What’s In My Spice Cabinet
Spice management has become something of an issue in my house. I’ve been belly aching for weeks that I need to consolidate and re-organize my 60+ spices. Now that our TV is turned off for the month, extra time has materialized, and this weekend, I dug into my spice cabinets to take inventory and clean up. Not only was it productive, it inspired me to think about some new recipes to share with you and it gave me the answer to the question I’ve been asked a bunch of times recently… what are my favorite spices from Penzeys?
My Favorite Penzeys Spices
At the bottom of this post, you’ll find a complete list of everything in my spice cabinet – but to help you stock your own spice cabinet, here are my favorite individual spices and blends.
Individual Spices
These are the spices that come up in my recipes most often. If you have these at your disposal, you should have what you need to make lots of tasty recipes.
Bay Leaf: adds depth to stews and braised meats
Cardamom: key ingredient in coconut curries (usually along with coriander; you want at least one of the two)
Cayenne: adds a little to heat to just about anything
Chili Powder: for chili and Tex-Mex food
Chinese Five Spice Powder: for stir fry sauce and paleo egg foo yung
Chives: for scrambled eggs, steamed veggies, and creamy salad dressings
Cinnamon: must-have
Cocoa: for chili
Coriander, ground: for coconut curries
Cumin, ground: for Middle Eastern and Tex-Mex dishes. Also: MY. FAVORITE. SPICE.
Garlic Powder: for everything
Ginger, ground: for coconut curries
Maharajah Curry Powder: for curry fried f’rice and egg salad
Mint, dried: for salads and Middle Eastern dishes
Mustard, ground: for homemade mayo
Oregano: for everything Italian
Paprika: for Moroccan, Middle Eastern, and Eastern European dishes
Pepper, black: for everything
Red pepper, crushed: for Italian and Asian dishes
Sea Salt: for everything
Thyme, dried: for veggies (esp. green beans). Cajun food, and scrambled eggs
Penzeys Blends
These are the pre-made blends from Penzeys that I find myself reaching for again and again.
Greek Seasoning
mixed into beef or lamb, it tastes like gyro meat
blended with olive oil and lemon juice, it’s salad dressing and marinade
stirred into homemade mayo, it’s Greek dipping sauce
Italian Herb Mix
sprinkle on veggies or deconstructed hamburger salad
blend into creamy Italian dressing
Italian Sausage Seasoning
knead into ground pork
Pizza Seasoning
sprinkle into Italian sautés
season tomato sauce for meatza pie or spaghetti squash
blend into 10-minute pizza soup
Tsardust Memories
knead into ground pork or beef
use as a rub for roasted/grilled pork or beef
sprinkle on sautéed cabbage or spaghetti/winter squashes
Turkish Seasoning
knead into ground beef or lamb
use as a rub for grilled/roasted chicken, lamb, or beef
Zatar
sprinkle on salads, raw veggies, and cauliflower fouscous
Homemade Mixes
These are these are the spice blends I made myself and make sure to always have around so I can turn ingredients into Food.
Killer Kebab Spice Mix: my new go-to spice for ground beef and lamb when I’m feeling my heritage
Ras el Hanout: Moroccan blend of many spices that I sprinkle on just about everything
HOMEMADE Rogan Josh: kitchen requirement. Can’t live without it!
How I Organize My Spices
The mix-and-match jars were too difficult to manage – and because I buy many of my spices in bulk (4 or 8 oz. bags from Penzeys or the bulk aisle at the supermarket, I need “overflow” storage. Also: I HATE that a tablespoon measure won’t fit in the mouth of most spice jars. I mean, really? Are you kidding me with that spinkle top?!
So… I bought 1-pint an 1/2-pint mason jars and transferred most of my spices and blends to the jars. I labeled them, then obsessively made a list of all of them so when I look at a recipe, it will be easy for me to check if I have the spice in my kitchen. (I have two giant bags of whole coriander seeds because I didn’t know I already had a giant bag of coriander seeds. I’m pretty sure I’m set for life in the coriander seed department.)
Let’s take a look:
Spice overflow. This could use a better box, but it's working for now.
My "Primary" spice shelf. The jars are on lazy-susans so I can spin 'em to find what I need.
