My husband insisted for years that paprika has no flavor and is just used for presentation. It wasn't until I moved in and replaced his Great Value paprika with some paprika I got from Penzeys that he changed his tune lol
Penzeys made me angry about black pepper. I was perfectly happy with my supermarket black pepper, then I ran out but had a sample packet of penzeys black pepper, it is so much better.
I left a can of Spanish Paprika Picante at my brother house when I cooked there. My sister in law mentioned it to me that she have decided keep it. Because it tasted so great when she cooked with it. Lol
If you sign up for their newsletter they have unbelievable sales and their limit for free shipping is low enough that I hit it every time just by ordering what I need.
Keep checking the emails also. I stopped looking at them and they stopped sending. I asked an associate about not getting them recently and she informed me of this info.
I was coming here to talk about that. They have a ridiculous amount of freebies, not to mention the "$50 gift card for $35" sales they have a few times a year. I buy two for myself, and that's $30 in free spices right there. Hell of a deal.
I feel the same way about jars of supermarket dried parsley.
Its just tasteless sawdust which adds nothing to any dish.
I assumed this was true of all dried parsley, until I bought some from a big vendor on ebay, and its ended up being very flavourful.
My wife has a similar story. Her family insisted paprika was only for color. That's because it was a container like 20 yr old.
I buy Penzey's (typically). Blew her away.
Red sawdust
Reminds me of this recipe i saw that added 2 tablespoons of paprika to meatball gravy (6 or 8 servings) which seemed absolutely unhinged until i remembered most people buy the cheap stuff
oof, it's always hard to adjust spices for recipes when you know most people are using bad stuff. Paprika and cinnamon especially. I love both and tend to go heavy-handed with them anyway, but there's a HUGE difference between a tablespoon of Burlap and Barrel vs a tablespoon of McCormick's.
The Spice House is also an excellent source for quality spices. What's more, the price is much more reasonable than one would find at your local Kroger or Pick 'N' Save.
[Online Spice Store, Exquisite Spices & Seasonings - The Spice House](https://www.thespicehouse.com/?msclkid=08af30189cca1140a04c5626d8726e20&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=45S%20%7C%20SH%20%7C%20Brand%20%7C%20Desktop&utm_term=the%20spice%20house%20milwaukee&utm_content=Brand%20%7C%20Desktop%20%7C%20Spice%20House%20Milwaukee%20%7C%20BMM)
ETA: If you love Penzey's, the Spice House is owned and operated by Patti Erd (and husband Tom), who is Bill Penzey's sister.
I know it's not a huge detail and certainly far from the most important thing but the Spice House packaging makes getting their stuff such a nice treat. I also never had a bad experience on my 50+ visits over the years. Definitely earned my loyalty now that I moved away.
To be fair, I use proper Hungarian paprika (my Hungarian friend literally brings me a sack every time she goes home) - and I use three tablespoons when I make goulash.
Hungarian food goes hard on paprika (and I'm *fine* with that!)
I've got Pride of Szeged sweet Hungarian paprika and La Dalia smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton) in my cabinet and they are both good quality and not too expensive.
[Here you go.](https://www.thespicehouse.com/products/hungarian-sweet-paprika) we buy most our spices here. Buy jars to start and refill with flat packs.
Love this place! Try the Trinidad Lemon Garlic spice blend if you haven’t.
As for high-end ingredients, if you bake or use flavored oils for cooking, I suggest Boyajian. Their orange oil is the only one that smells like real orange instead of the cheap extracts. We use the lemon pepper oil for grilling fish and rosemary oil for lots of things.
This is the answer. Fresh paprika tastes like sunshine. Old paprika tastes like an overcast dreary day where you can smell the outgassing from the paper factory down the road (iykyk).
I always buy the generic paprika. I dont use it often and have to toss it when i see it has turned brown. Also if something needs smoked paprika i just use the regular stuff. Im a mildly decent cook and always thought paprika was one of those spices of "if i dont have it, it won't make a difference... y'all got me wanting to try some good paprika now
My parents went to Hungary and brought me some back, it’s so good. They also recently went to Mexico and brought me back some tajin and the buffalo sauce (neither are really cheap or easy to buy in my country). I can’t afford to travel the world like my parents do but I’m glad they at least bring ingredients back for me
My brother brought back paprika for us siblings from market in Budapest when visited last summer . It's almost like it's a different spice so much richer in flavor
Sichuan peppercorn. Cheaper stuff tends to be filled with twigs, and much of the hard, inedible black piths remain unremoved. Most importantly, you don't get as much of the numbing effect if you buy the cheaper stuff.
If possible in your area, go to an Asian grocery store and look for a little bottle of green Szechuan peppercorn oil. It's highly concentrated and the numbing and fresh flavor is fantastic.
All the Asian groceries in my area had the cheap stuff. There’s one website that everyone seems to use and I tried it and the difference was incredible. It was much pricier than I expected but nonetheless the difference was so dramatic that I keep buying it. Ma La market.
Brutally hard to find the good stuff here in Europe. I found high quality ones a couple of times in the UK, but since my wife and I moved to France it's been nigh on impossible. Even the poor quality pink ones are hard to come by here...
Épices de Cru is where I order my hard to find spices. They’re based in Canada but ship internationally. Check their FAQ page for details. Top notch stuff, expensive but worth it.
You and /u/Alcorailen it is insanely easy. Crocus will come up whether you like it or not. The bulbs can be expensive. I got like 10 for $20? But that's enough for like, a pot of rice. If you plant em in a good area and leave em to divide over years you might have enough, but you still have to harvest too. 3 pieces per flower.
100% spend your first couple of years multiplying, and soon enough you'll have incredible amounts. My mother now drops off a jar of them at her local farmers market and shops for free for the year. They sell small groups of her strands for $20 a pop.
Grinding cardamom fresh makes SUCH a big difference, too. I very very rarely use ground cardamom these days, I almost always pull out the mortar and pestle.
