#pantry basics

If you’ve read along this far, you know that I like Asian, Mexican, and Italian a lot. But I also like baking, so I have a lot more traditional spices for that. I have a fairly extensive spice cupboard, when it all comes down to it. 

Budget tip:  Many of my frequently used spices are available at the dollar store. The spices aren’t lesser quality or a smaller amount. Why pay more??? (marked with an * when I found them)

Taking it from the top, then: 

Basil-- a necessity for Italian cooking and many Mexican recipes. You can either buy it dried, fresh from the grocery store, or most people can manage to grow their own for cheaper. (I say ‘most’ because I live in Michigan and the climate is not conducive to growing stuff outside year round. You can still keep it in a pot in your kitchen, though. I tend to kill plants, so I buy it fresh). Excellent with tomatoes, eggs, or some of the fattier cheeses. I love caprese salads (tomato, basil, and mozzarella with olive oil and salt) during tomato season.  Necessity: Probably 4/5. My roommate survives without it. Wasn’t available at my dollar store. 

Bay Leaves-- Used in soups, stews, and sauces. I usually buy them dry because the flavor will kick you in the pants.Don’t use too many.  Necessity: Probably 1.5 or 2 out of 5. I manage to get by even in recipes that I use that usually call for them. 

Capers-- Little teeny tiny flower buds that you can find packed in vinegar. They’re used heavily in Italian/Middle Eastern cookery. I know some people use them in salads, but I use them almost exclusively in a white wine, lemon and caper sauce for pasta. Again, powerful flavor.  Necessity: 1/5. I buy them when I need them and they sit in the fridge for a while afterward. 

Caraway Seeds: I put these on top of my breads and buns for an added texture. it has what I’d call an ‘independent’ flavor-- it won’t take over a dish of other strong flavors, but it’s not going to sit there and be overwhelmed.  Necessity:1/5. Again, I use these for one or two purposes. If they took up more room, they’d be gone. 

*Cayenne Pepper: Bright red, it’s often used like crushed chili flakes to punch up some spice. Some people (my roommate) use it sparingly or not at all because it can be too spicy. I like hot food, so I’m probably not as careful as I should be. Use it with dishes that contain plenty of fat to help cut through the weight.  Necessity: I rate it as a solid 4/5. Some people don’t choose to use it. But it’s readily available at the dollar store. 

*Cinnamon: Very popular spice, especially for use in desserts. Warm and sweet, you can smell cinnamon throughout the whole house when you use it. You can buy it pre-ground or in sticks.It’s almost impossible to grind the cinnamon sticks at your house, though, so I buy it ground and keep sticks around for mixing hot chocolate. Yum. Also, cinnamon rolls are a basic food group.  Necessity: 4/5. 

*Chili Powder: Heck yeah!  usually made with a wide variety of chilis, it’s also part of a good curry. This is one that you might wish to explore different brands-- some brands use whole chilies, and nothing but whole chilis, while others contain other spices. I use a large amount of this, and pretty much always buy two bottles at once. Why not? I can find it pretty cheap and I use quite a bit.  Necessity: 4/5. 

Chives: Mildest member of the onion family, they provide just a little extra burst of flavor. I mainly use them as a garnish, but they work well to garnish pretty much everything. Like basil, you can grow your own, or buy them fresh or dried at the grocery store.  Necessity:  Strong 3.5 or 4 out of 5. One of my favorites. 

Cilantro: One of the most strongly divisive spices out there, cilantro is used in both Asian and Mexican cuisines. You’d think that means I have a lot of it, but I  believe it tastes like soap. I still keep it on hand to use in miniscule amounts to use in recipes, though.   Necessity: If you like it and you cook what I like, probably a 3/5. I can live without it. 

*Cumin: Get your mind out of the gutter. Cumin is closely related to chilies, and is probably best known for its use in curries or chili. I flippin’ love cumin, but I prefer to buy it already prepared, as opposed to the seeds (which you’d toast in a skillet and then grind yourself). Given the price, it’s just easier and cheaper. When I did my dollar store run, it was readily available.  Necessity: 4/5. I almost cried with joy when I found it in the dollar store. 

Curry: There are a variety of curries. I generally prefer green. Mainly used in Asian and Indian cooking, every region has its own different blend. You can mix your own if you have the means to do so, but I ran out of room to keep a spice grinder. I like to buy the powder or the paste and use as needed. Also, curry glazed baby carrots are amazing. Probably the only spice mix I use.  Necessity: 4 for me. Probably 3/5 for other people? 

Dill: both the seeds and leaves of the dill plant are used as herbs, but I have a particular fondness for the little feathery leaves. You’re probably thinking of pickles, and that’s fine. But it’s also good with eggs, tomatoes, and as a general garnish. If possible, I buy them fresh and then freeze them. Use a tablespoon of dill with some olive oil, toss in a zipper bag with cubed potatoes and heat them on a cookie sheet covered with foil at 350 degrees for an hour and you have one of my favorite side dishes.  Necessity: 3.5/5. I’d rate it higher, but I’m pretty sure I use an abnormal amount of dill. 

