Spices, The Essence Of Flavor!

Have you ever had a meal, that although the presentation was glorious, the flavor just wasn’t there? The reason is simple, the person cooking held back on the spices. Spices are the essence of great cooking and every spice has its purpose and time in life. Those who can master the use of spices will consistently create dishes that have the “bang” factor. It’s that “bang” one receives with the first bite that can keep bringing people back to your table, or turn them away forever. This concept is quite evident in prepackaged foods such as TV dinners, frozen entrees, etc. Whenever I serve one of these, which is almost non-existent, my spice cabinet gets opened and the jars come out.
The only way to bring out the natural flavor of any meat is to use the proper blend of spices. Take for instance a nice rib eye steak. By itself it is just another piece of meat, but when you add minced garlic, olive oil, some sea salt and cracked black pepper, it takes on a new identity. Learning to pair meat with the various spices is not hard it just takes a little trial and error.
The remainder of this article will deal with the various spices, their flavor and what meats they work well with. So get out your spices bottles and follow along with me.

Allspice gives off a flavor similar to that of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon and works well with fish, sausages and braised meats.

Basil has a licorice flavor and is perfect for fish.Bay Leaf has an aromatic flavor and is essential in the making of sauces, stocks and stews.

Cayenne has a spicy flavor and works well with soups, sauces and is a component of many spice blends such as chili powder.

Chervil has a tarragon and parsley flavor and works well in sauces as well as chicken and fish.

Cinnamon lends an aromatic flavor and works great with ham.Clove has a pungent sweet flavor and works in sauces and meats such as pork.

Coriander is simply cilantro seeds and works great in sausages and pork.

Cumin resembles the flavor of caraway and has many uses in chili powder blends, sauces and all types of meat.

Dill offers a bitter flavor and is used extensively on fish and shellfish alike.

Fennel has a flavor similar to Anise and is used in sausage and on fish.

Garlic is an aromatic and goes with anything.

Ginger has a sweet flavor and is used in jerk rubs.

Juniper Berry lends a piney flavor and works very well with all types of wild game.

Marjoram is similar to Oregano and works well with all meats.

Oregano is a pungent herb and is used in various spice blends as well as Italian style sauces.

Nutmeg is an aromatic and can be used with chicken and veal.

Paprika is a sweet red pepper and is used in spice blends and sausages.

Rosemary is an aromatic and can be used with all types of meat and sausages.

Sage is another pungent herb and can be used with all meats.

Savory gives off a minty flavor and works with all meats and sausages.

Tarragon also has a mint flavor and works well with chicken, fish and sausages.

Thyme is an aromatic and can be used on all meats.

Turmeric has a mild pepper flavor and works well with all meats.

These are the basic spices that I always have around when I cook, whether for competition purposes, family gatherings or making sausage. Through experimentation with these spices, I have created many custom blends which I use in many different ways. Spending time “playing” with the different spices when you can is the only sure way to achieve a full appreciation for their value in cooking. Over time will you gain the knowledge and experience to become a master of “your” flavor ability. For more information on blending your own spices, go to my website www.grillinandsizzlin.com and check out “It’s All About The Meat, BABY!”. Until next time, have fun with your food and enjoy the experience that awaits you!