Add Spice To Your Life

Winter is well and truly here, and it’s cold outside. To warm yourself up why not start cooking with spices. To keep costs down, and to support your local shops, buy spices from an ethnic grocer rather than a supermarket. Good brands of spices will have a strong aroma. Many experts insist that you should toast and grind whole spices yourself as the flavour will be better, the aroma and colour of ready-ground spices can quickly fade.

After you have located your spices should invest in a spice rack. Spices are best used within three months of purchase (not kept for years!) They should be kept in airtight containers and away from direct sunlight and heat.

Fill up your spice racks as you go, if you are low on space get a wall spice rack.

It’s a good idea to have a clear out and replace any old packages of spices with new ones. It’s also better to buy small amounts frequently than to buy bulk amounts that will take you a long time to get through. Spices don’t last for forever, even if people do seem to keep them for years.

Here is a basic spice list to start with: Bay leaves, Black peppercorn, cayenne pepper, chilli powder, cinnamon ground, Cloves, Cream of tartar, Cumin, Curry powder, Ginger, Kosher salt, Nutmeg, Oregano, Paprika, Crushed red pepper, Rosemary, Sesame seeds, Thyme, Vanilla extract.

Happy cooking!