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Must-Have Spice Blends That Culinary Experts Swear By

BobM

Hellcat
Good interesting recent 12/2021 article if you're into cooking with spices and trying different ones out. Is a longer article and read interspersed with different advertising. This article is about multipurpose spice blends. Some blends have been out for years and may be familiar to some people in different parts of this and other countries, while some may not be. The lists of spices and spice blends can be staggering. Having well over 50 different types and blends can easily add up.

Some spice blends can be made from scratch using a food dehydrator or what some people in the past have done is use a stoves oven with a pilot light to slowly dry out spices with it's gentle slow heat. Have used both methods in dying out fresh spices and herbs.

A related idea is turning sometimes considered garbage by some people into spices or into spice blends. Many blends or just simple spices can be made by using orange, lemon or lime peelings for example. Other examples can include dried onion and garlic for another example. Simply dehydrate peelings or fruit, veggie, grind in a spice grinder or sometimes a coffee grinder to desired consistency. Use as is or combine the spice into different spice blends

Ground citrus peel can add a lot of flavor to many foods. Cooking with fruit generally can. Usually with meat and fish by simply sprinkling on or rubbing in, but can work well with other foods too.. Grilling and or heat can release some surprising tastes from spices when cooking just like when using alcohol based methods, like beer, wine or distilled beverages can by altering the tastes of both. Spices can easily open up taste buds and make many foods more appealing.

 
I'm always happy to try new things with food. My go-to is fresh ground pepper, sea salt, and powdered garlic on pork, chicken breasts, and most kinds of red meat. Roasted poultry, tenderloins and other roasts, and seafood are different.

Is a great start. You may like ground orange peel then? It tastes little like oranges. Hard finding, easier to make. Out on the grill, orange peel and black pepper take on a whole new meaning of good just by the aroma. The taste is even better than the smell. Oh, great, just made myself hungry. :)
 
South Indian Vegetarian is my favorite cuisine. The Indians use combinations of spices, nuts, roots, seeds, leaves and herbs that produce flavors found no where else. It is the only cuisine that I never need a salt or pepper shaker on the table. Many of the spices I've made from scratch, first, require a slight roasting, (intensifies the flavors) just enough for a color change in a small iron skillet, then processing in mortar/pedestal. Compared to other cuisines, Indian food preparation requires the most time, equipment, ingredients, and clean up. It is labor intensive and expensive but OH is it worth it. Many Indian buffets cater to the "western client" and are not really authentic Indian cooking; these are found only in areas where a concentration of Indians live. I'd like some cilantro/mint chutney with popadams right now!
 
South Indian Vegetarian is my favorite cuisine. The Indians use combinations of spices, nuts, roots, seeds, leaves and herbs that produce flavors found no where else. It is the only cuisine that I never need a salt or pepper shaker on the table. Many of the spices I've made from scratch, first, require a slight roasting, (intensifies the flavors) just enough for a color change in a small iron skillet, then processing in mortar/pedestal. Compared to other cuisines, Indian food preparation requires the most time, equipment, ingredients, and clean up. It is labor intensive and expensive but OH is it worth it. Many Indian buffets cater to the "western client" and are not really authentic Indian cooking; these are found only in areas where a concentration of Indians live. I'd like some cilantro/mint chutney with popadams right now!
Not sure what part of India chicken Tikka marsala is from but I love it!
 
This is what we have been using lately

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Here's a really good seasoning that can be used in all different kinds of dishes. I like it coated over a baked boneless skinless chicken breast with a side of Spanish rice.

Authentic homemade Sofrito is amazing but the stuff in the jar is good.
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Here's a really good seasoning that can be used in all different kinds of dishes. I like it coated over a baked boneless skinless chicken breast with a side of Spanish rice.

Authentic homemade Sofrito is amazing but the stuff in the jar is good.
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Almost anything Goya brand is good, one of the best, and as about as authentic can get in the US unless sometimes something homemade. I learned to cook many years ago because like to eat good food at home. Spices are almost always part of that.
 
Almost anything Goya brand is good, one of the best, and as about as authentic can get in the US unless sometimes something homemade. I learned to cook many years ago because like to eat good food at home. Spices are almost always part of that.
We use a few different Goya products in our house and your right they are really good.

I had a lot of authentic Puerto Rican and Dominican food in the city I grew up in because there were restaurants and stores on every corner in my area. I've had the best pork dishes made with Spanish seasonings and recipes.
 
We use a few different Goya products in our house and your right they are really good.

I had a lot of authentic Puerto Rican and Dominican food in the city I grew up in because there were restaurants and stores on every corner in my area. I've had the best pork dishes made with Spanish seasonings and recipes.

Was like that were I grew up too with so many good mom and pop restaurants all over the place, except most were Italian, a few Spanish ones and a few others like Polish and German ones. Greek food is some of my favorites too. Moussaka (Eggplant) pizza is fantastic by the way! - Talk about a twist and likely wouldn't realize eggplant as a topping? Was lucky growing up with so many ethnic restaurants around then. So many are gone now.
 
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