Herbs and Spices
The best way to buy herbs and spices is in bulk, and they are usually available this way in natural food stores. These stores typically have a large turnover so their inventory is fresh, and the cost is a fraction of what you would pay to buy a bottle of the same spice from the grocery store shelf. Purchase the herbs in leaf form and the spices in ground form to get started. As you expand your collection you may want to buy whole spice seeds and berries. You’ll want to collect jars for storing your herbs and spices, transferring them from the plastic bags in which they are weighed and sold.
As a rule of thumb, when a recipe calls for herbs without specifying fresh or dried, it refers to dried. To substitute fresh herbs, double the amount given. Of course, the ultimate correct amount is what tastes good to you.
There always seem to be new herbs and spices to learn about. Here is a list to get you started:
For all cooking:
Salt: table salt; sea salt or kosher salt
Black peppercorns
Herbs:
Basil
Bay leaves
Celery salt
Fennel
Oregano
Rosemary
Tarragon
Thyme
Heat and Spice:
Cayenne
Chili powder
Dry mustard
Paprika
Crushed red pepper flakes
Seasoned salt
Hot sauces – Tabasco, Sriracha
Soy sauce
Wasabi
Worcestershire
Baking Spices:
Allspice
Cinnamon
Cloves
Cream of tartar – for baking, if you need to substitute for buttermilk
Ginger
Nutmeg
Eastern Spices:
Coriander
Cumin – also used in chili
Curry powder – a blend of spices
Turmeric