I need to update my spice rack. And I'm ready to be a little more experimental with my cooking.

What 6 spices can you not live without in your kitchen?

Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Oregano
Italian Spices
Cumin <been experimenting with this a tad>
Bacon Salt
(of course salt and pepper)
Cinnamon

Yes, that's more than 6.

Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Rosemary (fresh)
Basil (fresh)
Cinnamon
Poultry Seasoning
and I've been trying the new no salt blends. Quite tasty.

Thanks, Duchess! I guess I need to look at cumin. I've asked people around the office and every time cumin comes up. That seems to be *the* spice to have!

I've been seeing a lot of recipes with cilantro also.

Posh

spices:
black pepper
white pepper
garlic
cumin
Old Bay (both regular and Blackening)
cinnamon
nutmeg
allspice
celery salt
salt
(yes, I know that's more than 6, but you asked)

and you didn't ask for these, but I'll volunteer them - herbs I can't function without:
basil
oregano
rosemary
thyme
parsley

and to a lesser degree:
cilantro
mint
fennel
marjoram
chives
sage

Since I grow most of those, keeping a supply on hand isn't a big deal. If you don't grow your own, keeping a fresh supply can get pricey - dried are fine for most basic recipes.

I love cilantro!!

Thank you Becca. How do you store your fresh herbs? (and herb suggestions are equally welcome. Thanks)

I usually just go outside and cut what I need off the plants right that moment. Sometimes I'll go ahead and cut a fairly large "bouquet" and just put them in a jar of water like you would fresh cut flowers, or treat them like leafy greens (wash, wrap loosely in paper towels, roll up and store in a bag in the fridge). Some of the more prolific ones I hang up to dry, and some of the hardier ones I lay out on wax paper, freeze, and then store in ziploc bags in the freezer.

Thanks!

I dry the following:

oregano, various basils, thyme, rosemary

and I freeze chives

My spice list would resemble Becca's, but I'd add:

onion powder
cayenne
red pepper flakes
poultry seasoning
and the biggest jar I can find of chili powder!

Oh yeah - I forgot the cayenne, red pepper flakes, and chili powder. And ginger. And dill - I use lots of dill.

Can you tell that my spice cabinet is a bit crowded?

Heck, I even left off all the stuff that I keep on hand but don't use overmuch. Like poppy seeds, poultry seasoning, pickling spice, bay leaves (grow those, too), etc....

How do you freeze the chives? I love herbs, and grow many, but in a cold climate that only helps for part of the year. I've tried bringing chives inside in winter, without much success.

Dehydrated Garlic, Lemon Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Onion Powder, and a nice spice blend of some sort (current kick is a mild west indes curry blend.)

Of course my spice rack is filled to overflowing with lots of things I don't use because I fall back on garlic a lot.

Also, if you want to experiment, don't forget to try new oils, whether it be sesame oil or a garlic or jalepeno infused oil, and different sauces. If you use soy sauce, try the Vietnamese fish sauce.

I didn't think about the oils, BF. Thanks.

<<<< Process of building a spice cabinet. They do not make one big enough for my wife.

Oh, yeah...ginger and the dill, for fish especially! I forgot too..I was trying to picture my spice lazy susan! LOL!

Freezing chives...cut chives off plant leaving about an inch, fold to fit a small freezer bag...put in freezer. Break off what you need when you need it.

I don't think I would like living in a spice cabinet.

It would be very aromatic tho!

I have 2 corner wall cabinet with a three tier (very tall) lazy susan. I dedicate one to spices and one to misc plus baking supplies.

Six Spices:
1. Black Pepper
2. White Pepper
3. Cumin
4. Corriander
5. Tumeric
6. Paprika

Garlic Pepper
Lawry's
Oregano
Thyme
Basil
Cinnamon

I also like to keep dried onion around also.

I don't want to repeat what has already been said but I second all of them!

But I will also add:
1. Chipotle Powder (my new favorite!)
2. Smoked Paprika
3. Curry
4. Spike

Okay, another question -

When you buy a bottle of dried spice/herb, does it have a shelf life? Do they go bad or get stale and you need to toss them or, since they are dried, do they last indifinitely?

If they get stale or whatever, it means that one should only buy small bottles of things that may not get used every day, right?