it’s worth investing in spices. they really “SPICE UP” a dish!
okay sorry for that. but really – it’s worth it.
rosemary, chili powder, oregano and basil are a good place to start. curry powders are very useful as well.
for sweet things vanilla (not a spice , i know) and cinnamon are the best. by the way, if you’re buying vanilla please don’t buy the artificial kind. real vanilla is so much better, even the cheap mccormick kind.
buying spices can be very pricy, but it doesn’t have to be – and they add a lot of flavor and variety to otherwise boring or repetitive dishes. Scout out local Asian and Hispanic markets, as they usually have cheaper brands. Badia is a particularly good brand. Most grocery stores have “ethnic” sections – these are a great place to find cheap spices (and rice). They’re, like, $2 cheaper there.
collegekitschin 