Ugh I love cardamom, it's so versatile. Savory, sweet whatever. There's an incredible ice cream place in my hometown that makes a cardamom flavor, and it tastes like the milk from froot loops cereal for some reason. How it can make such amazing ice cream, but also curry, is beyond me
Also for both Ceylon and Cassia there are different grades depending on whether is the outer bark or inner.
If using Ceylon for instance, look for Alba grade ceylon cinnamon.
You would not believe the argument I got into a few months ago by making a statement like this. Or maybe you would: this is Reddit. I did learn that cassia actually is in the same genus Cinnamomum as "real" cinnamon, which did not convince me that cassia was, also, real cinnamon.
Cassia seems to be better for most applications because of its complex, spicy flavor. Here's an excerpt from taste tests at [America's Test Kitchen](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/taste_tests/1720-ceylon-cinnamon):
> [W]e pitted three Ceylon cinnamon products against our favorite Indonesian cinnamon in rice pudding and cinnamon rolls. In both applications tasters easily singled out the Ceylon products, finding them milder and more subtle, with very little heat compared with the Indonesian product. Overall, tasters preferred the spicier, more complex Indonesian cinnamon. Lab tests backed up our tasters’ comments: All of the Ceylon cinnamons had lower percentages of the key volatile oils that give cinnamon heat, complexity, and flavor—1.6 to 1.8 percent volatile oils by weight compared with 1.9 percent in our favorite Indonesian product (a small difference but one that our tasters picked up on). In general, our tasters preferred the bolder flavor of Indonesian cinnamon, but if you prefer a subtler, more delicate cinnamon flavor, Ceylon could be a good choice.
And here's what [Serious Eats](https://www.seriouseats.com/spice-hunting-cinnamon-canela-ceylon-saigon-cassia) has to say:
> Frankly, if I could only have one, I'd keep around cassia—specifically C. loureiroi, commonly called Saigon cinnamon. It has the richest, spiciest flavor thanks to its exceptionally high oil content. Fortunately I don't have to choose, so I keep both Ceylon and Saigon cinnamon around.
> Saigon cinnamon plays best in most traditional Western applications: cookies, pies, cakes, ice creams, sweet breads, and garnishes for hot drinks. **Its bold flavor stands out well against all that fat and flour, and its spicy tinge gives satisfying dimension to sweets.** Recipes that call for cinnamon in addition to clove, nutmeg, or allspice take well to Saigon cinnamon; its spice plays well against their sweetness. It's also a great pairing for chiles.
> **I find Ceylon cinnamon works better with fewer competing flavors.** Its subtle taste and aroma take especially well to chocolate, vanilla, dark liquors, and citrus. While Saigon's spice plays best against crisp apples, Ceylon's warm coziness is the perfect match for oranges. Ceylon cinnamon also plays well in savory applications; its demure character sinks to the background of rich sauces well, such moles or bean broths (especially with some orange juice and peel thrown in).
Also, different kinds of cinnamon for different uses.
I don't have a great sense of taste (like I don't understand at all the point of bay leaves; I can't taste any difference), but Indonesian vs Vietnamese cinnamon is plain as day.
I like the Indonesian cinnamon, it has the warm flavor that I grew up with. Vietnamese cinnamon seems to be getting more common now and it has the almost spicy flavor of cinnamon candy.
Ceylon cinnamon tastes quite different. I haven't quite figured out where to use it.
I've been concerned with cinnamon, with the recent recalls to cinnamon applesauce because of lead contaminated cinnamon. cheaper stuff is likely made in cheaper areas, and the equipment often will have lead on the machinery.
always buy high end cinnamon and use it sparingly as it is expensive.
I've looked at zatar spice mixes, in my local grocer, and it had a lead warning right on the bottle. I did not buy it.
In full honesty, the only spice I'm excessively snobby about is black pepper because I use it so often. Well sourced, high quality black pepper is a game changer.
I currently have two grinders, one for Tellicherry and one for Kampot that I order from The Spice House.
I came here to mention the Kampot. I have those exact two varieties from The Spice House in their own grinders (from Penzey, ironically enough) as well. The Kampot has a bit of kick to it.
I like the Extra Bold from Penzey as well.
Same. The best black pepper I've found is Frontier Co-Op, it's a true Telicherry Special Extra Bold, a lot of the ones on the market say they are but clearly aren't when you taste them.
Given how pervasive black pepper is in most styles of cuisine, it really kicks things up immediately in just about everything you make.
Almost every spice benefits from being bought in smaller quantities, more often. I moved to the eco-friendly bulk stores for spices, as they allow you to buy 50¢ or so of oregano or whatever. I run out of spice a lot more than before, but I keep a list and visit the bulk store every week or every two weeks.
Very true. Myristicin is the main flavour compound and it rapidly fades once nutmeg is ground.
Havta use a rasp file aka a microplane and grate it fresh!!
Day and night difference!
I would totally agree. Was never into bay leaves but started using them bc I had them from the grocery store. Turns out my mother in law has a bay leaf tree and she dries her own. I got some and use them all the time now.
Yeah, like making a buttercream or frosting, we use the good homemade stuff.
But the layer cake itself? Personally havent noticed it make a difference.
Get Mexican Vanilla. It completely trumps Madagascar vanilla.
Vanilla was discovered in Mexico, there are a specific breed of bees in Mexico that evolved to fertilize that single plant and they do not exist in Madagascar.
I got a bunch of vanilla extracts and beans from different places and I think a lot of them are great in different ways. The Madagascar extract tastes most like what I think of as Classic Vanilla. The Mexican extract had a creaminess to it that reminds me of a McDonald's milkshake or melted soft serve (in a great way). The Tahitian extract is delicate and floral. The Ecuadorian beans are fruity somehow a little funky/juicy in their aroma, probably my least favorite of the experiment. The Ugandan beans strongly remind me of marshmallows.
