Kitchen Companions | Herbs & Spices

They say Ferdinand Magellan crossed the Pacific ocean and accidentally discovered the Philippines en route to the Spice Islands. Taking this into account, one can say that the History of the Philippines was shaped by the demand for spices. I used to laugh at the thought when I was still a student and was carefree about cooking and preparing meals for my own family. I had no idea how important spices are. But I know better now.

Peppercorns or Black Pepper - I use this on my Nilagang Baboy. For the complete list of ingredients I use, you may check my post Nilagang Baboy : The Philippines' Pork Stew.

Basil Leaves & Bay Leaves - These are my must-haves for when I cook my own version of Adobo. I've given an overview of how I prepare it in my post Adobong Ano: The Many Variations of the Adobo. I'm pretty sure I'll be posting the complete step-by-step soon.

Thyme Leaves - I love the aroma it gives off. I enjoy spaghetti with buttered bread that is made more flavorful with a dash of this herb.

Garlic Powder - Sam has always loved garlic bread and I used to make some for her by using garlic-flavored butter. That variant is not always available in supermarkets around here and so I was so delighted to find this garlic powder that's specifically for garlic bread. It's so easy to use too!

Cayenne Powder - I use this, along with Thyme, on my home-made potato crisps. When we run out of chilies, Red and I add this on our dips.

Nutmeg This is the newest addition to the lot that I already have. I especially bought this to add to my French Toast. Just a few days ago, I posted about how I prepare it and I decided to spice it up with a dash of nutmeg. I wasn't able to take pictures of the ones with nutmeg in it, but let me tell you that it makes a whole lot of difference. The moment Red took a bite off his toast, he immediately asked me what I did to make it so delicious.

These are my kitchen companions so far. How about you? What herbs and spices do you use in your dishes? Do you have any recommendations?

_{All photos are mine, taken using a Samsung S7 Edge camera phone}

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