Spices

[Dido]

This question stems from the "what's in your cabinet that you don't use" discussion, but I thought it was worthy of its own thread.

What spices do you use most frequently? What spices are in your cabinet now that you haven't used for a year?

Do you buy spices in bottles or from bulk bins, or even grow and dry your own?

[Dido]

Most used spices:

DRY/OFTEN USED: salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano, cumin, thyme, paprika, chili, cinnamon, nutmeg

DRY/RARELY USED: cardamom, corriander, feenugreek, fennel, mustard seeds, and several bottles of various spice mixes (pumpie pie spice, pickling spice, salt-free chicken spice, garam masala). I really shouldn't buy the spice mixes (except maybe the garam masala) since I tend to use most of them once and then not again for years). It'll definitely be cheaper to look at the ingredients, buy small quanitites from bulk bins and make my own mix.

FRESH: garlic (I buy in the big bulk bottles), ginger (ditto), cilantro, basil (growing out on my patio; also I have a packet of cilantro in the freezer that I bought that was frozen in one-teaspoon quantities. I should find out more about freezing my own as well as drying them before winter sets in). Usually I transplant the fresh herbs and bring them inside, but they usually don't make it through the entire winter.

[Dido]

Oh, another hint: I found this very informative page here: http://www.thespicebarn.com/tiplistarc.asp?nexttip=4

One of the key things if you have spices that you rarely use (like mine for Indian cooking) is to buy them whole and grind your own as needed. The whole spices will last for years.

[DayByDay]

If you don't want to waste all those expensive spices that sit around in your cupboard, you can do an ingredient search at allrecipes.com to find recipes that specifically use those spices.

[jaksilee]

My most used:
italian seasoning, herbs de province, Spike, Oregino, basil, rosmary
I bought these in large containers at Sam's for use to make taco seasoning in bulk: onion & garlic powder, cumin, Cayanne, Paprika and Chile Pepper

Not well used but always on hand:
Cinamon, celery seed, Ground ginger, and a ton more!

I know there are more that I use all the time but those are the ones I could think of off the top of my head

[Dido]

Mmm, rosemary. I think I might get a rosemary bush when they put them out at the grocery store around Christmas and see if I can make it last.

[rob62521]

I use salt, pepper, garlic, sage, oregano, rosemary, nutmeg, cinnamon, and paprika the most.

Our Big Lots sells spices for under a dollar. The last time I was there they were 48 cents each, but I haven't been there for a couple of months.

[contrary1]

I tend to use the same ones my mom cooked with.......how boring. Trying to get out of my rut here all the time.

I really don't like to cook, but I love to eat so..........I cook.

For the last decade or so, I've been doing much better at raising my own herbs & such to add to my meals here. Also doing a better job at drying or putting them up to last throughout the year.

Some things grow year round in my garden (Zone 7) like my rosemary, parsley and chives. If it really freezes, the last two are toast & I need to wait for spring again. There is an advantage to putting these plants up close to the house so they stay warmer over winter.....

There is something so frugal about raising basil and turning it into a yummy pesto.........Some years I have enough to freeze! That is a meal not to be missed, homemade pesto with pasta...tastes like it should be expensive & it's not bad when you make it at home. I do substitute walnuts for the pine nuts and come up with an alternative that isn't quite so pricey.

Spices are usually much cheaper if you can get them at ethnic markets too...we're lucky to have Asian, Indian and Mexican markets in several neighboring communities, so I've been picking up things there & saving money as well as getting a much fresher product.

Contrary1
editor at www.frugalgardening.com

[rob62521]

I wish we had ethnic markets here. We have the old standbys. I do, when we go somewhere else, look for different things if I think I might use them. I have found if I buy them, I do use them because I don't like things to go to waste.

[boefixepa]

I agree with growing them fresh or buying in bulk. Those little containers at the store are highway robbery! A small inexpensive coffee grinder does great on grinding seeds and dried herbs.