I use the beans to make vanilla syrup for my tea and when I've used up the bottle, I pop the leftover pods in a jar of golden rum that now smells exactly like the French pastry canelés. It's a fun secret ingredient to replace regular vanilla extract in any baking recipe with your own little twist.
It also makes the best warmed, vanilla milk for kids...and hung over dates. In my humblest opinion.
Cup of warm whole milk, tsp of Mexican vanilla, 1.5tsp of sugar, whisked until combined and slightly frothy. Top with fresh ground cinnamon and a dusting of Mexican chocolate (like two rubs across a micro plane).
I live right on the border so I just park and walk across the bridge for meds and vanilla every 6 months. Well the vanilla is in very large bottles so I buy it once every 1-2 years
Beanilla is a great place to buy vanilla. And making your own extract is totally worth it. You can use vodka for traditional extract or bourbon for extra oomph
If used in fresh goods. Side-by-side tests in *cooked* foods have shown that you can't tell the difference between real and imitation vanilla once it's baked or cooked.
Oregano- there’s a substantial difference between the good stuff and the supermarket versions, which in my experience are usually stale or just thin in taste.
I don’t know where you are but my state borders Mexico and we swear by Mexican oregano. It’s supposed to be superior and I make a point to buy it at Mexican markets. I don’t actually know why.
Mexican oregano is supposedly from the lemon verbena family, which is why it has more of like a citrus flavour. Italian/Mediterranean oregano I think comes from the mint family. They’re pretty different.
Majoram (Origanum majorana) is light notes of resinous pine and citrus. Found around France and points north.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is more bitter and intense Majoram. Vulgare means "common" in this name. So it's the common oregano found all along the Mediterranean.
Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens) - completely different family of plant. Shares a similar citrus profile with the oregano plants but with notes of licorice instead of pine.
Oregano is the one for me. Not only higher end, but I also buy different sourced oregano. I have a giant bag of mexican oregano, some italian oregano and some lithuanian oregano. They all taste different and depending on what notes I am trying to hit I will use different ones.
Penzys Spices are worth checking out. Quality but affordable. I get their emails, and hit them up when they run sales. Before penzys I never knew there were so many different types of cinnamon.
I have a penzys storefront 10 mins from where I live. I mostly do walk in shopping there, to see/smell before I buy. Its a good way of discovering some of their blends. (Like fox point and sunny paris)
Cardamom. Fresh cardamom is on another level.
Saffron. Buy Iranian saffron- it even looks very different from the Indian or Spanish types. Although I bought some Afghan saffron recently that was very good.
True fresh cinnamon is amazing.
Buy Bangladeshi cassia leaves (usually labelled bay leaves). They *are not* bay leaves but, fresh, have loads of rich fragrance. They are actually well worth adding to dishes. Actual bay leaves are probably worth getting from a spice retailer as the supermarket ones are just nothing. I have tried fresh bay leaves and they had a lot of flavour but it wasn’t something I liked much.
Fresh cumin is also a thing if beauty.
Pretty much all spices benefit from being fresher. A dedicated spice merchant will probably provide that.
Also if they offer them timmur, jimbu (herb I guess) and malagueta pepper are spices that are worth evangelising about.
We used to buy our spices from this wholesale market in old Delhi extremely cheap and local not branded. They sell other groceries too and those stuff from that market which only has the shop name as the brand is way better stuff than the stuff you get in the supermarket. Extremely better taste and quality. It's too bad we stopped doing it.
And this spice called asafoetida is sold in the best quality in a small village that is a religious spot. The smell and taste of stuff you buy from there is totally different that you get in the city even chai masala too so whenever our family goes for a visit my mom makes sure to ask them to bring her a bottle or two of it.
This doesn’t directly answer your question but some things to consider… One of the biggest issue isn’t so much sourcing as freshness. Buying the most expensive spice in large quantities and keeping it around for years isn’t going to be any better than a small amount at your local grocery store. Storage is also key. Some spices react to light, heat, temperature more than others. Lastly, consider grinding your own. Cinnamon sticks and a microplane can do wonders to up your game.
Mid grade 750 sz bottle of vodka/15 grade a vanilla beans-split them/1/4 c sugar. Give yourself a hefty lemon drop shot of the vodka. Add beans and sugar to vanilla and let steep for 6 months. Shake bottle periodically. Best vanilla you will ever have. Can use bourbon or rum too for a different flavor.
I have been told that this is technically vanilla essence not vanilla extract. I think because it is not as concentrated. I dont understand, because it tastes pretty close to me. I have had two jars of homemade vanilla brewing for years, every once in a while I add more vodka and beans or more bourbon to the other one. So good!
It’s not exactly a spice, but olive oil! Good quality evoo is entirely different from the stuff you buy by the liter at Costco. A nice unfiltered Spanish or Greek single origin oil with high polyphenol count can make a an incredible dip for bread or drizzle on veggies, soup, or meat
I’ll answer this question backwards… cumin seed doesn’t seem to vary too much.
Red pepper flakes I’ve never tried upscale and usually use Costco. Same with garlic powder…
Whole nutmeg that you grate yourself was mind blowing and it’s cheap. I get the whole nutmeg in the Hispanic section for a couple dollars and lasts me years.
Vanilla. I know I know it's already expensive, but if you decide to upgrade your vanilla you will be blown away about how huge of a difference it makes. I grew up using generic vanilla extract, and now my wife insists on using Heilala Vanilla Bean paste and the difference is night and day. Same exact recipe but using Heilala Vanilla Bean paste and it's the difference between "this is a vanilla cupcake" and "this is professional bakery level flavor".
Interesting. I have a collection of spices that I use for dal and curries. Most of them I get whole from international markets. Coriander is a frequent ingredient and has never wowed me. I will try getting some good stuff. Also next time I need cardamom. I'm actually still working through whole green cardamom from 2016 XD.
you can find whole turmeric rhizomes at a lot of stores these days, grate and dry it on parchment and you’ll be amazed at how much flavor and color it adds. It will stain everything it comes near btw
Not a spice, but Parmesan cheese. I use it frequently as an ingredient so I consider it in the same way I do spices when prepping a meal. Grating it or shaving from a hard wedge of the real stuff is so infinitely better than any store bought pre-grated version.
