How many of us have spice racks with jars of spices and dried herbs just collecting dust? Now is the time to clean them off (or replace them) to start adding flavor to your dishes.
Which Foods Like Which Spices/Herbs?
Beans – cumin, cayenne, chili, oregano, parsley, pepper, sage, savory, thyme
Breads - anise, basil, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, lemon peel, orange peel, oregano, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme
Fruits – allspice, anise, cardamom, Chinese 5-spice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mint
Potatoes - tarragon, rosemary, basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, thyme
Salads and Salad Dressings – basil, caraway, celery seed, chives, dill, fennel, garlic, horseradish, lemon peel, lovage, marjoram, mint, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sumac, tarragon, thyme
Soups – basil, bay, chervil, chili, chives, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, marjoram, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, star anise, thyme
Sweets – allspice, angelica, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, mace, nutmeg, mint, orange peel, rosemary, star anise
Tomatoes - basil, bay, celery seed, cinnamon, chili, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme
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Which Spices/Herbs Like Which Foods?
Allspice: An ingredient in many baked goods as well as “Jerk” sauces.
Anise Seed: Mild licorice flavor, used in cookies, or candies.
Arrowroot Powder: Use as a thickener in puddings, pies, soups, sauces, and gravies.
Basil: Used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking, especially good with tomatoes.
Bay Leaves: Perfect use in stews, sauces, soups, and marinades.
Caraway Seeds: Great in baked goods and with fruits.
Cardamom, ground: A wonderful addition to Indian dishes.
Cardamom, whole: Dry roast the whole cardamom seeds for more flavor in your recipe.
Cayenne Pepper: Wonderful heat for any Mexican dish.
Chervil Leaf: Similar to parsley, a mild flavor for any meat, soup or vegetable dish.
Cilantro: Used in Mexican cooking & salsas; may also be used in Indian dishes.
Cloves, ground: Popular in desserts, syrups, and sweet vegetable dishes.
Coriander seed, ground: Citrusy, sweet & tart flavor to be used at the end when cooking; it’s the seed of the cilantro plant.
Cream of Tartar: Adds consistency and stability to any cookie or cake.
Cumin Seed, ground: Wonderful with tomato dishes, chili, salsa & Indian dishes.
Dill Weed: Great in dressings and sauces and on potatoes.
Ginger, crystallized: Sliced ginger partially dried in a sugar syrup solution. For sweets. Not to be used interchangeably with ground ginger.
Ginger, ground: A sharp, aromatic spice is used in many sweet baked goods and curries.
Lemongrass: A grass with citric oils, very popular in Thai cooking.
Marjoram: Like oregano & from the mint family, it has a sweeter and subtler taste.
Nutmeg, ground: A sweet, nutty spice is used in custards, pastries, and vegetables.
Oregano: A must for Italian or Greek cuisines.
Paprika, hot: Mixed with cayenne, these red peppers make the Hungarians famous.
Paprika, sweet: This sweet, milder Paprika will add radiant color to any dish.
Parsley: This versatile herb can be used as a garnish or with anything other than sweets.
Poppy Seeds: Used in baked goods, breads & to flavor noodles.
Rosemary, ground: Use ground in sauces or stocks to avoid the “needle” look.
Saffron, whole threads: Use for saffron rice and Indian dishes.
Sage: Well-known for use in stuffings.
Savory: Strong, peppery taste, good with vegetables & bread stuffing.
Sesame Seeds: Used mostly for baking breads & rolls, nice for stir-frys.
Spearmint: A popular tea flavoring, used in sauces and veggie dishes.
Tarragon: Aromatic herb used to flavor vinegar, dressings, breads. Great with potatoes!
Thyme, ground: Great for Greek & Italian cooking, use ground for sauces & soups.
Thyme, whole leaf: Versatile in flavoring veggies, pizza, stews & herb blends.
Turmeric: Used as a natural yellow coloring for soups, sauces, rice, curry, & tofu scramble.
