No Such Thing as Too Many Spices (or Shoes)

With Purim over, we turn our attention to Passover.  I have been meaning to tackle the black hole known as my spice rack for ages. I easily have over fifty, and I’m pretty sure that’s excessive, even for me.

The Before Photos:

Let the Reaping Begin:

My goal here is to pare down to the necessities, and some “nice-to-haves.”  For the purposes of this post, I’m defining spices as ground seasonings. I am not including anything liquid or whole, such as seeds – I’ll save that for another post.  As always, this list should be customized and personalized to fit your needs.

Must-Haves:

 Salt (I have kosher salt, sea salt, table salt, and pink salt; but really, kosher salt and sea salt are all you need).

Ground black pepper (I prefer a medium grind).

Granulated garlic

Granulated onion

Sweet paprika

Cinnamon

Dried parsley (a girl needs her shortcuts!)

Ground mustard (mustard

powder)

Splurge: Pereg-brand Mixed Spices for Chicken* (I use this on EVERYTHING, though I usually make my own spice mixes – this is the exception to the rule).

Not Spices, Per-Se, but Must-Haves, Nevertheless:
White granulated sugar

Light brown sugar
Dark brown sugar (If you only have room for one, go with light).
Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners sugar

Ethnic Needs (Varies based on Cooking Preferences): (These are staples for me)
Turmeric
Cumin
Coriander
Red chili flakes
Chili powder
Curry powder
Garam Masala
Dried basil
Sumac
Saffron
Cardamom

 

Nice-To-Haves:
Allspice
Nutmeg
Dried dill
McCormick-brand Montreal Steak Seasoning*

What didn’t make the cut for me:

Let me know in the comments what your must-haves are, or if you think I left something out.

*Disclaimer: I have not been paid to feature any of the brands noted in this post.  They are just what I use and love.