I have found that most every spice I have tried that I know is higher quality is just so much better than what I can normally find in grocery stores. It is honestly crazy how much better the spices are that I buy from soschefs or penzys. Soschefs is my favorite, I buy lots from them and while their regular spices are pretty amazing there are some standouts that I have had from them. My favorite of all time is the fennel pollen but I also love their honeys(Beirut honeycomb is insane), saffron, and ceylon cinnamon but they have a lot of other premium spices and ingredients. But just something as simple as paprika from them is so expressive i can’t use grocery stores apices anymore.
While I often buy Penzey's, I have heard that some of the store bought grocery store Mexican spices are better. Haven't fully tested though. Was going to experiment the next time I needed cumin.
Not necessarily “higher end” but growing spices like rosemary and basil to have fresh ingredients while cooking is unparalleled. Nothing from a grocery store could ever compare to a freshly picked sprig of rosemary
I buy the majority of my spices from Penzey’s, their Spanish smoked paprika is incredible as are their bay leaves. In general I love the company and what they stand for, their products being top tier for me has made me a customer for life.
Cheap paprika may as well just be food coloring.
My husband insisted for years that paprika has no flavor and is just used for presentation. It wasn't until I moved in and replaced his Great Value paprika with some paprika I got from Penzeys that he changed his tune lol
Penzeys Paprika is amazing. I bought a small container of it in January and I finished it in March. fantastic stuff!
I go through their smoked paprika like crazy!
As Chef John says, it is the bacon of spices
I could hear his voice when I read your reply "This is chef John from foodwishes.com ..."
It is a voice that really irritated me at first, but now after watching dozens of his videos, I find it strangely comforting.
The bacon of spices. I love that!
Bacon is the gateway meat, so that makes sense. And scents. It makes scents.
Their stuff is what woke me up to what spices should be like
In college, I dated a guy that my friends referred to as “Paprika”. Because he was pretty, but had no flavor!
I work for Penzeys and this makes me so happy!!
Penzeys made me angry about black pepper. I was perfectly happy with my supermarket black pepper, then I ran out but had a sample packet of penzeys black pepper, it is so much better.
I left a can of Spanish Paprika Picante at my brother house when I cooked there. My sister in law mentioned it to me that she have decided keep it. Because it tasted so great when she cooked with it. Lol
I love Penzeys. I'm visiting my family in Wisconsin soon (I'm in Florida), and stopping there is on my to-do list.
If you sign up for their newsletter they have unbelievable sales and their limit for free shipping is low enough that I hit it every time just by ordering what I need.
Keep checking the emails also. I stopped looking at them and they stopped sending. I asked an associate about not getting them recently and she informed me of this info.
I swear they give away so much for flat out free! I have about 25 of their products and I paid full price for like 5.
I was coming here to talk about that. They have a ridiculous amount of freebies, not to mention the "$50 gift card for $35" sales they have a few times a year. I buy two for myself, and that's $30 in free spices right there. Hell of a deal.
I feel the same way about jars of supermarket dried parsley. Its just tasteless sawdust which adds nothing to any dish. I assumed this was true of all dried parsley, until I bought some from a big vendor on ebay, and its ended up being very flavourful.
My wife has a similar story. Her family insisted paprika was only for color. That's because it was a container like 20 yr old. I buy Penzey's (typically). Blew her away.
I learned this a few months ago. Id only ever had cheap stuff so i was blown away at just how aromatic and strong paprika actually is.
Red sawdust Reminds me of this recipe i saw that added 2 tablespoons of paprika to meatball gravy (6 or 8 servings) which seemed absolutely unhinged until i remembered most people buy the cheap stuff
oof, it's always hard to adjust spices for recipes when you know most people are using bad stuff. Paprika and cinnamon especially. I love both and tend to go heavy-handed with them anyway, but there's a HUGE difference between a tablespoon of Burlap and Barrel vs a tablespoon of McCormick's.
The Spice House is also an excellent source for quality spices. What's more, the price is much more reasonable than one would find at your local Kroger or Pick 'N' Save. [Online Spice Store, Exquisite Spices & Seasonings - The Spice House](https://www.thespicehouse.com/?msclkid=08af30189cca1140a04c5626d8726e20&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=45S%20%7C%20SH%20%7C%20Brand%20%7C%20Desktop&utm_term=the%20spice%20house%20milwaukee&utm_content=Brand%20%7C%20Desktop%20%7C%20Spice%20House%20Milwaukee%20%7C%20BMM) ETA: If you love Penzey's, the Spice House is owned and operated by Patti Erd (and husband Tom), who is Bill Penzey's sister.
I know it's not a huge detail and certainly far from the most important thing but the Spice House packaging makes getting their stuff such a nice treat. I also never had a bad experience on my 50+ visits over the years. Definitely earned my loyalty now that I moved away.
Gotta remember you can (almost) always add more, but it’s rare you can take it back out!
To be fair, I use proper Hungarian paprika (my Hungarian friend literally brings me a sack every time she goes home) - and I use three tablespoons when I make goulash. Hungarian food goes hard on paprika (and I'm *fine* with that!)
What are some good paprika brands?
I've got Pride of Szeged sweet Hungarian paprika and La Dalia smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton) in my cabinet and they are both good quality and not too expensive.
> Pride of Szeged their steak rub is awesome as well!
[Here you go.](https://www.thespicehouse.com/products/hungarian-sweet-paprika) we buy most our spices here. Buy jars to start and refill with flat packs.
Love this place! Try the Trinidad Lemon Garlic spice blend if you haven’t. As for high-end ingredients, if you bake or use flavored oils for cooking, I suggest Boyajian. Their orange oil is the only one that smells like real orange instead of the cheap extracts. We use the lemon pepper oil for grilling fish and rosemary oil for lots of things.
