Paprika.

It makes everything good. hot, not smoked.

Seriously.

Paprika.

I dunno - I really try to buy 'em in small quantities since they don't really keep their oomph very long. Maybe some of the really dried ones that are a little better at retaining flavor, like peppercorns, bay leaves, maybe cumin seed or mustard seed?

Garlic powder and onion powder last quite well and are excellent for adding oomph here and there - not exactly spices but they're often included in the spice rack. N'thing Miko's suggestion of whole spices - cardamom, nutmeg, coriander, and allspice are my suggestions. Provided you keep you spices in the dark and away from heat (so, don't store above the stove) they'll last quite well.

How about getting whole dill seed, mustard, caraway and mixed peppercorns and make a pickling mix?

Fennel seed is great to have with pork. You can also never have enough cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, peppercorns (black, red, pink), Kosher salt and paprika.

I'd also make sure I had a good set of Indian spices:

- coriander
- ground and whole cumin
- mustard seed
- garam masala
- chilli powder
- turmeric
- fenugreek
- whole green cardamom
- asfoetida
- tamarind paste
- kalonji (nigella seed)
- caraway seed

For Chinese spices, choose:

- star anise (whole and ground)
- five spice powder


I wouldn't bother with dried herbs except rosemary, which, being a 'woody' plant, dries better than leafy plants. In my experience, leafy plants totally lose their flavour once dried.

Oh, and bay leaves, can't forget them.

Depends what you cook. The spices I tend to use the most: pepper, cumin, paprika, chili powder / flakes; also cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, ginger. Useful blends: garam masala, ras el-hanout.

Herbwise, I find dried bay leaves, oregano, sage & savory useful. And dried fenugreek leaves in Indian-style dishes. Mint & rosemary too, perhaps, although I like them better fresh.

Anything whole (like cinnamon sticks or whole nutmegs) will last longer than something pre-ground.

With the money you save on stocking up now, get a good-quality mortar & pestle to use with the whole spices. It needn't be very big at all.

Five spice and oregano, since it's hard for me to find the former and I use the latter a lot.

Cayenne.

Nutmeg!
it lasts a while and makes all pasta dishes better.

I agree with rmless2: a jar of whole nutmegs will last a loooooooonnnnnnnng time and you'll love it in pasta, with greens, with eggy or creamy dishes, and with baked fruit desserts. Just rasp off a tiny bit with a grater or even the edge of a sharp knife.

If it were me, I'd get chili powder, because I put a tiny dash of chili powder in almost everything savory. (unless it has paprika or cayenne in it --- dunno why, is that a rule I picked up somewhere, or just my crazy brain?) Do other people use chili powder as ubiquitously as I do?

My spice advice may be suspect: I never buy the bottles, just small quantities out of the bulk bins. Still, these are the things I would stock up on, given a chance.

Which stores sell spices in bulk bins? /dum

moonshine, I don't know how widespread it is, but both of my local chains (Hannaford and Shaw's) do, and luckily so does my little corner store!

Rosemary, cinammon, pumpkin pie spice, peppercorns, italian herb mix, garlic powder.

And, to make a batch of curry powder: Cumin, Coriander Seed, Turmeric, Ginger, Cardamom, Clove, Mustard, Cayenne.

Also, I use spices well after a year, and they're okay. Green herbs less so.

Cloves, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon. You can still make that spiced pumpkin cheesecake in time for the holidays! Let me know if you'd like the recipe.

Dill weed (not to be confused with seed) should be loved more than it is. It's fabulous with eggs, tomatoes and cheese. (Mac and cheese? Add dill! Egg salad? Bring out your dill! Campbell's cream of tomato soup? Even better with dill! Cream cheese on your bagel? Needs dill! )

It also works well with pork and chicken, with or without mustard.

Dill is like chives. You want a little something, but you don't want to overpower it, and it keeps forever.