My "Secondary" spice shelf with tiny sample jars from Penzeys and things that get used in small quantities. On the right of the top shelf are new additions that I haven't tried yet. Who knows if they deserve a permanent mason jar + label?!
My master spice list, inside my secondary spice cabinet. The paper on the right is a list of recipe spice blends I use a lot. I'M. A. NERD.
So there you have it: more than you wanted to know about the spices in my kitchen.
As promised, here’s the complete list of everything I’ve got. P = Penzeys. S = Savory Spice Shop.
Everything In My Spice Cabinet
Herbs + Spices
Aleppo Pepper (S)
Allspice
Bay Leaf, ground
Bay Leaf, whole
Bouquet Garni (P)
Caraway Seed
Cardamom
Cayenne
Chili Powder
Chinese Five Spice Powder (P)
Chives
Cinnamon
Cloves
Cocoa
Coriander, ground
Coriander, whole
Cumin, ground
Cumin, whole
Curry Powder
Fennel Seed
Garlic Powder
Ginger, ground
Garam Masala
Horseradish Powder
Lemon Pepper
Maharajah Curry Powder (P)
Marjoram, ground
Mint, dried
Mustard, ground
Nutmeg
Oregano
Paprika
Pepper, black
Red pepper, crushed
Sea Salt
Sesame Seed
Sumac Berries, ground (P)
Thyme, dried
Thyme, ground
Turmeric
Wasabi Powder
Blends
Apple Pie Spice (P)
Breakfast Sausage Seasoning (P)
Chimayo Chorizo Sausage Spice (S)
Garlic + Herb Blend
Greek Seasoning (P)
Italian Herb Mix (P)
Italian Sausage Seasoning (P)
Krakow Nights (P)
Northwoods Fire Seasoning (P)
Ornate Onion Salt (S)
Pizza Seasoning (P)
Rogan Josh (P)
Tikka Masala (S)
Tan Tan Moroccan Seasoning (S)
Tsardust Memories (P)
Turkish Seasoning (P)
Zatar (P)
Homemade
Baharat
Kebab Blend
Ras el Hanout
Rogan Josh
Misc.
Almond Extract
Anise Extract
Coconut Extract
Bouillon, chipotle, tomato
Jane’s Crazy Mixed-Up Salt
Preserved Lemons
Vanilla Extract
And – because I can’t stop myself now – here are two sweet quotes about spices:
“Once you get a spice in your home, you have it forever. Women never throw out spices. The Egyptians were buried with their spices. I know which one I’m taking with me when I go.” – Erma Bombeck
“Variety’s the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor.” – William Cowper
Tags: cooking, dino-chow, paleo, spices
44 Responses to “What’s In My Spice Cabinet”
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Haha, I finally got to Penzey’s a few months back and spent a good half hour scouring your blog for commonly mentioned blends. This will make next trip way easier!
One thing that surprised me was that Pizza spice has sugar which I try and avoid when cooking for myself…
Yes, the pizza seasoning has some sugar. I’ve decided that I don’t care… but everyone needs to decide for themselves. I use it in such small quantities that the sugar is, to me, negligible. However, if you want to make your own pizza seasoning without sugar, this is pretty good (although, to my chagrin, not as good as Penzeys):
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 tsp fennel seeds
My spices pretty much live in the freezer. I buy them in small quantities from my food co-op; they come in labelled clear plastic bags.
Ever since we started eating paleo and cooking everyday, I have struggled with what to do with my ever increasing collection of spices (they quickly overflowed from their little spice rack home). I love your little jars on lazy susans – I may have to try that one! Thank you for the great list too – will definitely be trying out some of those blends.
If I was going to pick one, it would be the pizza seasoning just because it’s really magical with tomatoes and tomato sauce. But rogan josh is a close second, followed by Tsardust Memories.
The level of organization and labeling on display here makes me happy.
Thank you, Anthony. I feel much calmer about it all now, too
Oh my days! Talk about the spice-innundation!
Once I started buying one-offs for recipes, I never looked back. It’s fun having all that stuff at my fingertips. YUMMY, too.
Huzzah! I love Penzey’s. The Tsardust Memories is awesome on pork chops! And I am jealous you live near an HEB Central Market. I only get to visit the Houston one when I am home. Otherwise, can’t complain: we have a Penzey’s in downtown Seattle.