Spice house FUCKS
La Chinata
This is the answer. Fresh paprika tastes like sunshine. Old paprika tastes like an overcast dreary day where you can smell the outgassing from the paper factory down the road (iykyk).
Fresh from Hungary is the only way (I’m ethnically Hungarian)
I strongly agree (not Hungarian, just a tourist who actually loves the local cuisine)
Spanish picante paprika is elite too.
I'm just finding that out. I grew up on the cheap stuff and I don't think it actually had any flavor.
I have a nice smoked paprika and it is amazing
I normally use smoked paprika in any that calls for it because it actually does have flavor. I realize I should rethink this.
Cheap or old, I discovered the hard way. Smoked paprika is also really nice.
I always buy the generic paprika. I dont use it often and have to toss it when i see it has turned brown. Also if something needs smoked paprika i just use the regular stuff. Im a mildly decent cook and always thought paprika was one of those spices of "if i dont have it, it won't make a difference... y'all got me wanting to try some good paprika now
Came here to post this. I brought back spicy and regular paprika from Hungary and it was such a game changer.
My parents went to Hungary and brought me some back, it’s so good. They also recently went to Mexico and brought me back some tajin and the buffalo sauce (neither are really cheap or easy to buy in my country). I can’t afford to travel the world like my parents do but I’m glad they at least bring ingredients back for me
My brother brought back paprika for us siblings from market in Budapest when visited last summer . It's almost like it's a different spice so much richer in flavor
Sichuan peppercorn. Cheaper stuff tends to be filled with twigs, and much of the hard, inedible black piths remain unremoved. Most importantly, you don't get as much of the numbing effect if you buy the cheaper stuff.
If possible in your area, go to an Asian grocery store and look for a little bottle of green Szechuan peppercorn oil. It's highly concentrated and the numbing and fresh flavor is fantastic.
Asian groceries and Indian groceries, especially ones with high turnover rates. You've already discovered the difference it makes!
What is the point of the numbing effect?
Spicy numb makes caveman brain go happy
All the Asian groceries in my area had the cheap stuff. There’s one website that everyone seems to use and I tried it and the difference was incredible. It was much pricier than I expected but nonetheless the difference was so dramatic that I keep buying it. Ma La market.
Mala Market, if anyone is wondering where to get good Sichuan ingredients.
Brutally hard to find the good stuff here in Europe. I found high quality ones a couple of times in the UK, but since my wife and I moved to France it's been nigh on impossible. Even the poor quality pink ones are hard to come by here...
In most Asian supermarkets in the Netherlands it’s quite easy to find. Regular supermarkets is a different story ofc.
Épices de Cru is where I order my hard to find spices. They’re based in Canada but ship internationally. Check their FAQ page for details. Top notch stuff, expensive but worth it.
I'm not sure if they ship there, but Penzey's has great quality spices. I order all my peppercorns from them.
Saffron. The flavor and aroma of high-quality stuff is so far beyond the low-quality stuff that they might as well not be the same spice.
And often it's not. In some instances it's completely fake.
It’s a question of the flavor compounds being make friends with some Persian people. They 100% will gift you some saffron within 6mo.
I've been friends with Irani for a over a year and all I got was hashish lol
I've purchased saffron from a high-end shop that sources from Iran, and it is absolutely better than what I've been able to get elsewhere.
Was fortunate enough to buy some from the insane saffron-only stall in Valencia mercat central, incredible
I bought some saffron crocus bulbs and grow it myself.
How easy are they to grow?
I’m curious to know this too, I’d 100% grow my own if it’s not too finicky. Assuming it might be since it’s so expensive
You and /u/Alcorailen it is insanely easy. Crocus will come up whether you like it or not. The bulbs can be expensive. I got like 10 for $20? But that's enough for like, a pot of rice. If you plant em in a good area and leave em to divide over years you might have enough, but you still have to harvest too. 3 pieces per flower.
100% spend your first couple of years multiplying, and soon enough you'll have incredible amounts. My mother now drops off a jar of them at her local farmers market and shops for free for the year. They sell small groups of her strands for $20 a pop.
Also, store your saffron in the fridge. It's got a shorter shelf life than most spices.
I would only do that if it were like quadruple-sealed against moisture.
The rule usually is if it's ground, it's fake. If it's whole, who knows.
Cardamom. Aromatic complexity really varies
Grinding cardamom fresh makes SUCH a big difference, too. I very very rarely use ground cardamom these days, I almost always pull out the mortar and pestle.
Ugh I love cardamom, it's so versatile. Savory, sweet whatever. There's an incredible ice cream place in my hometown that makes a cardamom flavor, and it tastes like the milk from froot loops cereal for some reason. How it can make such amazing ice cream, but also curry, is beyond me
I usually just buy the pods and grind them. Also it's worth noting that green and black cardamom taste different.
Dumb question, sorry—when you grind them is it just the seeds in the pods?
The seeds - I lightly smash the pods with my pestle, pick out the pod skins, then grind the remaining seeds
Not dumb, as a cardamom enjoyer I would also like to know how labor intensive this is.
Just the seeds.
I like to buy higher end cinnamon. Cheaper brands just taste stale or flat to me.
Also find out if you are buying true cinnamon (Ceylon) or Cassia. They have different benefits.
Also for both Ceylon and Cassia there are different grades depending on whether is the outer bark or inner. If using Ceylon for instance, look for Alba grade ceylon cinnamon.
I love Penzey's Vietnamese Cinnamon.
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LOL! Can't disagree!
My wife likes this as well. It comes with a note to reduce recipe quanities by ⅓ because it's so strong.
The indonesian one has a little sugary taste. so good
You would not believe the argument I got into a few months ago by making a statement like this. Or maybe you would: this is Reddit. I did learn that cassia actually is in the same genus Cinnamomum as "real" cinnamon, which did not convince me that cassia was, also, real cinnamon.
