Spices are a daily part of my life. It is one of the constant items that are in my kitchen. They are essential. As a home cook and a bit of a control freak (only a little), I make my own spices. Buying spices at the store is fine, but I have found with making my own spices I can cater to my own likes and dislikes.
The major benefit is the ability to control the amount of sugar and salt in my recipes. I have often found that the amount of each in the store-bought spices is too much for me. When I started making my own spices, it was because the only thing I could afford at the time were ten-pound bags of chicken. leg quarters. Doing the same thing after a while can be boring. But with different seasons and side dishes, dinner can be something to enjoy. I have expanded over the years. I now make seasonings for about anything I cook.
There have been times in my life if I can afford it I will buy fresh herbs and dry them out to use in my seasoning mixes. I often buy thyme, rosemary, and basil There is so much you can do with your seasonings My daughter and I call it the mad scientist routine. All I buy is the basics from the store like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and more.
Sometimes for me, it is cheaper to buy my basic seasons in seed form. So when that happens I use a coffee grinder to grind down the seeds or my dried herbs. My coffee grinder was purchased at my local thrift store. I only use that one for my seasoning. I have a separate one for my coffee. And properly labeled so I don’t mix them up.
I will give you a few cautions. They are things I learned on my spice journey. One, you are going to want to have a face mask handy, and right now most households have them. When using that much powder it is going to go up your nose. My daughter will have a sneezing feast when we forget to wear a mask. The second is that your spices will change a little in smell and taste after they have been sitting for a couple of days. The spices are melding together and so you will want to taste them to see if you need to make any changes.
Have fun and experiment! Tell me how you changed yours and your experiences with your spices. What was your favorite one? And don’t forget to share with your friends.