Have you ever bought one of those fancy seasoning blends at
the grocery store, you know the kind made by some famous person?, only to use
it once, then let it sit in the cupboard for the next year? Well that one time
experiment cost you what, $5, $7, or $10 for that fancy bottle of seasoning.
Why spend that kind of money when the same ingredients are on your herb/spice
rack in your kitchen? With a little trial and error, you too can mix up
wonderful seasoning blends and save money at the same time.
As a gourmet cook, I am always looking for ways to create
new and exciting seasoning blends, to enhance the flavor of meats, salads and
other dishes. If your herb and spice
rack is well stocked, you should have no problem mixing up any of the seasoning
blends, I plan to share with you in the coming months.
Many young aspiring cooks have asked over the years where to
find various seasoning blends for a variety of French, Italian, Spanish,
Mexican, Cajon, Caribbean, or even Indian dishes. My answer is always the same,
you have the majority of herb and spice ingredients in you cabinet already. If
you don't have something, then it's time to add it to your culinary delights of
herbs and spices.
[Before we get into the nitty-gritty of blending your own seasoning
blends, let's think storage for your final product first. The idea of this site
is to save money, so think about saving those herb jars like the one pictures
here, as possible storage for your new seasoning blends. When you've emptied
one jar, wash it out, take off the label, dry it completely, then fill it with
your experimental blends.]
When creating your own special seasoning blends, start out
with small amounts so you don't waste your stock of herbs and spices. A good
start would be to try mixing 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, onion powder,
parsley, oregano, basil, and thyme together with 1 teaspoon of black pepper,
sea salt, and celery salt and mix together in a bowl. This is your basic
mixture for a great Italian Dressing, all you have to do is add 1/4 vinegar and
3/4 olive oil and you've got a great Vinaigrette for a salad or antipasto dish.
This is also good for marinating steaks,
chicken, and fish too.
Be sure to have that label maker handy so you'll know what
you've just made. It is also very important to have a kitchen notebook handy in
order to jot down the measurements of each spice, or herb you're including in
the blend. When you're done, take a vote at the table to see if it tasted the
way you want it to taste, then you can create a larger batch the next time, and
use those wonderful bottles you already paid for to store it away for next
time.
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