The main problem with spices is twofold: 1) there are too many to choose from and 2) they are usually quite expensive. So which ones should you get? Is it worth paying extra for brand names? Read below!
If you live in a major metropolitan area, I urge you to go out and find a spice shop. If you are in New York, I strongly recommend a shop located on 9th Avenue between 40th and 41st streets across from Port Authority. You will usually find the same spices you would buy in your neighborhood supermarket there, except they will be about ¼ of the price and you can buy a lot more of them since they are all sold by weight. Sure, they won’t come in neat little plastic containers with “McCormick” emblazoned on the package, but for the difference in price you can buy yourself a nice spice rack that will scream: “I know what I am doing!” And you’ll have extra when you run out. (More on spice storage in a later post).
So what basic spices should you have readily available at all times when you’re starting out? Here’s your basic list of spices you should ALWAYS have on hand:
• Oregano
• Crushed Red Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Cinnamon
• Paprika
• Bay Leaf
Notice this list excludes Salt and Pepper. There is a reason for that.
Salt:
You should have at least two different kinds of salt in the house: sea salt and regular ol’ table salt. Why?
According to Wikipedia: “Gourmets often believe sea salt to be better than ordinary table salt in taste and texture, though one cannot always taste the difference when dissolved. In applications where sea salt's coarser texture is retained, it can provide different mouthfeel and changes in flavor due to its different rate of dissolution.”
So when you will actually be able to taste the individual salt crystals, the use of sea salt is advised. This would not be applicable if you’re making a stew, for example, where all the salt will be dissolved 5 minutes into the cooking process. Table salt will work just fine then.
It is this writer’s opinion that sea salt is also different from other “spices” in that buying it in bulk is generally not advisable. It does not store well for culinary purposes and responds poorly to slight changes in heat and humidity.
As a result, I keep a jar of this in my cupboard at all times. It has a perfect little grinder in its cap.
Pepper:
If you’re on a budget, buy the cheap stuff in a can: it’ll do the job. If, however, you feel you want to go for quality instead, I would suggest buying a pepper grinder. When you have a small kitchen like me, you may not have the storage room for the typical tall, awkward wooden thing that a waiter has to operate with both hands. Instead, I keep a handy jar of this in my cupboard beside my sea salt grinder (It also has a perfect little grinder in its cap):
You can find both grinders in the spice section in most supermarkets. Check out drogheria.com for more grinders that you can buy for specialized flavors.
3 comments:
I'd like to add cumin to you list. If you're going to cook anything mexican you need cumin. Its smoky earthy flavor can't be beat.
Cumin is a good one...and you're right as far as Tex-Mex--you definitely need that..
If you have to kill one of the other spices on the list, kill onion powder...you'll get a similar flavor with garlic powder...or just an onion. :-)
Thanks!
I would also add Cumin Powder & Cayenne to the basics list. Bulk spices may not go bad, per say, for quite a while, however, after about 6 months to a year they will lose lots of their flavor. Tip 1: Bulk Cayenne - store it in the freezer, use like normal, it's heat will last forever! Some other red spices also work well with the freezer method. Tip 2: BTW, paprika, chili powder, & cayenne should be stored in the refrigerator not your room temp spice rack due to, well, uh less-than appetizing reasons - trust me. Tip 3: One can buy bulk whole spices to save money - these won't lose so much flavor & just grind them fresh as needed or in 3-to-6-month-worth batches.
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