The Best Spice blends are made by combining complementary spices. These mixtures give a dish a unique and complex flavor. You can create your blends or ask a spice master for help. Ideally, you should pick two or three different types to start. Your favorite ethnic cuisines can inspire these blends.
Consider what you’d like to cook to choose the best spice blend. For instance, if you like Mexican food, go for Mexican Seasoning. It contains black pepper, cumin, celery seed, chili peppers, oregano, paprika, and sea salt. For pickling, choose a spice blend with bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, dill, and mace mustard seeds. You’ll find many Mediterranean blends, too, which contain herbs such as basil, fennel, and dill.
Regardless of where you find your spice blends, you’ll probably find a few that have universal appeal. A popular spice blend is “Bharat,” which is Arabic for “spice,” It can refer to several different types of blends, each tailored to a specific dish. Several blends are made by Spice Tree Organics, based in Queens, N.Y. Another blend is called buharat, which is an alternative spelling of baharat. This blend is influenced by its Egyptian ancestry and blends musky cumin with floral coriander with a tinge of cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.
Another spice blend is Herbes de Provence, a blend from the South of France. Herbes de Provence has a savory kick and is great for salads. It can also be used in more hearty dishes. It contains many herbs and spices and has many health benefits.
Curry powder is a versatile spice that hits all the right notes. You can even make it at home. It will save you money because you won’t have to buy expensive spice blends whenever you need them. It also makes a great gift! It’s also a great project for kids. Kids can make their blends and store them in Mason jars. Just be sure to stir them before using them.
When choosing spice blends, check the quality of the ingredients. Some blends are better than others. Try out a spice sampler before you buy a whole jar of spices. You can also get sample jars at your local spice shop. Just make sure you buy from reputable sources so that the spices remain fresh. Some disreputable suppliers have been known to substitute cheap imitations for expensive spices.
You can also look at different blends by region. In India, for example, you’ll find chai masala, a traditional blend of spices with an earthy, spicy, and sweet flavor. It’s a great choice for meat dishes and even some vegetarian dishes.