I find that if I throw in some extra white pepper, I can cut doen on the salt in soups and sauces.

World Spice gets my vote for their celery salt blend that is excellent in soups, roasts, you name it. It is not common to get a good celery taste, but this one has it! We also have used their Chinese five-spice as a rub on chicken and it's wonderful. My husband swears by their cumin and I am a fan of all the garlic options they have, from granulated, to powdered, to salt blends. The powdered garlic is strong and tastes raw and green. Just make sure that both people in a couple eat it so no one stands out as having the stronger breath! They also sell Dragon Phoenix pearl jasmine tea balls that is served at Herb Farm; it's lovely.

My most recent find is Artisan Alder-smoked salt. Yes, a small jar costs $10 at MM, but it has a shaker side and a little bit adds smoke to things like fish, chicken, eggs that is really tasty. Because it is a seasoning (I don't brine with it, and use a tsp rather than a TBL at a time) it keeps going and going. http://www.artisansalt.com/

My other old workhorse is pimenton or smoked paprika--use it whenever a recipe calls for paprika--it comes as dulce (sweet) and hot versions. World Spice carries it. PCC carries bulk spices and has pretty decent turnover. I do find the organic and non-organic spice scoops to be humorous.

Second that on the bay plant, WSMom, those things are pretty much indestructible. My Mom keeps hers out, in a container(!), all year. I rotate mine outdoors in the Summer. Two years ago, it went out too early and the leaves curled up and turned brown when it got damn near Winter-like (remember April '08?). It came back! Last year, it was left without water during the heatwave and I really thought it was a goner. I cut it back to the little bit of green wood and the few not completely fried leaves left (it was BAD!), watered it and apologized, and within a couple of weeks it started sending out new leaves.
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I look forward to the day when I won't feel guilty about harvesting fresh leaves again. Maybe next year.

Speaking of fresh spices & herbs...flat leaf parsley is super easy to grow from seed and even somehow manages to live through snow/ice/cold. I take up to 1/3 of the leaves and it grows back within a week. Also, for $3.00 I bought a little bay leaf plant at West Seattle Nursury 5 years ago. I pull off a few fresh bay leaves when making sauces and haven't managed to kill it yet. It's a pretty little bush that takes up very little space. I understand it could turn into a tree if I left it alone, but I use the leaves too quickly for it to really grow into anything substantial.

We live in the perfect climate for rosemary, lavendar, thyme, tarragon, oregano, sage and summertime basil. If you have a little sunny spot in your yard, these plants are very rewarding and effortless. Everything except the basil either lives through the winter or in the case of tarragon, dies back then returns come spring.

i can find a way to make capers fit into almost any savory dish...yum

Garlic, peppers/hot sauce, cilantro, lemon/lime.

Mike

Good ol' flat leaf parsley.

Green cardamom pods.

Also cinnamon and cumin together.

Nutmeg in manicotti. yum yum!

Oh I love curry and nutmeg, of course not together. And I tried leek potatoe soup for the first time this summer and it was so yummy.

this fall i have rediscovered curry
..
it is even in the refrigerator curry coconut cream potato, spam and veggie soup that is simmering for lunch..

yup, you guessed it... i had leftover spam, half a container of heavy cream and a drawer full of veggies headed for their sell by date ;->

I picked up a jar of truffle salt at Met Market in the spring and have been using it ever since. It is great on corn on the cob, green beans, steak, potato leek soup....and a million other things.

Sacatosh, good point about commercial spices. Another is the mind-boggling prices. Check the price/# (or ounce) of bay leaves next time you are in a grocery store.
At World spice, you can get 1 oz. of Turkish bay for $2, a bag about the size of a fist. Cal. bay is $4.
In fact, comparing prices, World Spice has MUCH better prices than Penzeys does on just about everything I use, and I use a LOT of spices, both at home and at work. I would strongly urge those who have gotten used to using Penzeys to check out W.S.M.
http://www.worldspice.com/spices/spices.shtml
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On subject (I know, about time!), I like juniper with pork, venison, fowl. Something roasted and hearty.
Sage.
Chinese five-spice.
Harissa.
Horseradish.
Coriander.

Coarse, Brittany sea salt.

I like nutmeg too- adds that special something to the 'dutch baby' pancake recipe, and also have seen it in some versions of fettuccine alfredo (and it was GOOD).
cumin is good too. really like it in guacamole.
We get spices at PFI and Penzey's, though if you buy (in bulk) at PFI, you gotta remember to label it right away. We have a bag of something, and I can't remember what it is.

I like Jagermeister...gives a whole new meaning to "green eggs and ham". 56 herbs and spices you know!

I like "cilantro" in my vodka cucumber martinis...

:-)

i second World Spice..
i prefer their blends to Penzys

Pigeonmom and others, try World Spice on Western Ave. behind PPMkt. They do many of their own blends as well, plus my experience is their spices seem fresher. Another plus is that you have contact with the spice merchants so your questions can be answered immediately. Plus, your money stays in the state for a bit longer, instead of going off to Wisconsin. Wisconsin..., BAH!
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I would strongly recommend against Market Spice, except for their signature tea blend, which is the only thing they sell that moves regularly enough to stay fresh.

My tastes change with the seasons. I enjoy nutmeg right now. Never ground and in a jar, but whole and grated when needed. I sometimes add a little to my coffee grounds before brewing. It is also nice in homemade mac and cheese, lasgne or in cheese fondue.
In my morning smoothie.
Pancake batter,
waffle batter,
muffins...
I could go on!

cumin, garlic, basil, ginger, cayenne, chilis of various types, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, basically any and all spices as long as they're FRESH, not the Schilling ground crap that tastes like dirt because it's so old.

Penzey's has some fabulous blends.
Southwest, Mural of Flavor, Fox Point and
Maharaja Curry are some of my favorites.

Portland is the closest store so
I do my ordering online.

I love Paprika. Use it in almost everything.

Ok you WS cooks out there, how about sharing some of your secrets and/or favorite food embelishments as far as spices, herbs or condiments are concerned.

Lately, I have been on a "Ginger" kick, slicing and dicing it up and using it as much as possible in my soup, fried rice, etc.

I also love "Basil" in my noodle soups.

Any favorites that you can list?