but don't want the kids to know there are onions in the dish.

Oregano - This spice is a member of the mint family, albeit a distant relative.  It's needed for chili, Italian food, South American and Cajun style cooking.

Whole Black Peppercorns - Get a pepper grinder!  Fresh ground pepper adds another layer of flavor to all savory dishes.  Ground pepper is an "okay" substitute, but only until you can get a good grinder.  If you buy your spices in the whole seed form, get a cheap coffee grinder.  It works just as well.

Red-Pepper Flakes - Great in pastas and stir fries.

Rosemary - With a scent of lemon and pine, this spice is tremendous with poultry.  Fresh is best.

Sage - Many hold this as essential for poultry.

Thyme, dry or fresh - This is a fragrant herb that works well with meat, poultry and vegetables.  I prefer fresh.

Vanilla extract - This is a must for baking.  Always go with real and not imitation.  It also adds a little zing to coffee, if you don't want to spend a fortune for flavored coffee.  I add cinnamon to the coffee grounds, and a little vanilla extract and almond extract to the pot.  Makes a great morning cup of coffee.