Basic Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices: Absolutely necessary, but almost obscenely expensive. What are you supposed to do? Many of us make do without certain things, or substitute others, or occasionally bite the bullet and go buy a $7.00 half-ounce jar of something. You know what I do? Buy basics at the dollar store, watch for sales, and this year I started growing my own herbs.

The thing is, you have to know your own tastes, and in order to do that you have to try new things to see if you like them. Some things are going to be obvious that you will need, and some are going to be equally obvious you'll never use them. For instance, I am a cilantro hater, so I know there is no reason to ever buy it. One way to try new things is to talk to your friends; it's possible they own a spice you've been meaning to try, and they'll let you have some of it. If you're really lucky, maybe they'll invite you over for dinner and use it.

Below is a list of herbs and spices I tend to always keep in my cupboard. Your mileage will vary depending on your particular taste, but it's a good place to start.

Garlic powder
Onion powder
Thyme
Oregano
Basil
Parsley
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ginger
Cloves
Chives
Garlic salt with parsley
Chili powder
Dill weed
Dry mustard
Cajun seasoning
Seasoned salt
Italian seasoning
Dried red pepper flakes
Paprika

With those few items, I can make almost anything taste good. Many of them can be found at the dollar store, and while you'll hear people say you should never buy cheap spices, I will never be one of them. If your choice is between buying something for a dollar or going without because it costs the better part of $10.00, then I say go with the cheaper option. You can always use more if you find the flavour is lacking.

Ditto with replacing spices. Rule of thumb is to replace them every six months. Who does that?? I can't afford to do that, even when I shop at the dollar store. I replace them when I run out, or when I can no longer smell them when I open the container. As they age, they tend to lose their potency, so I just use more. The only catch there is to remember how old something was when I wrote a recipe, because if you're using fresher spices they can be overwhelming at the higher amounts.

And then there are the rest of the things in my cupboard. I am a spice hoarder, I admit it. One of my favourite things is to hit the Spice Merchants booth at the farmer's market and grab random spice blends to try. I highly recommend taking a trip down the spice aisle if you have a bit of extra money, just to grab something that sounds interesting to you. Even if you're not sure what to do with it, the internet will tell you.

Here are the things I have added to my inventory over the years, and consistently replace when I'm running low:
Turmeric
Celery seed
Mustard seed
Mace
Rubbed sage
Mint
Chinese five spice powder
Dill seed
Minced onion
Minced garlic
Rosemary
Herbes de Provence
Curry powder
Garam Masala
Coriander
Cumin
Allspice

I'm sure there are more, but I'm sitting in my living room trying to bring up a mental picture of my spice cupboard. My theory is if I didn't remember them quickly, they probably aren't something I use very often. I do, however, have an ungodly huge collection, so I know that's not nearly all of it. And I've left out my spice blends entirely.

Here's the other thing: Once you build up an inventory of herbs and spices, you can start making your own blends. I still buy Italian seasoning and Cajun seasoning because I can get them at the dollar store, but other blends (except those I get from Spice Merchants) I mix up myself. I already own all the ingredients, so why spend the money on them?

Italian Seasoning
3 tablespoons dried basil
3 tablespoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Seasoned Salt
1 cup salt
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Cajun Seasoning
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Taco Seasoning (for 1 pound beef):
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
pinch crushed red pepper

Apple Pie Spice
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon cardamom

Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Poultry Seasoning
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano

Chili Seasoning
1/4 cup flour
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Invariably, you will run into an herb or spice you don't have for whatever reason. It happens to me, where I forgot I used the last of something and didn't write it down. In which case, let me introduce you to my Bible: The Cook's Thesaurus. They have a substitution for almost anything you can possibly think of, and usually more than one suggestion as well as often giving you a recipe to make your own. The best part is they don't just list herbs and spices, they have pretty much everything you can eat.

Seasoning food can get expensive in a hurry, but if you shop smart you can save a lot of money. This time of year there are sales all over the place since stores want you to buy for the holidays, so take advantage of it! Every time you go to the store, come home with something new to try. Nobody says you have to do anything with it before the holidays, but now is the time to buy, when it's cheap.