ElisabethGrace Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Would you share your must-haves for cooking/baking? I've cleaned out my spice cupboard. Let's just say it wasn't pretty.:001_huh: Some of those things have been around since our almost 14yo was a Ker! So I will be restocking with new herbs and spices & was wondering what interesting things I might be missing. I was thinking that perhaps some new ideas will motivate me to do something creative in the kitchen!:001_smile: DH would surely appreciate that! :bigear:Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElisabethGrace Posted October 9, 2008 Author Share Posted October 9, 2008 Oh duh! Wrong forum. If someone could move this to the General board, I sure would appreciate it! Thank you!:o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Well, I might as well answer here, since the question is here at the moment. Buying the herbs and spices you use regularly is a good start! We use a lot of coriander, cummin, turmeric and garam masala since dh likes curry. I also like sweet paprika, culinary lavender and annatto. I have a really good casserole recipe using star anise and while it doesn't come in powdered form, tamarind is a fun thing too. I think I have about 40 jars on my spice shelf, from different cooking phases I've been through, but that makes me happy! A tidy spice shelf would make me as sad as an empty bookshelf. :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luna Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 I'll answer here, too. My spice shelf could probably use a bit of organization, but I love it that way. I would say must haves are: cumin, coriander, cinnamon, coarse sea salt, peppercorns, powdered mustard, mustard seed, cumin seed, celery seed, turmeric, chili powder, five spice powder, cloves (whole and powdered), basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, cayenne, hmmm, that's a lot. It will be expensive to replace, but worth it. I buy some in bulk from our food coop if I use it often (cinnamon, cumin, peppercorns and sea salt) and the others at the health food store or dried from the farmer's market or my garden. Happy Cooking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Must-haves for us are: Badia seasoning Adobo (staple in a lot of Latin American cooking) oregano thyme cumin rosemary Tandoori seasoning Moroccan seasoning dill basil parsley curry chili cilantro dry mustard smoked paprika cinnamon nutmeg ground cloves whole vanilla (mmm..) We're big on spices here -- we actually finish them once in a while ;) Dh loves to use cilantro and cajun seasoning. He calls me "the spice girl :) And a grinder for whole black peppers, please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shalom22 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Check out Penzey's Spices for some great combos. I use several of theirs in my cooking. My favorites are California Seasoned Pepper, Mural of Flavor, California Sweet Basil, cumin, lemon pepper, Salsa Salad Seasoning (use the last two to make some great Guacamole). They have everything that you can imagine. www.penzeys.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElisabethGrace Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share Posted October 14, 2008 Thank you all for your posts! I appreciate it; especially when I posted on the wrong forum!:001_huh: I obviously am too boring when it comes to seasonings!:glare: I'd not ever heard of some on your lists. I love the spices from Penzey's! We've only tried a few of the selections, but would like to try some others. Thanks for the suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Here's the list of what I consider essential... garlic powder onion powder chili powder cinnamon ground ginger cumin Salt/pepper Here's some others that I really enjoy on a regular basis... marjoram thyme sage bay leaves (for soups) chipotle pepper powder nutmeg (prefer whole) paprika allspice Old Bay Here's some I use on occasion star anise tarragon szechuan peppercorns celery seeds Happy spice hunting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme! Sea salt and whole pepper for grinding. Cinnamon, vanilla flavoring and any others you might use regularly. Nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom if you bake sweets or drink teas. Tobasco, Worchestershire, and soy sauces; perhaps also fish sauce or teriyaki if you cook a lot of oriental foods. Onion powder, garlic powder, Tony Chachere's, Old Bay seasoning. I keep minced garlic in the fridge and minced onion in the freezer. Bay leaves. Cumin and curry powder for Indian foods or Thai (also use cinnamon and nutmeg in those, etc.) Oregano and dill. Cayenne and Beau Monde. Lemon Pepper. Tony Chachere's blackening seasoning.... That's all I can think of right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted October 16, 2008 Share Posted October 16, 2008 The only thing I can think of to add to the wonderful previous lists is saffron, black and yellow mustard seeds, fenugreek and asafoetida, but I do a lot of Indian cooking that involves a lot of spices. I buy spices in large packets rather than the little bottles or pkts. Recently I had a windfall of finding about 50 empty spice bottles- many the normal small size but many larger sizes too, 2nd hand, for just a few $. I have quite a bit of cupboard space devoted to spices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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