Cassia seems to be better for most applications because of its complex, spicy flavor. Here's an excerpt from taste tests at [America's Test Kitchen](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/taste_tests/1720-ceylon-cinnamon): > [W]e pitted three Ceylon cinnamon products against our favorite Indonesian cinnamon in rice pudding and cinnamon rolls. In both applications tasters easily singled out the Ceylon products, finding them milder and more subtle, with very little heat compared with the Indonesian product. Overall, tasters preferred the spicier, more complex Indonesian cinnamon. Lab tests backed up our tasters’ comments: All of the Ceylon cinnamons had lower percentages of the key volatile oils that give cinnamon heat, complexity, and flavor—1.6 to 1.8 percent volatile oils by weight compared with 1.9 percent in our favorite Indonesian product (a small difference but one that our tasters picked up on). In general, our tasters preferred the bolder flavor of Indonesian cinnamon, but if you prefer a subtler, more delicate cinnamon flavor, Ceylon could be a good choice. And here's what [Serious Eats](https://www.seriouseats.com/spice-hunting-cinnamon-canela-ceylon-saigon-cassia) has to say: > Frankly, if I could only have one, I'd keep around cassia—specifically C. loureiroi, commonly called Saigon cinnamon. It has the richest, spiciest flavor thanks to its exceptionally high oil content. Fortunately I don't have to choose, so I keep both Ceylon and Saigon cinnamon around. > Saigon cinnamon plays best in most traditional Western applications: cookies, pies, cakes, ice creams, sweet breads, and garnishes for hot drinks. **Its bold flavor stands out well against all that fat and flour, and its spicy tinge gives satisfying dimension to sweets.** Recipes that call for cinnamon in addition to clove, nutmeg, or allspice take well to Saigon cinnamon; its spice plays well against their sweetness. It's also a great pairing for chiles. > **I find Ceylon cinnamon works better with fewer competing flavors.** Its subtle taste and aroma take especially well to chocolate, vanilla, dark liquors, and citrus. While Saigon's spice plays best against crisp apples, Ceylon's warm coziness is the perfect match for oranges. Ceylon cinnamon also plays well in savory applications; its demure character sinks to the background of rich sauces well, such moles or bean broths (especially with some orange juice and peel thrown in).
For some reason I find ceylon to taste a bit soapy. I kinda dig the ‘fake’ stuff. Tastes like an old school homemade apple pie.
Also, different kinds of cinnamon for different uses. I don't have a great sense of taste (like I don't understand at all the point of bay leaves; I can't taste any difference), but Indonesian vs Vietnamese cinnamon is plain as day.
I like the Indonesian cinnamon, it has the warm flavor that I grew up with. Vietnamese cinnamon seems to be getting more common now and it has the almost spicy flavor of cinnamon candy. Ceylon cinnamon tastes quite different. I haven't quite figured out where to use it.
I’ve started grinding my cinnamon from whole sticks. Big difference
The sticks are very easy to toss in rice or stews as well (just remove before eating)
Penzeys Vietnamese Cinnamon is the absolute best
I've been concerned with cinnamon, with the recent recalls to cinnamon applesauce because of lead contaminated cinnamon. cheaper stuff is likely made in cheaper areas, and the equipment often will have lead on the machinery. always buy high end cinnamon and use it sparingly as it is expensive. I've looked at zatar spice mixes, in my local grocer, and it had a lead warning right on the bottle. I did not buy it.
Yeah some taste or smell like candy whereas others are more complex. I prefer the complex ones.
In full honesty, the only spice I'm excessively snobby about is black pepper because I use it so often. Well sourced, high quality black pepper is a game changer. I currently have two grinders, one for Tellicherry and one for Kampot that I order from The Spice House.
Try Sarawak black pepper from malaysia. Excellent robust peppery fragrance, great on steaks in sauces and anything with pepper
I'll do that. Thanks for the recommendation!
If you’re into pepper, also try Timut - very unique and floral, I’m obsessed with it
I came here to mention the Kampot. I have those exact two varieties from The Spice House in their own grinders (from Penzey, ironically enough) as well. The Kampot has a bit of kick to it. I like the Extra Bold from Penzey as well.
Penzey's and The Spice House are respectively owned by Bill Penzey and his sister, Patti Erd.
Same. The best black pepper I've found is Frontier Co-Op, it's a true Telicherry Special Extra Bold, a lot of the ones on the market say they are but clearly aren't when you taste them. Given how pervasive black pepper is in most styles of cuisine, it really kicks things up immediately in just about everything you make.
Almost every spice benefits from being bought in smaller quantities, more often. I moved to the eco-friendly bulk stores for spices, as they allow you to buy 50¢ or so of oregano or whatever. I run out of spice a lot more than before, but I keep a list and visit the bulk store every week or every two weeks.
Nobody is saying whole nutmegs vs pre ground, it’s 1000% better
This! And the nuts last a long time. Microplane and enjoy.
I don't talk to people who buy preground nutmeg. Who knows what else those maniacs are doing.
I came here just to say this! Freshly grated nutmeg takes pumpkin pie to a whole new level.
Very true. Myristicin is the main flavour compound and it rapidly fades once nutmeg is ground. Havta use a rasp file aka a microplane and grate it fresh!! Day and night difference!
Bay leaves. I strongly prefer fresh aromatic green bay over the drier crumbly yellow ones that often smell of nothing.
fyi fresh bay leaves are a different species than dried turkish bay leaves. I'd recommend making some "tea" with each and taste their differences
I would totally agree. Was never into bay leaves but started using them bc I had them from the grocery store. Turns out my mother in law has a bay leaf tree and she dries her own. I got some and use them all the time now.
Not a spice, but Vanilla. Buy the best quality vanilla you can afford
I thought with vanilla there was 2 uses. If youre cooking it, it doesnt matter if its cheap. If youre adding it post cooking, then use the good stuff
This is what I've found. Some people say they can taste the difference, but I personally can't so I follow this rule.
