Winter is a great time for baking. I love the smell of cinnamon and cloves in a warm pumpkin bread, or the delicious scent of nutmeg baking in a Christmas morning muffin. It just gives me a cozy, homey feeling, like coming inside from the cold on a crisp winter day. That aroma comes from spices, which can make ordinary foods into something special. So in today’s post, I’m going to talk about spices, including what they are, why to use them, how to choose and store them, along with information on some common winter spices. They can make a chilly day seem just a little bit warmer.

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What is a spice?

Before discussing commonly used winter spices, here’s a brief word about what spices are and how they differ from herbs. Both herbs and spices come from plants and are used to add flavor to foods. However, they derive from different parts of the plant.

• Spices come from the bark, seeds, roots, buds, or berries of plants. Spices are almost always used in their dried form. You can buy spices either whole or ground.

• Herbs come from the leaves, stems, or flowers of plants. Herbs are used both fresh and dried. They are also popular in home gardens.

Certain plants can be used as both an herb and a spice. Dill is one example, as the leaves (herb) and seeds (spice) are both used in cooking. So is coriander; the leaves and stems are known as cilantro, and the dried seeds are called coriander. (1)

Why use winter spices?

Spices make a great addition to your kitchen because they can add so much flavor and pizzaz to your meals. They are simple to use, shelf-stable, and relatively inexpensive. They also add flavor without adding sodium (salt), and their calorie content is essentially negligible.

Spices can make the difference between an ordinary dish and one that is unique and flavorful. If you cook the same foods repeatedly, changing up the spices you add can make them more distinctive. Spices can also enhance the color of a dish, making it more visually appealing. (1)

In addition to their culinary benefits, spices also have medicinal value and are used in herbalism. This is due to the presence of health-promoting bioactive compounds called phytochemicals. (2)

Spices have been used as remedies for a number of ailments, including colds, coughs, fevers, colic, indigestion, allergies, and digestive problems, just to name a few. They also have been studied for their anti-arthritic, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antihypertension, cardiovascular, neuroprotective, body weight management, and antioxidant properties. What this means is that, in addition to packing a punch flavor-wise, they also can promote health and potentially reduce your risk of disease. (3)

How long to store spices

If possible, it is better to purchase whole spices and grind them just before use, as they lose their piquancy rapidly after they are ground. That’s because their flavor comes from aromatic oils which get released upon grinding.

Whole spices can be ground using a handheld coffee grinder, a mortar and pestle, or a spice grinder. If you do opt for a coffee grinder, use a separate one for grinding spices vs. grinding coffee. However, if the extra step of having to grind spices makes you not want to use them at all, just opt for the more convenient version and buy the pre-ground spices. I personally purchase ground spices with the exception of peppercorns. (4)

With proper storage, whole spices will retain their flavors for at least 6-9 months. Pre-ground spices will degrade faster. Once stale, spices will lose their spicy aroma. (1)

Spice quality considerations

When you are purchasing spices, quality matters. In my opinion, if you are putting all of that effort into cooking or baking something, you don’t want it to be tasteless due to poor-quality ingredients. Some issues to consider with regard to spice quality are adulteration, contamination, and freshness.

Adulteration is something done deliberately by manufacturers and results in poorer quality products. According to the American Spice Trade Association, it includes adding inferior substances or removing some valuable ingredient. Some examples of adulteration are adding fillers, substituting ingredients for similar ones of lesser quality, or artificially enhancing a product’s color.

Contamination, on the other hand, is accidental. It occurs when potentially harmful substances are added to a product, such as allergens or ingredients in amounts that exceed safety thresholds. Some examples of contaminants are heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, or from cross-contact with allergens like peanuts. (5)

In order to avoid adulteration and contamination, I recommend purchasing spices from reputable brands. To ensure product freshness, make sure to check the “fresh date” on items you are purchasing in-person (and on online products after you have received them). And, as mentioned above, buying spices whole and grinding them when needed will prolong their freshness.

Where to buy spices

You can purchase spices in a variety of places, ranging from your local grocery store, to dedicated spice shops, to online retailers. I have also seen spices like lavender for sale at my local farmers’ market.

Natural grocery stores will often sell spices in bulk, which is great if you just need a small amount of something or are purchasing a spice that you rarely use and won’t need afterwards. Note that “bulk” in this case means you are buying the spice from a “bulk bin” and you can purchase as little or as much as you want. This is not the same thing as buying things in large quantities at retailers like Costco. I went to my local co-op and bought the lavender for my Lavender Hot Chocolate recipe this way, since I don’t use that ingredient often.

