Basil
A member of the mint family, basil has a sweet fragrant aroma. Basil goes wonderfully with salmon, pasta, and is a key ingredient in pesto and caprese salads.
Tip: Use fresh basil over dried whenever possible.
Black pepper
Also known as “black gold”, is the most widely traded spice in the world and needs little introduction.
Tip: Don’t buy ground pepper. Grind it yourself fresh from the mill.
Cardamom
A sweet, intensely aromatic spice used in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking as well as baking in Nordic countries. Cardamom is a great addition to cinnamon, clove, and ginger.
Cayenne Pepper
Powdered red chili pepper, use whenever you want to add spiciness.
Cilantro
Common in South Asian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, and Mexican cooking. It seems to be either loved or reviled.
Cinnamon
A sweet and warm spice, most commonly used in the United States in sweet dishes but make an excellent addition to stews/soups/curries, poultry, and lamb.
Clove
Clove is a warm, sweet, aromatic spice often used in baked goods and curries. Clove has a very intense flavor, be careful to not use too much of it.
Cumin
Cumin has a bitter warm flavor and there are no substitutes for its flavor. It is heavily used in Mexican, Asian, and Middle Eastern cuisines.
Mint
Mint is a sweet, fresh, and aromatic herb with a cool aftertaste. It pairs perfectly with anything from tea to lamb.
Nutmeg
A great addition to either sweet or savory dishes.
Tip: It’s best to buy whole nutmeg and grate just before using.
Oregano
Used heavily in Italian and Greek cooking, oregano can often be found in tomato sauces and grilled meat. It combines nicely with basil, olives, and capers.
Paprika
Made from ground bell peppers, paprika varies from country to country and can be anything from sweet to hot.
Parsley
The two most common types of parsley are curly leaf and the more pungent flat-leaf parsley. Dried parsley has little flavor at all. Flat-leaf parsley is the most preferred for cooking.
Tip: Use fresh parsley whenever available.
Rosemary
Rosemary has a sweet and piney aroma to it. It naturally goes well with meats, especially poultry. One of my favorite ways to enjoy rosemary is with roasted potatoes.
Sage
Sweet and earthy, sage is perfect for meats – especially pork.
Sumac
Used in Arabic cooking, sumac has a lemony taste and is often added to salads and meats. I most often sumac when garnishing hummus.
Thyme
Thyme has a slight lemon-y and pepper-y taste to it. Thyme pairs wonderfully with meats, especially poultry.
Turmeric
Turmeric has a vibrant yellow/orange color and a slight gingery bitter taste to it. It’s an essential ingredient in curries.
Tip: Turmeric stains! Be careful when using it… I speak from experience.
Storing
Dry spices begin to lose their luster after six months, but can be used for about two years – just make up for the loss of flavor by using a bit more than usual. Store dry herbs in tightly sealed containers away from sunlight.
Buying
Buying spices at the grocery store can be surprisingly expensive. I would advise seeking out co-ops or local herb/spices companies in your area. If there aren’t any, I suggest looking online. I pick up spices by the pound from San Francisco Herb Co. If you don’t live in the Bay Area, you can purchase spices from them online. Even if you don’t think you’ll be able to use a pound of rosemary within two years, consider buying something frequently used such as black pepper by the pound. A two ounce container of black pepper can easily go for $1.99, but can be commonly found for about $5 per pound.
This is by no means a definitive list of spices, but rather the ones I use the most frequently. Did I leave out your favorite spice?