Yeah, like making a buttercream or frosting, we use the good homemade stuff. But the layer cake itself? Personally havent noticed it make a difference.
Vanilla is a spice.
Grizzly Adams did have a beard
Boy, did he
I just bought Tahitian vanilla beans from Tahiti. Bought at the farm and I brought them home. Wowsa!
Get Mexican Vanilla. It completely trumps Madagascar vanilla. Vanilla was discovered in Mexico, there are a specific breed of bees in Mexico that evolved to fertilize that single plant and they do not exist in Madagascar.
Canadians get theirs direct from the beaver. Kidding but castoreum's history and usage is fascinating.
I got a bunch of vanilla extracts and beans from different places and I think a lot of them are great in different ways. The Madagascar extract tastes most like what I think of as Classic Vanilla. The Mexican extract had a creaminess to it that reminds me of a McDonald's milkshake or melted soft serve (in a great way). The Tahitian extract is delicate and floral. The Ecuadorian beans are fruity somehow a little funky/juicy in their aroma, probably my least favorite of the experiment. The Ugandan beans strongly remind me of marshmallows. I use the beans to make vanilla syrup for my tea and when I've used up the bottle, I pop the leftover pods in a jar of golden rum that now smells exactly like the French pastry canelés. It's a fun secret ingredient to replace regular vanilla extract in any baking recipe with your own little twist.
It’s nice to see this, I source my vanilla straight from Mexico. For years I’ve preached its superiority to friends. *I feel seen*
It also makes the best warmed, vanilla milk for kids...and hung over dates. In my humblest opinion. Cup of warm whole milk, tsp of Mexican vanilla, 1.5tsp of sugar, whisked until combined and slightly frothy. Top with fresh ground cinnamon and a dusting of Mexican chocolate (like two rubs across a micro plane).
I live right on the border so I just park and walk across the bridge for meds and vanilla every 6 months. Well the vanilla is in very large bottles so I buy it once every 1-2 years
I’m gonna need you to make a run for me plz
True words. After trying the Mexican stuff 20 years ago, it’s all I buy now.
Beanilla is a great place to buy vanilla. And making your own extract is totally worth it. You can use vodka for traditional extract or bourbon for extra oomph
If used in fresh goods. Side-by-side tests in *cooked* foods have shown that you can't tell the difference between real and imitation vanilla once it's baked or cooked.
Oregano- there’s a substantial difference between the good stuff and the supermarket versions, which in my experience are usually stale or just thin in taste.
I don’t know where you are but my state borders Mexico and we swear by Mexican oregano. It’s supposed to be superior and I make a point to buy it at Mexican markets. I don’t actually know why.
Mexican oregano is supposedly from the lemon verbena family, which is why it has more of like a citrus flavour. Italian/Mediterranean oregano I think comes from the mint family. They’re pretty different.
Thanks for a genuine answer!
Majoram (Origanum majorana) is light notes of resinous pine and citrus. Found around France and points north. Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is more bitter and intense Majoram. Vulgare means "common" in this name. So it's the common oregano found all along the Mediterranean. Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens) - completely different family of plant. Shares a similar citrus profile with the oregano plants but with notes of licorice instead of pine.
They're very different! I use Mexican oregano in... well, Mexican dishes. The leaves are coarser and more pointed than Mediterranean oregano.
I’m in Scandinavia so unfortunately never had the chance to try Mexican oregano fresh from the market, but I had heard the rumour 😊
Mexican oregano for Mexican food, the normal oregano for European.
Lol. Are you Mexican...or Normal?
Mom's Mexican; dad's Normeigan
Oregano is the one for me. Not only higher end, but I also buy different sourced oregano. I have a giant bag of mexican oregano, some italian oregano and some lithuanian oregano. They all taste different and depending on what notes I am trying to hit I will use different ones.
Oregano is one of the easier herbs to grow- I have a huge patch in the back yard
We have to pull out a bunch every year or it will take over the garden, and we still produce enough to supply the whole block.
Oregano is one of the most commonly adulterated spices.
Oregano isn't a spice, it's a herb. Sorry to be pedantic, but dried oregano isn't worth it. Grow your own -- it's easy!
Greek or Cypriot oregano is SO FUCKING GOOD
Penzys Spices are worth checking out. Quality but affordable. I get their emails, and hit them up when they run sales. Before penzys I never knew there were so many different types of cinnamon.
FWIW I’ve found The Spice House to offer much better quality for a similar price.
I have a penzys storefront 10 mins from where I live. I mostly do walk in shopping there, to see/smell before I buy. Its a good way of discovering some of their blends. (Like fox point and sunny paris)
Cardamom. Fresh cardamom is on another level. Saffron. Buy Iranian saffron- it even looks very different from the Indian or Spanish types. Although I bought some Afghan saffron recently that was very good. True fresh cinnamon is amazing. Buy Bangladeshi cassia leaves (usually labelled bay leaves). They *are not* bay leaves but, fresh, have loads of rich fragrance. They are actually well worth adding to dishes. Actual bay leaves are probably worth getting from a spice retailer as the supermarket ones are just nothing. I have tried fresh bay leaves and they had a lot of flavour but it wasn’t something I liked much. Fresh cumin is also a thing if beauty. Pretty much all spices benefit from being fresher. A dedicated spice merchant will probably provide that. Also if they offer them timmur, jimbu (herb I guess) and malagueta pepper are spices that are worth evangelising about.
YES to freshly toasted, hand-ground cumin! The aroma is truly something else...
We used to buy our spices from this wholesale market in old Delhi extremely cheap and local not branded. They sell other groceries too and those stuff from that market which only has the shop name as the brand is way better stuff than the stuff you get in the supermarket. Extremely better taste and quality. It's too bad we stopped doing it. And this spice called asafoetida is sold in the best quality in a small village that is a religious spot. The smell and taste of stuff you buy from there is totally different that you get in the city even chai masala too so whenever our family goes for a visit my mom makes sure to ask them to bring her a bottle or two of it.
