# What are your favorite spices? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063 "2012-02-07T12:47:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/1 "2012-02-07T12:47:26Z")
I am using the term ‘spice’ loosely to include some common herbs, seeds, etc. The list is certainly not exhaustive; hence the ‘other’ option. Poll shall arrive shortly. Select as many as you like. And remember, this is an exhibition, not a competition; so please, no wagering. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/2 "2012-02-07T13:32:14Z")
In rough order, cayenne; garlic; and black pepper. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/3 "2012-02-07T13:41:06Z")
Black pepper, crushed red pepper, cayenne, and bay leaf (for its use in soups and stews). I do like cumin and coriander in many dishes. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/4 "2012-02-07T13:48:36Z")
You left out turmeric. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/5 "2012-02-07T14:37:07Z")
You left out chilis in all forms. Of course, we do tend to use them more as vegetables than a seasoning, but still… ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/6 "2012-02-07T14:41:34Z")
Onion powder and cayenne. I use them both in pretty much everything, so I buy a 5 oz. bottle of each and just mix them together. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/7 "2012-02-07T14:49:42Z")
sporty and baby. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/8 "2012-02-07T14:56:59Z")
Cinnamon, garlic powder, oregano, top three. I’m surprised to see paprika getting so many votes. I never use it and frankly think it tastes funny, sort of… perfumey. Maybe I bought the wrong kind? ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/9 "2012-02-07T15:21:28Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I’m surprised to see paprika getting so many votes. I never use it and frankly think it tastes funny, sort of… perfumey. Maybe I bought the wrong kind? I buy the smoked kind and I use it on practically everything. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/10 "2012-02-07T15:26:20Z")
Penzey’s has several different kinds of paprika available: Hungarian Sweet, California Sweet, Hungarian Half-Sharp and Spanish Smoked. All are excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/11 "2012-02-07T15:29:13Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > You left out turmeric. > [@](#): > > The list is certainly not exhaustive; hence the ‘other’ option. > [@silenus](#): > > You left out chilis… > [@](#): > > The list is certainly not exhaustive; hence the ‘other’ option. mmm ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/12 "2012-02-07T15:37:20Z")
We get through tons of cinnamon, paprika, and basil, plus a little curry powder, coriander, mint and chives, the latter three only because they’re easy to grow on the windowsill - I don’t actually like them that much. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/13 "2012-02-07T15:49:45Z")
I like them all, with the exception of dried basil, which to me is tasteless or worse, and dried parsley, dried mint, or dried chives, since we grow them. I rarely use garlic or onion powder. I would also add saffron to the list and various chili powders. I sometimes use dried rosemary, but since we have two big, healthy plants growing out front, it’s not needed very often. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/14 "2012-02-07T15:57:54Z")
Spice jars we use most: [ul] [li]Lemon pepper (actually Penzey’s “[Sunny Spain](http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyssunnyspain.html)”)[/li][li][MSG](http://www.bgfoods.com/accent/accent_products.asp) (yes really! we’re not allergic and it’s yummy. shut up.)[/li][li]garlic powder[/li][li]ground [chipotle](http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyschipotle.html) peppers[/li][li]ground [ancho](http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysancho.html) peppers[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/15 "2012-02-07T15:59:53Z")
Top is black pepper because that goes on or in everything. Next is cumin because that goes in chilli _and_ curry, then a tie for third place between turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, cardamons and cloves. Oregano and tarragon get used occasionally, and bay leaves when I remember. Oh, forgot Ginger. And Ginger. And then there’s [Parsley (the lion).](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWJjcT7Uipo) ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/16 "2012-02-07T16:02:41Z")
Oregano! I used to buy a generic Italian seasoning but I realized what I really liked in it was the oregano so now I just buy that. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/17 "2012-02-07T16:04:43Z")
I’m with **fluiddruid** on the smoked paprika. It took Penzey’s a long time to add it; I requested it for years. I like tarragon a lot and when I discovered my husband likes it (he’s extremely picky), I started using it more. I use Sunny Paris and Fox Point (unfortunately the latter is not salt-free). I like the taste of rosemary, but herbs that are based on bark, like rosemary and cinnamon are migraine triggers for me. I also cannot tolerate lavender, so herbes de Provence is out. I’m going to buy some Parisien Bonnes Herbes. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/18 "2012-02-07T16:12:43Z")
I checked a lot of them. But why garlic and onion _powder_, and leave out the originals. I’ll use \*granulated \*garlic and onion for various purposes, but not the powder. And you left out (not technically a spice) salt. Also cardomom, cilantro, sesame seed, and chili. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/19 "2012-02-07T16:29:25Z")
Salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders, oregano, dill and basil if I feel like adding more green stuff. Also zatar, sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063/20 "2012-02-07T16:36:21Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > The list is certainly not exhaustive; hence the ‘other’ option. Thanks. I have to then add [galanga](https://web.acbl.org/LearnToPlayBridge/)–a root that’s like a cross between ginger and mustard, and is essential for some curries and soups. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-spices/612063.md?page=2)