What kind of paprika do you have? Might I suggest, if it is not this one, that you try some Spanish smoked paprika? The flavor is awesome, and it goes on lots of things, whether animal or vegetable! One of my faves is over roasted broccoli with some ghee… Mmhmm!
Hello, other Mel! Right now, I just have regular sweet Hungarian… but I’ve tried smoked and you’re right: it adds a really nice depth of flavor.
Your list has motivated me to finally try a few new spices, can’t wait for them to be delivered!
Amazing deals for ordering online – I got a free 1/2 c. jar of Rogan Josh plus $5 off my order.
Penzeys always includes a free sample in their packages, too. SO fun!
I have lots of spices too. I used a labeler to label the covers of them and place them in low baskets (sort of like a 9×13 cake pan) in my cabinets. That way I can slide the basket out and get what I need without digging through stuff.
Joyce –> That’s a great idea! Nice alternative to the lazy susan.
Wow! This was a bit funny but also awe-inspiring. I totally give you a thumbs-up for being so organized – it makes a lot of sense and no doubt makes your life easier, which is a no-brainer when you think about it. Being a nerd rocks.
This is insanely nerdy – and insanely AWESOME! I am so jealous of this arrangement. Once again, thank you for inspiring me
Ps. I forwarded this to my mom who just loves Penzeys and thinks she “over does it” when she shops there.
Melissa M & Walker –> I will totally own the nerd label… as long as you keep thinking I’m awesome, too
And yes, I always over-do it when I order from Penzeys. It’s too hard to resist.
[...] by Mel over at The Clothes Make the Girl, who uses spices like no one else. Here is a post on her amazing spice collection. The use of spices is a cheap, easy and delicious way to totally transform your meals. I’m [...]
I am so excited that Austin now has a Penzeys. I went nuts the first time I went in there. It’s a good thing it’s a bit of a drive for me
I need to reorganize mine, I agree, the mix and match bottles and jars makes things harder to find
It’s almost time for me to do another re-org of my spices. I hit up the opening of the Savory Spice Shop and bought a bunch of stuff that’s just in piled-up plastic bags. No good!
I was wondering what is in the BBQ of the Americas? I have been (unsuccessfully)looking for something like that.
BBQ of the Americas is from Penzeys Spices.
It includes:
Coarse Kosher Flake Salt, Paprika, Jamaican Allspice, Cayenne Red Pepper, Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Thyme, Ginger, White Pepper, Korintje Cinnamon.
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysbbq_americas.html?id=higAsbgk&mv_pc=473
So going to copy the mason jar idea. Awesome.
[...] I am in love with just plain pepper. This is a great link to some good Paleo friendly choices. http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2011/05/09/whats-in-my-spice-cabinet/ . I have been getting my meat from Whole Foods – they say it is grass fed – is their [...]
I think I’m in love with you. Just found you from a few sources all in one day–Amazon, Everyday Paleo blog–and am so glad I did; your tagline alone puts into words a lot of things I’ve been striving for. (And you also face similar obstacles to me–right down to the Corporate Overlord Job. They DO pay rather nicely, though, don’t they? And on time, and everything?)
Subscribing in Google Reader and reading obsessively from now on.
And just a tip about those spices: I’m very near to investigating an RFID system for all my foods, and maybe an automatic reader. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could take inventory like a store does, just by bringing the barcode into the house? As a first step, I’m attempting to hack this with Amazon’s tools. Thoughts? I’m an engineering-type nerd, though, so this is right up my alley–what kind of nerd are you?
YAY! I’m so glad you found me… welcome!
I recently left my corporate overlord and am now my own overlord. WOOT! It’s been a pretty amazing transition, and I’m super excited because it means more time for quality blogging, recipe development, and cookbook writing.
OMG! A barcode on my spices would make me weep with joy. MAKE IT HAPPEN!
There’s always that weird code thing they have for smart phones now. I think you can even create your own. It’d save tons on equipment, I think…
I SO NEED to organize the spice cabinet. It’s literally a cabinet, one of those particleboard jobs that’s about as tall as I am (about 5’6″ or 5’7″). Belongs to the other adult in the house, and he’s terrible at organization.
