spices

[sweetpotato]

I just purchased a new beechwood spice rack and it has a lovely 48 containers.
I have about eight that are empty. I have been cooking for over 30 years so without giving you a long list, be aware that I have "the basics"...and then some. What I'm looking for is a dry ingredient I can add to my spice collection that is a bit off the beaten path, but that you use often.

Ideas?

[bushwickgirl]

For something really different, try Grains of Paradise.

[operagirl]

I absolutely LOVE ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend. It's wonderful on whole roast chicken, mixed into a paste with olive oil and rubbed liberally over the bird (along with some salt) a few hours before roasting.

[Bada Bing]

I suggest you browse Penzeys or other sources online. There are some items that I hesitate to name because they might well be among your "basics" already. There I think of allspice, varieties of mustard seeds (yellow, black, brown), carraway, etc. For something that you probably do not have: Zingerman's out of Ann Arbor sells a rare item: fennel pollen, which I just checked, and they're now charging way more for it (more than I would pay now, frankly, but it's got a really cool licorice flavor):

http://www.zingermans.com/Product.asp...

Also, consider getting multiple containers of certain items. When I went into an Indian cooking kick after someone sent me a set of Indian spices from Penzeys, I ran out of garam masala way before any of the other speciality blends (like tandoori or vindaloo) because pretty much every recipe calls for garam masala. Other spices that I use in high quantity are chili powder, whole cumin, paprikas of various sorts, and whole coriander.

[LindaWhit]

Aleppo pepper, ground sumac (the better to make your own za'atar!), star anise were the first I could think of.

[cajundave]

This place has some Spanish paprika that is hard to get anywhere. I like the bittersweet paprika. They have a good selection of chorizo and a really fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon Vinegar.

laespanolameats.com

[cajundave]

Where did you get the Aleppo pepper? I have not tried it yet but heard good things, it's a middle eastern thing right?

[Perilagu Khan]

It's Turkish.

[LindaWhit]

Middle Eastern, yes...most aleppo peppers are grown in Syria.

As for where to get it? Penzey's. :-)

[cajundave]

Thanks Linda, love middle eastern food, just trying to step it up a notch.

[LindaWhit]

Check out their ground sumac as well (plus they have a ready-made za'atar mix as well). Penzey's opened up near me in the Boston area several years ago when they were opening up their first outside-of-their-area store, and it's a visit I make at least 4x a year. :-)

[cajundave]

I am in a Chicago suburb and I just shopped at a great middle eastern store yesterday and I got sumac. I am trying to find the best recipe for Za'ater and then figure out what to put it on besides bread and hummus.

I am making falafel tomorrow and looking to add something else to go with it.

[tazia]

I adore my ancho chili powder. Especially as a vegetarian, it adds such a savory, smoky flavor that it's my go-to to perk things up. I get it at Penzey's.
Pimenton de la vera (smoked sweet paprika) is also pretty spectacular.
Cardamom I add to all sorts of unexpected baked goods. It adds another dimension to chocolate chip cookies, for example. I have both pods and ground.

[BerkshireTsarina]

I second the ancho chili powder (also from Penzey's), and the pimenton. Come to think of it, also the cardamoms. Tazia and I must have twin kitchens ---- Also second za'atar and shichimi togarashii. And partial to Penzey's Special Extra Bold India peppercorns, and gumbo filé.

[Perilagu Khan]

Add to your pepper collection: smoked serrano, Urfa pepper, scotch bonnet, peri peri. Those are four that spring to mind, but I could add a dozen other exotic powdered peppers to that quartet.

[luckyfatima]

sweetpotato can you tell us where you got this spice rack? I will be in the market for such an item soon and 48 containers sounds exceptional.

[sweetpotato]

I got it on Ebay, fatima. I put in the words "spice rack+carousel" and several came up.
It's a plain Beechwood rack with a lazy Susan carousel and the jars are plastic. I paid
around $130 for it and the shipping was free.

[rainey]

Diversify your chili collection. There are lots of flavors and heats beyond the basic blend.

[RoxyGrl]

2nd this. And on that note, it's amazing how many uses I have found for my Penzey's chipotle powder recently. Fabulous on a turkey/avocado sandwich, amazing mixed in butter and spread on corn that is then bbq'd in the husk, mixed in a dry rub, added to cornbread muffins with some grated sharp cheddar, etc, etc

[runwestierun]

+2. Two things really brightened up my cooking this year
1) New and different curry pastes
2) New and different chili powders

[greygarious]

Ajwain, kalonji, fenugreek.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Hmm,

What about garam masala ? Pretty popular spice blend. I can also see almond powder and walnut powder may be useful. Many love Sichuan pepper powder.

[luckyfatima]

I love zaatar, Kashmiri chile powder, dried mango powder, and chaat masala.

[goodhealthgourmet]

+1 for za'atar.

and speaking of blends...vadouvan is another good one if you cook a lot of Indian dishes, and shichimi togarashi for Japanese recipes.

as far as single spices go, don't forget the smoked paprika!

[nofunlatte]

Expanding the "spice" category to include spice blends, I'd add za'atar, a middle eastern spice blend comprising sumac, thyme, sesame, salt. I like it as a flatbread topping and on vegetables (e.g. sauteed zucchini).