Let’s say that you have a tiny kitchen in which every square inch of space counts. Our last New York apartment, the third floor of a Greek Revival townhouse with 11-foot ceilings and fireplaces in both living and bed rooms, was the occasional scene of cocktail parties for 40. There was a huge walk-in closet with a wall of mirrors that Carrie Bradshaw would die for. But the kitchen was an afterthought: 10 square feet of floor space, enough counter for a cutting board, and 2 narrow cabinets, just right for tea tins and packs of melba toast. (Still, the toile de jouy wallpaper was great.)
Even if you cook in a kitchen with space enough to dock a cabin cruiser, choosing the right spices can be vexing. No one likes to discover aged jars of faded seasonings bought at exorbitant cost and used once. The question is: Which spices would you choose if you were starting over? Which ones would you use for everyday cooking and when you want to experiment with global cuisines?
The Essential Thirteen include: black peppercorns, kosher salt, allspice, Indonesian cassia (or cinnamon) both ground and whole, pure chile powder, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, saffron and vanilla. For more information about each, read on.
Editor's note: With just a few exceptions, spices should be purchased whole; the flavor of ground spices fades fast. Large spices such as nutmeg can be grated on a Microplane, the rest can be pulverized as needed in the Krup’s Fast Touch Spice Grinder. Both can be found at www.broadwaypanhandler.com.
1.Black peppercorns: Large Tellicherry peppercorns from India’s Kerala Coast have a rich fruity aroma and a fiery heat. The corollary is that you will need a good pepper mill with an adjustable grind. For recommendations, see SpiceLines newsletter, “Black Pepper: King of Spice,” at www.globalprovince.com/spicelines/index9-05.htm. (Click on SpiceShop, then Pepper Mills.)
2. Kosher salt: Yes, it’s a mineral, not a spice, but you can’t cook without it. Chefs prefer kosher salt because the flaky crystals are lighter than ordinary salt and the flavor quickly disperses through the food during cooking. Save exotic sea salts such as fleur de sel to finish a special dish. We use standard issue Morton’s Kosher Salt.
3. Allspice: Buy whole Jamaican dried berries and grind as needed. With its aroma of cloves and cinnamon, this is a classic if somewhat old-fashioned dessert spice. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Ian Hemphill of Herbies Spices in Sydney suggests stewing pears with a few allspice berries, cinnamon, star anise and a vanilla bean. Try it in savory dishes with meats and seafood, in homemade jerk seasoning and curry powders, and in the peppermill with black peppercorns.
4. Indonesian Cassia, ground: There is a wide world of cinnamon out there, but in America the spice we call “cinnamon” is actually cassia, a close cousin. Specialty spice merchants sell cassia from Indonesia, China and Vietnam—as well as true cinnamon from Ceylon--but the sweet, slightly astringent Indonesian variety is the all-purpose choice. (This is also the familiar “cinnamon” sold in supermarkets.) Use ground cassia in pastries, baked goods and ice cream, and in rubs for chicken, pork and beef.
5. Indonesian Cassia, sticks: “Cinnamon” sticks will add depth to any dish with a liquid base; use them to infuse hot apple cider, soups, stews, braises, curries, tagines, moles, fruit compotes, tomato sauces. Don’t put hard sticks in your spice grinder—the motor may burn out before they are reduced to a powder. If you run short of powdered cinnamon, you can grate a little on a Microplane.
6. Chile powder: Pure ground chile powder, made from dried Mexican chiles, will add more complexity than cayenne pepper to dishes that need a fiery kick. Some chile powders are ferociously hot, some have sweet, fruity or slightly smoky undertones, some are on the mild side. Ancho powder is a not too spicy all-around choice; hotheads will prefer jalapeno or chipotle powders. Use it to season chili, taco meat and posole (a spicy hominy stew) or as a rub, with other spices, for beef, pork and chicken. Find a selection at www.loschileros.com.
7. Cloves: Buy small quantities of whole Madagascar or Ceylon cloves and whirr in a grinder as needed. Whole cloves lend their sweet pungency to holiday hams, and add flavor to beef stews, Indian curries and Moroccan tagines. A recipe for a superb German applesauce cake includes a generous pinch of ground cloves; often combined with other spices for baking purposes. Ground or whole, the flavor is intense, so use judiciously.
8. Coriander: These slightly sweet, warm, citrusy seeds are not widely used in American cooking, but they play well with most spices and are used in curries and other Indian mixtures such as garam masala. We sauté the ground seeds with cumin, garlic and onions to make a warming Indonesian cauliflower soup. The same combination gives lentils a lively lift. In May Bisou’s The Arab Table, red snapper is smeared inside and out with a paste of ground coriander, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, garlic and lemon juice before baking.
9. Cumin: A warm, pungent, aromatic spice, cumin is used in so many cuisines that we can’t imagine not having it at our fingertips. It’s an essential ingredient in the cooking of Northern Mexico and a must for beef tacos and chicken enchiladas with tomatillo salsa. It is a key component of chili and curry powders. In Morocco, cumin flavors carrot and roasted pepper salads; mechoui, or spit-roasted lamb is traditionally served with saucers of salt and cumin. Buy whole seeds and grind as needed.
10. Ginger, ground: This pungent spice is grown in the tropics from Asia to Hawaii to the Caribbean, but the best ground ginger—sweet, hot and fine as talcum powder--comes from China. In America we use it for baking gingerbread and gingersnaps, or in spice mixtures for cakes, quick breads and pies. Powdered ginger can also be used as a rub for meats, in curry powders and in the French quatre epices, blended with white pepper, nutmeg and cloves, to season charcuterie.
11. Nutmeg: Whole nutmegs can stay fragrant for years if stored in a cool, dark place in an airtight jar; grate them with a microplane as needed. We associate nutmeg’s warm, sweet flavor with desserts and eggnog, but it is delicious sprinkled over homemade macaroni and cheese. The Italians add a pinch of nutmeg to veal and pork dishes; the Dutch, who know a thing or two about nutmeg after a 200-year vise-like grip of the Banda islands, grate the spice over mashed potatoes and cauliflower. Nutmeg sold in America comes from Grenada; the superior Indonesian variety goes to Europe.
12. Saffron: The world’s most expensive spice, with a slightly bitter, very distinctive taste and aroma. The best saffron is said to come from Kashmir and Spain, but much is grown in Iran and repackaged in other countries; buy from a reputable supplier. Infuse crushed saffron threads in a few tablespoons of warm water for 10 minutes, then use to flavor risotto, paella, curries and bouillabaisse.
13. Vanilla extract: Keep on hand a bottle of real Madagascar vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey. Use it in desserts of course, but its sweetness also complements fresh seafood. Jamie Oliver steams sea bass filets with lemon and vanilla; shrimp marinated in vanilla, garlic and onion, then sautéed with jalapenos is a specialty of Veracruz, Mexico.