I have a 16 piece empty spice rack. What are the basics/essentials that I need to fill out this rack.?

For a nice mix of colors/textures among commonly used spices I would choose Bay Leaf, Basil, Black Pepper, Celery Seed, Chili Powder, Cinnamon,(whole sticks would look interesting) Cloves, (whole cloves would give more texture than ground cloves) Garlic Powder, Ground Ginger, Dry Mustard, Oregano, Parsley Flakes, Paprika, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme. (You might consider using Dill instead of the Oregano, it would depend on which you would use most often.)

Ground spices really, really, really need to be kept somewhere cool and dark, they lose their flavor REALLY quickly. That would rule out pretty jars on the wall, but you want your spice rack to look nice. I understand that, since spices can be very pretty. So my advice would be to invest in a spice grinder (a small mortar and pestle or an electric coffee grinder- you can get either for under 10$, and all you need to do is wipe them out with a dry towel after use) and buy whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, star anise, whole pink and white and green peppercorns, and cardamom. Go to a Whole Foods type place and just see what smells and looks nice to you. Fill the rest of the jars with dried herbs like bay leaves, thyme, oregano, marjoram, tarragon, rosemary, etc. These are fairly cheap, just try to replace them once or twice a year. Food snobs will say that you should only ever use fresh herbs no matter what, but dried is generally fine, esp. in things that are cooked for any length of time. I've never been able to tell the difference between fresh and dried oregano in spaghetti sauce, for example. The only herbs that are pretty much useless in their dried forms (I find) are basil, parsley, and cilantro. They somehow lose all their flavor when dried.

1. Garlic

2. Onion

3. Allspice

4. Oregano

5. Thyme

6. Cinnamon

7. Tarragon

8. Cumin

9. Cloves

10. Lemon grass

11. Bay leaf

12. Chile peppers

13. Rosemary

14. Marjoram

15. Mustard

16. Caraway

17. Mint

18. Sage

19. Fennel

20. Coriander

21. Dill

22. Nutmeg

23. Basil

24. Parsley

25. Cardamom

26. Pepper (white/black)

27. Ginger

28. Anise seed

29. Celery seed

30. Lemon/lime

Pick what u like... :)

Basic spices should include the following: salt, black pepper, garlic salt and garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, basil, minced garlic, steak spices, dried chili flakes, ...Just remember that spices do have a shelf life. They don't go bad, they will loose their flavor at some point, so that is why I used to buy my spices at a dollar store. They have a decent selection of basic spices and some that are unusual, like french fry salt, which is actually preety good! Either way, go to the dollar store and you can also pick up those small little, round stickers so you can label your jars. Spices should be used within 6-12 months. Who knows, you may pick up cooking this year! Happy New Year!

1) Bay Leaves,

2) Paprika,

3) Garlic Powder,

4) Cumin Seed,

5) Cayenne,

6) Ground Chile,

7) Cinnamon,

8) Nutmeg,

9) Oregano,

10) Thyme,

11) Vanilla,

12) Pepper,

13) Curry Powder,

14) San-sho (Chinese spice),

15) Turmeric,

16) Ginger

If you need any help using any of those (though all are pretty basic for everyday stir-fry and snacks) E-mail me on MySpace. Good luck cooking!

the rack is for show? then what do you care? buy the cheapest ones.

otherwise, if you really plan to cook, it depends on your own favorite foods and what types of foods you might be cooking the most often. there are tons of spice "mixes" as well, but some regular spice standards might be: chili pepper, black pepper, ginger, parsley, oregano, basil, etc.

i'm sure if you go stand in front of the spice section at the grocery store you'll figure it out.

basic spices:

Parsley

Basil

Oregano

Garlic Powder

Paprika

Red Pepper Flakes

Cinnamon

Meat Tenderizor

Dill Weed

Seasoned Salt

Optional Spices:

Nutmeg and/or Pumpkin Pie Seasoning

Cloves

Sage

Thyme

Rosemary

Corriander

Lemon Pepper

Peppercorns

White Pepper

Basil, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, garlic salt, onion powder, cumin, curry powder, celery salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, allspice, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rosemary are all pretty basic falvors that are a good stable to any spice cabinet, I think. . .

I used to, but I don't use many of the spices that came with it, so I threw it away. I keep all the spices that I frequently use in the cabinet next to the stove.

learn to use them! it's the best way to add FLAVOR to your food, without adding fat and a ton of extra calories!

(in no special order)

parsley

oregano

basil

cinnamon (increases your metabolism, so it's a great weight loss aid)

nutmeg

ginger

cumen

thyme

cilantro

red pepper (also good for keeping squirrels out of your flower beds)

black pepper

white pepper

dill

garlic powder

onion powder

coriander

(you should see our cabinets - those are just a start, we have everything from summer savory to saffron to tamarind - but I tried to pick out some basics for you that aren't too expensive and are easy to use.)