Try these spice blends at home

“We don’t have a culture for using spices” in North America, says Lior Lev Sercarz, chef and owner of New York spice store La Boite, “but, at the same time, everybody uses them, so there is hope.”

If you take his suggestion to blend the spices in your pantry into new combinations, he says, those blends can be used endlessly — in scrambled eggs, stir-fries, stews and soups, sprinkled onto toast or even infused into sparkling water.

When creating blends, add varying amounts of ingredients to a bowl, tasting every so often to adjust to your palate.

Some spices — such as cumin, caraway and mustard seeds — do well when they’ve been lightly toasted in a dry pan over low heat or in the oven, to help release their oils.

Remember to play with textures as well, which creates layers of flavour: keep some seeds whole; finely chop dried citrus peel, and lightly crush dried herbs.

For grinding, a standard coffee grinder will do the job well; as Sercarz notes, a mortar and pestle looks pretty on the countertop, but it’ll take a lot longer to grind those spices to the right consistency.

Which spices are essential? He suggests chili powder, paprika, cinnamon, fennel or anise, and cumin or caraway.

“Add some good salt and pepper, and you’re on your way,” he says. While you’re at it, change the brands you buy every so often, just for the sake of comparison — you might be surprised.

Here are blend suggestions you may want to try from Sercarz’s book, The Spice Companion: A Guide to the World of Spices: Apium: 2 tbsp (30 mL) celery seed, 1/2 tbsp (125 mL) poppy seeds, 1 1/2 heaping tsp (7.5 mL) ground caraway seeds, scant 3/4 tsp (4 mL) black sesame seeds. Adds texture to julienne raw vegetables drizzled with olive and lemon juice or a lightly salty crunch to pasta salad. Estrago: Scant 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) coarsely chopped black peppercorns, scant 3/4 tsp (4 mL) granulated dried lemon peel, 2 tsp (10 mL) ground dried dill, 1 tbsp (15 mL) crushed basil leaves, 3/4 cup (180 mL) ground dried tarragon leaves. Use to make a compound butter for grilled meat or fish or add to sautéed shrimp and fettuccine. Limonit: 3 tbsp (45 mL) ground lemon grass, 2 1/2 tbsp (37.5 mL) crushed dried basil leaves, 1 tbsp (15 mL) toasted/ ground coriander seeds, 1 1/2 heaping tsp (7.5 mL) Aleppo or mild chili flakes. Use in a sauté of pork, pineapple and cashews, or to brighten a mango and shrimp salad. Muraya: 2 cups (500 mL) ground dried curry leaves, 1 1/2 tbsp (22.5 mL) crushed dried cilantro leaves, 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried basil leaves and 1 tsp (5 mL) ground Sichuan pepper. Good for braised eggplant in coconut milk or as a savoury note in toffee pudding. Sal: 1 tsp each (5 mL) ground anise seed and granulated dried orange peel; 1 tbsp each (15 mL) coarsely ground Sichuan pepper, toasted sesame seeds, fleur de sel or medium-grain sea salt. Sprinkle over raw salmon or on fresh avocado salad.