10 spices belonging to every spice shelf

Without spices, some of our dishes would taste far more bland and unspectacular. But there seem to be countless different spices available these days, and spice blends are also becoming increasingly popular. When cooking according to recipes, you often find very specific spices that you might not necessarily have at home. Is it worth buying them? So, what are the essential spices that should be part of every household's basic inventory?

Interesting facts about spices

Even our nomadic ancestors seasoned their dishes. For example, coriander was used in Israel 23,000 years ago, and garlic mustard was used in the Baltic region 6,000 years ago. In medieval Europe, spices were treated like treasures, and nutmeg and cloves were important status symbols.

One of the spices that we all use most often—pepper—was once as valuable as gold! Owning cinnamon was also a popular way to show off in the Middle Ages.

The most expensive spices today, however, are saffron, vanilla, and cardamom. The value of a spice depends on various factors. These include not only availability and production conditions, but also how trendy a spice is at the moment. And of course, the following also applies here: the less available, the more valuable a spice is.

What are spices made of and what are they good for?

Plant parts such as leaves, bark, seeds, or fruits are considered spices. Buds, flowers, plant roots, and bulbs can also be considered spices.

In addition to their obvious function of spicing up food and enhancing or enhancing flavors, spices are also used as preservatives and as a basis for medicines. Pepper, for example, also stimulates digestion, and rosemary stimulates the appetite.

Spice blends are becoming increasingly popular because they're easy to use and you don't have to buy ten spices individually, but instead find them all in one product. For many, they've become kitchen staples. The disadvantage of these spice blends is that you can't use the ingredients in isolation when you need them individually.

Today, I would like to focus on some important spices that are useful in every kitchen and that represent a solid basic ingredient for everyone.

10 important spices for your kitchen

1. Peppers

Paprika adds a lovely base flavor to almost all main dishes. The different types of paprika vary primarily in their spiciness. The most popular variety is sweet paprika, which lends dishes a warm, intense aroma while also imparting a pleasant fruitiness. The slightly hotter and more widely used variety is rose-hot paprika.

This spice pairs well not only with vegetable soups and stews, but also with pasta and savory spreads. It's also suitable for marinades and dips. The uses of paprika are virtually limitless.

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2. Oregano

This Mediterranean spice not only has a wonderfully pleasant aroma, but is also perfect for almost any Italian or Greek dish. Whether on pizza, in salads, soups, sauces, or with vegetables, oregano enhances all of these dishes with its spicy, slightly hot aroma.Unlike other spices, oregano does not develop bitter substances when cooked for too long, so it can be cooked for a long time.

3. cayenne pepper

The name of this hot spice is misleading: cayenne pepper is not an exotic type of pepper, but a chili. It is frequently used in Indian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Indonesian cuisine, and although it pairs perfectly with paprika and curry, it should be used sparingly when combined with other spices, as the spiciness of cayenne pepper will otherwise overpower and overpower the other spices.

It's a wonderful addition not only to meat and fish dishes, but also to soups and stews. And—if you're feeling adventurous—you should definitely try adding cayenne pepper to your hot chocolate!

4. Curry

Okay, a spicemixture It makes it into my top 10 spices—an absolute must-have for me. Depending on the blend, curry powder can contain 13 to 36 different spices! Standard ingredients include chili, turmeric (which gives curry its characteristic yellow color), cardamom, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Depending on the individual blend, curry flavors vary from sweet to spicy.

Curry is a very important component in many Indian dishes and exotic combinations with pineapple or coconut milk, but it also goes well with oriental rice dishes, dressings and sauces.

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5. Cumin

Cumin, also known as caraway, is one of the most popular spices worldwide and is used primarily in Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. Most of us probably know the fresh and slightly spicy aroma of cumin from hummus and falafel. But it also goes well with rice and grains, and of course with vegetables, couscous, and bulgur. It is primarily used in its ground form.

In terms of taste, cumin has very little in common with the more common caraway in our country and is also better suited to combination with other spices than its European relative.

6. Ginger

This spice has become an indispensable part of Asian cuisine. The fruity, spicy root provides a fresh, lemony flavor, lending many dishes that special something. Freshly chopped in tea, it has a healing effect on nausea and colds. It is also popular in powder form in Asian soups, sauces, and meat and fish dishes. Desserts such as fruit salads and cakes can also be enhanced with ginger.

7. Nutmeg

Nutmeg is used freshly grated and enhances potato dishes, soups, and stews. Meat dishes such as meatballs and vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, or pumpkin also benefit from the seeds of the nutmeg tree. Since the aroma evaporates quite quickly, the spice should not be cooked with the dish, but rather sprinkled over it just before serving. Incidentally, some desserts such as rice pudding, semolina pudding, and apple and cherry cake can also be enhanced with nutmeg!

8. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is also a versatile ingredient and a popular all-rounder in almost every kitchen. For me, cinnamon is a must in my morning porridge.Cinnamon is also often an essential ingredient in chai teas, cakes, cookies, and apple crumble. However, this spice isn't just for those with a sweet tooth: It also pairs beautifully with savory dishes like sauces or red cabbage, and pairs perfectly with ginger and cardamom.

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9. Vanilla

Vanilla's particularly sweet flavor enhances cakes, ice cream, and other desserts, making it particularly popular in baking. It's also used as a syrup in coffee and cocoa specialties.

To fully enjoy the aroma, it's best to use a real vanilla bean, from which the black pith has been scraped out. Unfortunately, vanilla bean beans are very expensive, which is why artificially produced vanillin is often used. The fact that real vanilla isn't cheap is primarily due to the very complex cultivation and harvesting processes.

10. Pepper and salt

Actually, I assume that everyone has these two spices at home.
Salt belongs in almost every dish—whether baking, cooking, or frying. The rule of thumb is: the finer the grain, the better the flavor develops. Sweet dishes also benefit from a pinch of salt, as it enhances the other flavors.
Black pepper is the perfect remedy for bland flavors, but it should be used sparingly, as the spiciness is difficult to neutralize. Nevertheless, there's hardly a dish that can't be seasoned with pepper. It's also increasingly being used in desserts and chocolate compositions.

If you would like to learn more about healthy eating, mindfulness or sustainability, take a look here over.
Let me know in the comments below which important spices you think no kitchen should be without!

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