Cupboard Cardinals: Homemade Seasoning Blends
Spice Mixes that are Must-Haves in Every Household
BY
MOLLY MILLS
Copyright 2021 by Molly Mills
License Notes
No part of this book may be copied, replicated, distributed, sold or shared without the express and written consent of the Author.
The ideas expressed in the book are for entertainment purposes. The Reader assumes all risk when following any guidelines and the Author accepts no responsibility if damages occur due to actions taken by the Reader.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Cooking with spices is being a step ahead of everybody else. There is something about the hundreds of spices, herbs and seasonings and the hundreds more of creative blends that were made from them that makes anyone an extraordinary cook. So, if you want to perform well in your kitchen, these are the spice and seasoning mixes you have got to learn to make and stock up:
Isnt it great to have a pantry well-stocked with all of the amazing spice blends? You will never have to crave ever again if you need to make a flavor-packed meal!
Of Amazing Spice Blends and Their Uses
There are countless spices, herbs and seasonings available. And there are about hundreds of different blends and combinations that you can find all over as well. Their use may only be a pinch or a part of a teaspoon at the most in each recipe, but they can do magic, significantly transforming the meal, just like that. Spices and the combination of several at a time can add a range of flavors into your food, enhancing its aroma, color and taste.
While it may seem too easy to track down spices and spice mixes at supermarkets, there are benefits to making them at home yourself, particularly the seasoning blends, which you can use on practically everything.
Making your Own Spice Blends: The Best Way to Go
Why mix your own blends when you can get them in jars at the supermarket? Well, first, it is very economical. Mixing spices can save you a lot of money. The things you will need for it are probably just sitting in your pantry. And you will only need a pinch of this and that.
Second, it is not so difficult to make spice mixes. All you need is just this spice mix recipe book and a few minutes, and you will have a good batch, which you can use for a long time.
Third, it is pretty nice to know everything, every ingredient that goes into your familys meals and anything that is homemade would have the feature. Many of the spice blends that are on store shelves usually contain lots of MSG, salt and anti-caking agents. You can drop all those and simply stick to whats essential if you are making them yourself.
From Spice Selection to your Collection
We have mentioned earlier that there are countless spices, herbs and seasoning mixes available in the market. How would you know which ones to stock up with? Obviously, it would be difficult to carry them all. One thing to remember is to stick to the basics. There are spices that are commonly required in everyday recipes, and you would want to have them on hand all the time. These include:
Peppercorns
Garlic
Ginger
Parsley
Basil
Saffron
Cinnamon
Cumin
Thyme
Paprika
From the basic ingredients, you can readily make interesting combinations. But, of course, some spice blends may require other ingredients from the list of hundreds. Our tip is that: make spice blends that have almost similar ingredient requirements, place them in separate mason jars with tight lids and label them appropriately. Store them in your cupboard or pantry.
Storage Notes
Storage is very important in order for you to gain all the benefits of making homemade spices mixes and seasoning blends. If you want to make it worth it, make sure that you know how to store them properly. Here are a few notes to keep in mind:
Dont make a lot of everything. A little of everything can already go a long way because most dishes will only require a small portion of spices in the recipes. Each of our recipes in the book could last you 6 months at least. That should be good enough as that is also the shelf life for the spice mixes.
Use a funnel to transfer your spice mixes into your storage jars. It will save you a lot of headaches. You will also avoid spilling your seasoning blends all over the place.
Place your spice mixes in dry and clean tightly lidded jars made of glass or metal. They should also keep well in food-grade plastic or silicone containers in which you can pump out as much air as possible before sealing.
To keep them from clamping, you may place some dried beans into the jars with the spice mixes. The dried beans will absorb the moisture and keep it away from the spices.
Keep the lid tight all the time and store the jars in kitchen cabinets where they will not be exposed to light. It will help keep them from becoming hard.
Spice mixes are not for the fridge. Their ideal storage is, as we mentioned, in closed kitchen cabinets, where it is cool, dry and dark.
Label your spices properly and include their bottling date and expiration date. Spices do not spoil, but they do lose much of their flavors or their potency once they are past their shelf life. Thats why it is not advisable that you make huge batches because if you are not able to use them within 6 months, they will just go to waste.