Some retailers that sell high-quality products are Penzeys, who have both online and retail locations. The supplement site Vitacost sells Frontier Co-Op products, including spices. I buy my turmeric there, as it is an economical way to purchase a larger quantity. If I am purchasing spices from my local grocery store, I try to buy organic if possible. That’s because organic products can’t contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and they are produced in more eco-friendly ways. This avoids some of the adulteration/contamination issues mentioned above. (6)

Winter spices to stock in your pantry

Now that we’ve covered some general information about spices, let’s talk about winter spices specifically. There are so many wonderful winter spices out there that can add depth to your cooking. For me, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice all come to mind when the days get shorter and colder. Here’s a list of some of the most popular winter spices:

Allspice (a.k.a. Jamaican pepper)

• Comes from the dried berry of a tree that grows in Jamaica
• Available whole or ground
• It is not a blend of spices but rather a single spice

Cardamom

• Comes from seeds encased in green or brown pods
• Has a strong flavor
• Loses flavor rapidly, therefore it’s better to buy whole seeds and grind them when needed

Cinnamon

• Comes from the bark of small evergreen trees
• Typically purchased ground because it is hard to grind
• Use whole cinnamon sticks for stews, curries, and dishes with long cooking times to allow its flavor to be extracted

Cloves

• Comes from evergreen trees – the unopened buds
• Use sparingly, a small amount provides a lot of flavor
• Can be purchased whole or ground

Ginger

• Comes from the rhizome of a tropical plant
• Has a fiery but sweet flavor
• Ground ginger is less sweet than fresh ginger

Nutmeg

• Comes from the seed inside a fruit of a tropical evergreen
• Once grated, it loses flavor rapidly; grate directly into dishes if possible
• A small amount provides a lot of flavor

Peppercorns (black pepper)

• The berries of a vine plan native to Asia
• Buy whole and grind fresh in a peppermill when needed
• Whole peppercorns will last indefinitely with proper storage

Turmeric (a.k.a. Indian saffron)

• Made from the rhizome of a tropical plant related to ginger
• Has a vibrant yellow color and is used as a food coloring and dye
• Usually found dried and ground, but fresh turmeric can be found in ethnic markets

Winter spice blends

In addition to buying individual ground spices, you can also buy premixed blends of spices. Each manufacturer will include different spices in different proportions, but in general they will contain:

• Pumpkin pie spice – cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, ginger
• Apple pie spice – cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, allspice
• Mulling spice – cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, anise

Winter spices: in summary

I hope this post has convinced you of the utility and benefits of winter spices, an easy and flavorful way to add color, depth, and pizzaz to your cooking.

If you have not used spices often before and are intimated about using them, don’t be. Start with something simple like cinnamon, as it can be added to a number of dishes and can even be sprinkled in coffee or hot chocolate. It can be expensive to buy a large number of spices at once, so buy them as the need arises or if you feel you are wanting to try something new. Experiment with them here and there, and eventually you will feel more confident.

If you are a seasoned cook, then now is a great time to play around with a new spice you have never (or rarely) used before. See how it enhances your cooking, and you may end up with a new favorite.

Want recipes for winter?

If you’d like to get into the winter cooking spirit and learn about winter produce, check out my Winter Seasonal Produce Guide, created in collaboration with The Global Harvest RD. It has information and recipes for six winter produce items: broccoli rabe, horseradish, sprouts, parsnips, oranges, and chestnuts.

You can also check out the Meal Planning & Recipes area of my website for more recipe ideas.

References

1. Labensky, S.R. et al. (2010) On cooking. A textbook of culinary fundamentals. To go ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.
2. Guldiken, B. et al. (2018) ‘Phytochemicals of herbs and spices: Health versus toxicological effects’, Food and Chemical Toxicology, 119, pp. 37–49. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2018.05.050.
3. Shahidi, F. and Hossain, A. (2018) ‘Bioactives in spices, and spice oleoresins: Phytochemicals and their beneficial effects in food preservation and health promotion’, Journal of Food Bioactives, 3, pp. 8–75. Available at: https://doi.org/10.31665/JFB.2018.3149.
4. Nosrat, S. (2017) Salt, fat, acid, heat: mastering the elements of good cooking. New York: Simon & Schuster (Simon & Schuster nonfiction original hardcover).
5. Adulteration & Contamination Prevention ASTA. Available at: https://astaspice.org/advocacy/adulteration-contamination-prevention (Accessed: 14 November 2024).
6. USDA Certified Organic: Understanding the Basics | Agricultural Marketing Service. Available at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/organic-certification/organic-basics (Accessed: 14 November 2024).
7. Featured image credit: Photo by Alexandra Kusper on Unsplash