I’m picky though. So terribly picky. I used to grow herbs as a hobby, and it’s appalling to me just how *old* so many herbs and spices are by the time they’re sold in the grocery store. Bay leaves seem to be the worst, but they’re not by far the only. (Bay leaves should look darker green and glossy, believe it or not. Ever seen them like that in a store? Didn’t think so…)
I think a large part of the problem is how they’re stored, more than the age. They’re often stored in plastic, and even when they’re in glass, the glass is crystal clear, all the better to let in all that UV light and degrade the plant materials. It is not like you need a whole lot of herb or spice per meal, so this can be a problem eventually.
So. I was thinking stainless-steel containers if I get around to fixing the mess in the spice cabinet. But I’d be happy if they just had brown or blue Mason jars. Have yet to find any. It makes me sad.
Check out Rose Mountain Herbs website to buy dark glass containers and organic herbs. Worth the visit.
I really love your cookbook. One problem though is finding a prepared Chinese 5 spice powder that includes star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and fennel seeds as you list in the book. I have searched high and low – on the net and various Asian stores and other specialty shops in my area to no avail. I finally resorted to making my own blend. I was able to get the Szechuan (Sichuan) peppercorns from The Spice House at a very reasonable price. It’s nice to have that spice on hand by itself. It is very unique and a wonderful addition to my spice cabinet. I’m not nearly as organized as you are but I’m well on my way to having everything you suggest on hand.
I also couldn’t resist getting some Jolokia “Ghost” peppers. Hot doesn’t begin to describe them but they also have a very unique flavor. Just a tiny slice along with the Szechuan peppercorns really spiced up the Chocolate Chile (my new favorite recipe). Guess you can tell I like things very hot and spicy!
Making your own spice blends is much more fun than buying them — good on you for tackling 5-spice. Love it!
You wouldn’t call me organized if you could see the state of my spice cabinets right now. I bought a bunch of new stuff, and it’s all in the plastic baggies it came in ’cause I’m out of room for jars. i need a separate shelving unit just for spices
I’d just like to throw out there for your Canadian fan base, there’s a site called silkroadspices.ca based out of Calgary which ships for waaaaaay cheaper than Penzey’s does to Canada. I ordered a really big order from Penzey’s before I discovered them, and the shipping was almost $100…where my order from silk road cost less than $10. Also, I found the quality to be a little notch up from Penzey’s and the bottles are beautiful. Only downfall is that they don’t have Tsardust Memories or Arizona Dreaming
Awesome. Thanks for sharing — that’s great!
I have a homemade Tsardust Memories ripoff recipe coming soon. Hang in there!
Psst… have you posted the recipe for it yet? I can’t find it.
Btw, I received Well Fed as a Christmas gift and I have been cooking up a storm!
Thank you for this list and where you bought them. I will have to buy a little at a time:)
Penzeys has several kinds of cardamom. Which type do you like the best?
I always get the ground cardamom because I’m too lazy to toast and grind the pods myself.
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyscardamom.html
Ground Guatemalan Cardamom Seeds (no shell)
Somewhere you mention buying sea salt with iodine. I am having trouble finding it. Is there a particular product? I see the one pictured in your cupboard says does not contain iodine. TIA
Both Morton and Hain make iodized sea salt. This is what the packages look like — I just buy it at my regular grocery store.
Morton
http://www.buythecase.net/uploads/products/200/2460001088.jpg
Hain
http://store.naturalfarms.com/images/P/iodized%20sea%20salt.jpg
There are a few spices I am surprised you do not have on your list:
Mustard seed
Basil
Onion, dehydrated/powder
Onion salt
Garlic salt
Parsley
Cinnamon Sticks
Rosemary
Saffron
Cream of Tartar
I don’t have rosemary in my cabinet ’cause it’s growing in my yard
This is a great post. I’ve been going a little crazy trying to figure out how to organize my spices now that I’m reaching for them more as I dabble in Paleo. Thanks! Unfortunately, we have no Penzey’s in Schuylkill County.
Penzeys.com is your friend!
[...] but these are the ones, in addition to sea salt and black pepper, that are absolutely essential. (Here’s a lengthy list of almost everything in my spice [...]
Do you know if the Penzey’s spices are gluten-free spices?
Penzeys individual spices and spice blends are gluten free EXCEPT for the soup blends, which are made by a different company for them.
Awesome! I’m hitting up a Penzeys soon and was looking for your suggestions! Thanks!