A Beginner's Guide to Stocking a Spice Drawer

You do not need a wall of jars to cook the food of the world. A focused dozen, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and a handful of others, forms the backbone of cuisines across continents. Build from there only when a recipe genuinely asks for something new.

Whole spices last far longer than ground ones and taste dramatically better when toasted and crushed to order. If you buy nothing else for your kitchen this month, a small spice grinder or a sturdy mortar and pestle will transform what comes out of your pots.

Store everything away from heat and light, which means not directly above the stove no matter how convenient it looks. Label each jar with the date you opened it, and trust your nose: when a spice smells like dust instead of itself, it is time to replace it.