List of Spice Mixes

David Trammel's picture

Thought this was a great list of how to make popular spice mixes. Feel free to add the ones you know or use.

Note, they use a small t for teaspoon and a capital T for tablespoon. 1 T = 3 t.

Thanks! This is very helpful.

ClareBroommaker's picture

Since I'm waiting for my brine to cool down to room temp (driving off chlorine), I had a look at the pickling mix to compare with what I'm using for a gallon of cucumber pickles.

I use only three small cayenne chilis compared to 2 tablespoons crushed in the mix above. Whooee, that would be too hot for me.

My spices for half sour dills:
3/4 t peppercorn crushed
3/4 t coriander crushed
3 Mediterranean bay leaf (though am interested in knowing if eastern North American bay is any good)
3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
3 dill head (or 1 T dill seed)
3 small cayenne

The brine, BTW, is 4 1/2 T salt to 9 cups water

David Trammel's picture

I feel like my biggest problem with growing herbs or using spices is not know which ones to use, and how. Used to be you were taught that, either by your parents who cooked themselves, or at school in Home Ec. What to do if you're in your 60s and not sure?

ClareBroommaker's picture

Read recipes? Ask what is in foods you buy from restaurants or are served by others? Read labels? Experiment? Taste spices all by themselves and ask yourself where you've tasted that before?

alice's picture

The way I have learned is by looking up recipes, mainly for seasonal produce, and trying those out. If I like it I print or write out a recipe and stick it in a hardback notebook or more lately in flimsy in a ring binder folder. Do you have favourite dishes that other people cook for you? Sometimes you can find recipes for popular dishes if you look online. I have been learning to cook a while now and one of the things is that I know what I am looking for in a recipe but I think that comes with practice. I try to think about anything I am just beginning by thinking, 'hey, if I start now in five years I will be pretty good', does that work for you?

Some you might like to try?

Hari Ghotra's pakora recipe https://www.harighotra.co.uk/vegetable-pakora-recipe

Dassana Amit's restaurant-style Dal fry https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/dal-fry-how-to-make-prepare-dal-fry-re...

Wellness Mama's Authentic marinara https://wellnessmama.com/8907/pasta-sauce/comment-page-1/

Algerian style Couscous -- although we make it with quinoa instead https://www.food.com/recipe/algerian-couscous-184014

These are all more 'enjoying cooking' recipes than JMG's 'not spending longer prepping than it takes to eat' style.

Also I have a few ancient cookbooks which I am slowly trying out.