Favorite spice

[Twigg]

Just curious as to what people seem to like or have as a favorite spice. I'm looking for responses beyond the usual suspects like salt, pepper, garlic, onion, etc. You know what I mean.

My personal favorite is homemade Leutschauer paprika and the runner up is cumin.

 

[M1k3]

Smoked paprika and nutmeg.

 

[dafox]

Chilis of all sorts followed by ginger.

 

[spaceconvoy]

Dill - I add it to homemade salad dressing, chicken soup, tuna salad, roasted potatoes... mmm, now I'm hungry

 

[btbyrd]

I'm using coriander more and more these days, especially on chicken, pork, and fish.

And though they're an herb, not a spice, I'm a fiend for chives.

 

[Twigg]

It's good to read why you like them and you uses. Also, herbs are fine!

 

[Mikeadunne]

I'm using coriander more and more these days, especially on chicken, pork, and fish.

And though they're an herb, not a spice, I'm a fiend for chives.

I feel like I can fit coriander in almost anywhere - versatile

 

[juice]

Salt
Garlic
Onion
Chillis (finally, he qualifies)

 

[tchan001]

Timut peppercorn.
Like Sichuan peppercorn but with a citrus flavor.

 

[parbaked]

Posh Spice was my favorite...

 

[RonB]

Beer - it goes with almost everything, (not so much a beer float ).

 

[billyO]

@parbaked beat me to it. But I was going to say Sporty......

 

[Chips]

Cumin all the way.

 

[alterwisser]

Smoked paprika and nutmeg.

Smoked paprika for the win!

 

[MarcelNL]

on #1: wild andilaman pepper, (a bit like timut, both akin to sichuan pepper), Pixian Douban (does that qualify?), fresh bayleaf, fresh holy basil, wild fennel seed (almost impossible to get), fenugreek

 

[dafox]

https://dune.fandom.com/wiki/Spice_Melange

 

[TheGreek]

Tough question. I'm all over the place so I don't get bored. If there is a clear winner for me it's: Greek Oregano! Wild is best. If it is fresh, only use it in the last 15 min of cooking as it gets too pungent for most tastes. My favorite is wild oregano that I dry myself. I'll mix my dried oregano with dried basil, dried mint, and dried rosemary (equal parts for all). That's my go to.

 

[AFKitchenknivesguy]

This limits my options, but I love cinnamon.

 

[LostHighway]

• Most used herbs & spices: salts, peppers, chiles (both fresh and dried), basil, cilantro leaf and coriander seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, oregano or marjoram edit : forgot rosemary
• Less commonly used but still staples: turmeric, cardamon both green and black, Sichuan pepper, sage, mustard seed, ajwain, sumac, cloves, fenugreek
• I also use a bunch of blends: garam masala, various curry blends, za'atar, ras el hanout, Chinese five spice, ...

 

[Bobby2shots]

Chipotle/Mango blend,,,,, Yummmmmmmmm

 

[rickbern]

Gotta give saffron a shout out here! Love it always, but it makes rice sing.

 

[F-Flash]

Anus, star anus,... star anise I mean! And smoked paprika.

 

[ecchef]

Been playing with Sansho pepper, galangal & sumac lately, along with staples fennel, coriander, smoked paprika. Herb-wise I like to sneak shiso in when I can.

 

[pgugger]

So hard to pick one or even just a few... maybe cardamom, Sichuan pepper, guajillo chile...

 

[KO88]

Home smoked powder from my superhot chillies (I grow 7pots mainly) that thing is TNT in mouth in both world heat and taste!

Then love cardamon, star anyze or chinese 5 spice (with pork specailly). Also use a lot kaffir lime leaves (frozen or dried) - love it in when making chicken stock or stock generaly...

 

[Oshidashi]

Ground Aleppo red pepper, rich taste and medium heat. And I am also a big fan of sambal oelek, Indonesian chili paste that I mix into almost everything.

Regarding Aleppo pepper, for those of you who are not familiar, quoting bonappetit,com: "[Aleppo pepper is] about half as hot as the crushed red chile flakes you put on your late-night dollar-slice pizza, and easily twice as flavorful. Like salt, Aleppo-style pepper is a flavor enhancer. It marries slow-building heat with earthy, cumin-y undertones and a little hit of fruity tang—and yes, it’s as delicious as it sounds."

 

[M1k3]

It's good to read why you like them and you uses. Also, herbs are fine!

Smoked Paprika- I like adding it to beans. Anything that could do with a little "pop of smoke". Works good in sour cream also. And for "I want to make BBQ, but don't have the space for a BBQ, so it gets cooked in the oven".

Nutmeg- I learned from an old Argentine lady making Italian pastas that it "gives a little extra something something". In moderation. Sort of like salt. I use the fresh stuff. Not as convenient to use but stays fresh longer.

 

[daveb]

Be careful opening this up to herbs in this crowd

My spice "rack" is a full three shelf cabinet. Among favorites are smoked paprika, various chile, bbq rubs (I typically buy them vs make them).
Favorite herb is rosemary, like the smell, like the taste, like the visual.

 

[Bert2368]

Various hot chilis, who could have guessed from what I post...

 

[spaceconvoy]

Be careful opening this up to herbs in this crowd

lol

To be pedantic, most people's favorite here is chili, but that's a new world fruit and was never part of the spice trade.

I agree with Oshidashi, Aleppo pepper is the best type of spicy dried fruit. For actual spices, I've come to like blue fenugreek a lot ever since I got into Georgian cooking. I add it to soups and stews to give a nice background warmth, like how M1k3 uses nutmeg. And my favorite sap / vegetable resin is asafetida. Just a tiny bit fried in oil before making dahl is a nice alternative to onions and garlic.