Getting Spicy

Herbs and spices today.  Woo hoo!  Trying to avoid the grocery store has forced me to get creative with our food shopping.  Thrive Market and Savory Spice Shop have been great places to order spices online.  Savory Spice Shop is a small Colorado based business.  Coincidentally, I’ve been to one of their Colorado locations.  One of my best childhood friends now lives in Colorado, and she brought me to Savory Spice Shop when I visited her a few years ago.  So, I’ve been ordering spices from there and Thrive Market.

What are my staples?  Most are pretty common, but there are a few surprises.  In the spice cabinet, you will find garlic powder, onion powder, table salt, coarse sea salt, black pepper, white pepper, paprika, smoked paprika, ginger powder, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves.  (There are others, but I don’t use them often.)  Although they are not herbs or spices, you will also find vanilla extract and raw blue agave in the spice cabinet.  Did you find a few surprises in there?  Let’s discuss.

The garlic powder, onion powder, table salt, black pepper, paprika, oregano, vanilla extract, and thyme are pretty well known. If you have any questions about where to find them or what they can be used for, ask me!

White pepper is good because it adds a gentler pepper flavor without affecting the color of the food. You also don’t have to worry about dark flecks getting stuck in your teeth when you eat!  I’m sure you can find a  better description of white pepper elsewhere, but I have never claimed to be a chef.

Smoked paprika makes everything taste good!  I just learned about it a few years ago, and it was life changing!  It adds a little kick without being spicy. I would kind of compare it to bbq potato chip flavor, but healthier tasting. It definitely makes food more savory and flavorful.
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Coarse sea salt doesn’t have iodine like table salt and the salt crystals are bigger. I don’t usually cook with it, but I sprinkle it on some foods for a little extra flavor and texture.

Ginger powder is great when you don’t have ginger root available or if you don’t feel like peeling and chopping ginger root. Fun fact, I have way too much ginger root in my freezer right now because I got it three weeks in a row from Misfits Market...but I usually still use ginger powder when I cook because it’s way quicker and easier.  The ginger powder is great for certain marinades and stir fries. 

Bay leaves are for my soups.  (They can be used for other dishes, too.)

​Raw Blue Agave.  Oh, how I love raw blue agave.  I use it in my coffee, in stir fries, in marinades, on pancakes and waffles, and in baked goods.  It has a lower glycemic index than other sweeteners, and it doesn’t need time to dissolve in coffee like sugar because it’s a syrup.

What are your spice and herb staples?  I’m always looking for more ideas.