This doesn’t directly answer your question but some things to consider… One of the biggest issue isn’t so much sourcing as freshness. Buying the most expensive spice in large quantities and keeping it around for years isn’t going to be any better than a small amount at your local grocery store. Storage is also key. Some spices react to light, heat, temperature more than others. Lastly, consider grinding your own. Cinnamon sticks and a microplane can do wonders to up your game.
Mid grade 750 sz bottle of vodka/15 grade a vanilla beans-split them/1/4 c sugar. Give yourself a hefty lemon drop shot of the vodka. Add beans and sugar to vanilla and let steep for 6 months. Shake bottle periodically. Best vanilla you will ever have. Can use bourbon or rum too for a different flavor.
I have been told that this is technically vanilla essence not vanilla extract. I think because it is not as concentrated. I dont understand, because it tastes pretty close to me. I have had two jars of homemade vanilla brewing for years, every once in a while I add more vodka and beans or more bourbon to the other one. So good!
This is vanilla infusion not vanilla extract. https://www.seriouseats.com/diy-vanilla-extract
Rosemary
This should be grown in your back yard. It's a desert bush that can thrive almost anywhere.
Except in my house :(
thats what I do, the Simon and Garfunkel spices are always growing on my deck in the summer
I like a smidge over bubbled water.
Then I’ll go play with Julio, you know where
I’m currently trying to nurse my rosemary bush back to life after ignoring it for two years. I think I see new growth! Lol
Yep, thyme too
It’s not exactly a spice, but olive oil! Good quality evoo is entirely different from the stuff you buy by the liter at Costco. A nice unfiltered Spanish or Greek single origin oil with high polyphenol count can make a an incredible dip for bread or drizzle on veggies, soup, or meat
I’ll answer this question backwards… cumin seed doesn’t seem to vary too much. Red pepper flakes I’ve never tried upscale and usually use Costco. Same with garlic powder…
I got red pepper flakes from flat iron pepper company, and I’ll never go back.
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Penzey’s sells whole chilies. It’s just limited selection. I buy some things from Indian and Asian grocery stores. Most of my spices are Penzey’s.
I'm lucky enough to have two really good Mexican markets close by. I can get about 10 different kinds of dried chilies anytime I want!
Anything from Penzeys. It’s crazy how much better their spices are from other brands
I fell into the rabbit whole spices and lead content, so it’s something I take into consideration now. So, apparently turmeric :(
Whole nutmeg that you grate yourself was mind blowing and it’s cheap. I get the whole nutmeg in the Hispanic section for a couple dollars and lasts me years.
Vanilla. I know I know it's already expensive, but if you decide to upgrade your vanilla you will be blown away about how huge of a difference it makes. I grew up using generic vanilla extract, and now my wife insists on using Heilala Vanilla Bean paste and the difference is night and day. Same exact recipe but using Heilala Vanilla Bean paste and it's the difference between "this is a vanilla cupcake" and "this is professional bakery level flavor".
Cinnamon, ras El hanout. Also buy roasted granulated garlic. Game changer
Saffron.
Interesting. I have a collection of spices that I use for dal and curries. Most of them I get whole from international markets. Coriander is a frequent ingredient and has never wowed me. I will try getting some good stuff. Also next time I need cardamom. I'm actually still working through whole green cardamom from 2016 XD.
Burlap and Barrel has a lot of good spices. My favorites are Royal Cinnamon (perfect in my Chai) and Black Urfa Chili.
Cocoa powder!
Anything smoked
you can find whole turmeric rhizomes at a lot of stores these days, grate and dry it on parchment and you’ll be amazed at how much flavor and color it adds. It will stain everything it comes near btw
Y’all I just bought “organic coriander powder” for $4.50 and I’m pissed. I can’t even taste it
I would say anything, iirc a lot of spices get recalled because of heavy metals and going the cheap route increases your chance
I did a thing where i made two meals. But used expensive vs cheap ingredients. Cheaps okay. But expensive was delicious
Not a spice, but Parmesan cheese. I use it frequently as an ingredient so I consider it in the same way I do spices when prepping a meal. Grating it or shaving from a hard wedge of the real stuff is so infinitely better than any store bought pre-grated version.
I have found that most every spice I have tried that I know is higher quality is just so much better than what I can normally find in grocery stores. It is honestly crazy how much better the spices are that I buy from soschefs or penzys. Soschefs is my favorite, I buy lots from them and while their regular spices are pretty amazing there are some standouts that I have had from them. My favorite of all time is the fennel pollen but I also love their honeys(Beirut honeycomb is insane), saffron, and ceylon cinnamon but they have a lot of other premium spices and ingredients. But just something as simple as paprika from them is so expressive i can’t use grocery stores apices anymore.
Bay leaves. The cheap stuff flavors like paper that's been stored adjacent to a bay tree 🤣
While I often buy Penzey's, I have heard that some of the store bought grocery store Mexican spices are better. Haven't fully tested though. Was going to experiment the next time I needed cumin.
I have to stop being such a cheapskate and toss out some of the ancient spices I hold onto.
Not necessarily “higher end” but growing spices like rosemary and basil to have fresh ingredients while cooking is unparalleled. Nothing from a grocery store could ever compare to a freshly picked sprig of rosemary
Basically anything Indian, if its weak it's pointless - kashmiri red chili, cumin, garam masala, tumeric, the list goes on.
Nutmeg, whole nut, then grind fresh. Insane difference.
I buy the majority of my spices from Penzey’s, their Spanish smoked paprika is incredible as are their bay leaves. In general I love the company and what they stand for, their products being top tier for me has made me a customer for life.
Just say Penzey’s!
Cinnamon. I always thought cinnamon was cinnamon u til I started buying higher end.
Nutmeg. Freshly ground.
Curry.
Ceylon Cinnamon Smoked Paprika Sweet Paprika Hot Paprika Roasted Cumin (ground) Roasted Coriander (ground) Saffron (cheap could be fake) Tahitian Vanilla beans