Time To Spice Things Up!

[JSegura226]

I have been gluten-free for 11 days and am getting tired of plain chicken breasts/fish etc.. I need some spice in my life! I really like dill,pepper,salt and also like spice blends. I need a reliable gluten-free spice source though. What are your favorite spices and where do you get them? I also love shopping online and would love it if someone could give me a good website that offers gluten-free spices that do not have cross contamination risk. Thanks!

[love2travel]

Ah...one of my favourite topics. Spices! I have over 100. McCormick's is gluten-free EXCEPT for a few seasoning blends. Penzey's is an excellent online company. Although they don't ship here to Canada I get people to pick them up for me from the U.S. I always buy small amounts of whole spices and grind them myself to make blends, dry rubs, seasoning salts and so on. If you buy whole spices (i.e. whole coriander, Szechuan peppercorns) I highly recommend dry roasting them first to bring out their wonderful flavours.

Spices (and herbs for that matter) truly make a vast different. I love 'em so much that if I could I would be a spice merchant!

My list is soooo long but includes:

- thyme leaves

- marjoram

- whole coriander

- whole cumin

- ajwain

- rubbed sage leaves

- pink "peppercorns"

- lavender

- annatto seeds

- alleppo pepper

- cubeb pepper

- grains of paradise

- saffron

- long peppers

- Szechuan peppercorns

- juniper berries

- allspice berries

- oregano

- Spanish paprika

- summer savory

- mahlab

- sumac

- epazote

- nigella seeds

- green cardamom pods

- whole nutmeg (to grate myself)

- true Saigon cinnamon quills

- mace blades

Don't forget to order dried chiles you can dry roast and grind to make chili pepper and tons of rubs and blends!

It is also helpful to have a few salts on hand; kosher for brining, sea salt for general use and a nice finishing salt - they make all the difference. (I have over 20 kinds of salt.)

Enjoy experimenting!

[alex11602]

love2travel,

If I could just ask where you buy saffron? My whole family loves saffron rice, but it only comes in tiny packages so I was thinking I could make my own. Have you ever used it for that purpose? Thank you in advance.

[love2travel]

I get saffron from my local grocery store or from my in-laws who winter in the US. It's expensive but it goes a long way! One of my favourite uses for it is Risotto Milanese. Very easy to make...

Open Original Shared Link

[Marilyn R]

I have been gluten-free for 11 days and am getting tired of plain chicken breasts/fish etc.. I need some spice in my life! I really like dill,pepper,salt and also like spice blends. I need a reliable gluten-free spice source though. What are your favorite spices and where do you get them? I also love shopping online and would love it if someone could give me a good website that offers gluten-free spices that do not have cross contamination risk. Thanks!

I love fresh serrano peppers! I chopped up a tiny serrano pepper tonight, with the seeds, along with some cilantro (which I buy) and homegrown fresh basil and parsley. I used about 5 T. fresh chopped herbs with the serrano pepper as a rub for a fish filet. (Washed and dried the filet, drizzled a bit of olive oil on both sides, added s&p to tasted, then rubbed on the herb/pepper mix. That sat at room temp while I prepped and started cooking the starch and veggies, then went on the grill wrapped in a banana leaf (but you could use parchment paper and/or aluminum foil on the grill or in the oven. The fish was delicious. My guy doesn't really like fish, but he loved this fish.

The fresh herbs I grow, by the way, are just $2.00 purchases from Lowe's and stuck in big clay pot in my front porch. I water them every morning with what's left of the coffee and enough water to fill up the pot. I have fresh sage and thyme in there too. Mint is really nice and easy to grow, and super good with artichokes!

My other favorite spices are cumin seed, mustard seed, curry powder and tumeric. You might enjoy exploring some Indian cookbooks or websites. Once you purchase some of the basic spices used in the recipes, there's a whole new world of cooking for you. (Even green beans can be intriguing.)

Nice post, and bon appetitite!