Spices in the pantry

By Paul Briand

I was going through the pantry the other day making a list of the spices that need to be replenished, and I got to thinking: Is there a standard list of essential herbs and spices that each kitchen should have?

Besides salt and pepper, all home cooks have a bag of tricks they dip into when creating their favorite dishes. But I was curious about a list of what I would consider the standards.

I poked around the Food channel website, and a few others. I found one list that was pretty good at something called Associated Content, but it wasn't nearly as complete as I would have thought ... parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme weren't part of the list, for example.

That paragon of cooking -- Betty Crocker -- has a spice and herb chart in a cookbook we have as part of our cookbook library. It's pretty comprehensive:
Allspice
Basil
Chili powder
Cinnamon
Cloves
Dill
Ginger
Mace
Marjoram
Nutmeg
Oregano
Sage
Thyme

But it too is incomplete. Sorry Betty.

So I've set out here to do my culinary duty and pull together as best I could the other essential spices for eats at home:
Bay leaves
Celery salt
Chives
Cilantro
Coriander
Cumin
Curry powder
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Paprika
Parsley
Red pepper flake
Rosemary
Saffron
Seafood seasoning (Old Bay)
Tarragon
Turmeric