*Garlic: Okay. You NEED this. You know you need this. I have fresh garlic in cloves, minced garlic in the fridge, garlic powder, garlic salt-- it’s a good flavor. To paraphrase the Frank’s Red Hot marketing campaign, I use this shit on EVERYTHING. I prefer the fresher versions, but to each their own. Both garlic powder and garlic salt were available at the dollar store.  Necessity: 5/5 FIGHT ME garlic is glorious and it’s easy to find/cheap. 

Ginger: Another one of my favorites, I like to buy ginger root and freeze it. I was blessed with the ability to steal some of my mom’s kitchen utensils, so I can grate it pretty easily. You could probably do the same yourself if you have a box grater-- or, if you’re not able or willing to do that, there’s always pre-ground readily available. I don’t recommend candied ginger unless your recipe calls for it because the texture and flavor are so different. Try adding a touch of ginger to your next recipe that calls for cinnamon soon, or use it in many Asian dishes.  Necessity: 4/5. 

Lemon: Oh, lord, I use waaay too much lemon. I tried to switch to the lemon juice in bottles to cut back, and I’m going through a liter every two weeks or so. To be fair, I use it to flavor my water as well, but I use a great deal of it in cooking as well. Juice, rind, or just cut, lemons are one of the most popular flavorings out there. For juice, you don’t need to buy fresh, and the flavor difference is nonexistent. Financially, it’s rather silly. However, if you’re using zest or in drinks, there’s no better way.  Necessity: I am a slave to lemons. 5/5 for me. Probably 3 or 4 out of 5 for a reasonable person. 

Mint: When I’m on a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean kick, I use a lot of mint. However, I kind of get disillusioned quickly, so I buy it in fits and spurts. There’s just too many things that taste like mint anymore. If you’re growing your own, plant it in a pot-- otherwise, it’ll try to choke out your other plants. Not cool, mint. Not cool.  Necessity: 3/5. 

*Oregano: Used widely in Mexican and Italian. Another one I found at the dollar store. If you’re trying to punch up a can of tomato sauce, I highly recommend using oregano. It’s pretty potent, though, so use wisely.  Necessity: 3.5 or 4 out of 5. I like to use it in conjunction with parsley. 

*Paprika: A relative of the pepper family, it’s made from dried red bell peppers. It’s great as a garnish, but the powerful flavor is used in Hungarian cooking and to lend peppery flavor. Try to buy it in relatively small amounts, because it can deteriorate quite rapidly. It’s a lovely red.  Necessity: Depends on what you use it for. If it’s just a garnish, you won’t need to rotate your stock as regularly. I buy some every 6-8 months to keep it fresh. I highly recommend buying from the dollar store to keep costs low and because they usually have fresher stock. 3 or 4/5. 

*Parsley: Probably the most commonly used fresh herb, it’s used while cooking as well as a popular garnish. Available in both flat and curly, the flat (’Italian’) is more flavorful and thus more popular/widely available. I found the dried version at my dollar store, and I like to use both varieties. Very easy to grow for yourself to keep a steady supply on hand.  Necessity: 4/5 for me.

*Pepper: Just basic black pepper. I find that it makes my nose itch when I use too much, and I prefer cayenne. However, nothing beats fresh cracked black pepper and good sea salt for seasoning meat. Keep some on your table so that you can season as desired.  Necessity: 5/5

Rosemary: Very strong flavor. Try to avoid using the spikes and use just the stalks instead. Very good with lamb and pork, but a lot of people like rosemary chicken as well. Sometimes, you can use a particularly strong stalk as a skewer, which is something I want to try when I get a grill. Most commonly found dried, which is how I use it most of the time.  Necessity: 3/5. I don’t go out of my way to use it, but I usually like it when I include it.  

Saffron: Oh man, if you run across a recipe that needs saffron, I pray for your wallet. I don’t keep it in my kitchen on a regular basis because it’s cost-prohibitive, but if you need any, I highly recommend checking out ethnic markets in your area. I have a lovely Indian market near my parents’ place that sells saffron at a reasonable rate ($3 bought me enough for my meal, and it was amazingly fresh). Don’t Google saffron prices. You’ll cry.  Necessity: 1/5. Only if I’m doing paella. 

Thyme: Ha, I’m always running out of time. And thyme. If you have a pre-loaded spice rack, it’s probably on there. I was very surprised when I couldn’t find it at the dollar store, to be honest. Fairly powerful, a little bit of it can flavor soups and sauces very well. Simon and Garfunkel nailed it when they sang about parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme-- at least on chicken.  Necessity:  3.0 for me. I could use less. 

Vanilla: Essential for baking. Also, just put some in your oven when you move in/clean/move out to make the place smell so much better. I don’t recommend getting the beans, because you’re not really gaining anything that isn’t available in the extract, and you’re also paying through the nose. Vanilla ‘essence’ or vanilla ‘flavoring’ are pretty much useless. Booo.  Necessity: 3.5 or 4 out of 5. 

So, that’s my spice cupboard. You’ll notice salt is not on here, because I consider it an essential for all cooking and baking. I also don’t use pre-made mixes, like apple-pie spice or meat seasonings. That’s my personal preference, because I believe that I can make something closely approximating them from what I already have in my cupboard and have a wider variety of flavors in the long run.