mjd
Guru
Source: KitchenFunwithmy3sons.com
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I’ve added a casual chat room to CookingBites as a place for off-topic banter, light conversation, and short-lived chit-chat that doesn’t belong in forum threads. The chat room is informal and lightly-to-not moderated, with messages being temporary, so it’s ideal for friendly back-and-forth that would otherwise derail discussions. Site rules still apply, but there’s no reporting system or expectation of post-by-post moderation - if something becomes uncomfortable, the right response is to step away. If a topic has substance or lasting value, it still belongs in the forums; everything else can head to chat.
Source: KitchenFunwithmy3sons.com
flyinglentris
Disabled and Retired Veteran
While some of those blends may come close to what I might do, there are some things I wouldn't do.
1) I would not include garlic powder, onion powder or things like celery salt. Instead, I would go for the actual garlic, onion and celery, crushed or diced.
2) I would make blends to suite my own tastes, not somebody else's. In other words, I wouldn't do what somebody else does, though I might reflect on what they did as an influence to what I might do. Keep in mind that there is no sense making your own spice blends, if they just duplicate the commercial blends or somebody else's. Making your own spice blends is a liberation from the commercial blends and freedom to do your own.
3) Certain types of blends, I wouldn't even bother to create, but would instead, add various spices directly, to taste, depending upon the dish. Having a blend can be restrictive. Having the separate spices is not.
1) I would not include garlic powder, onion powder or things like celery salt. Instead, I would go for the actual garlic, onion and celery, crushed or diced.
2) I would make blends to suite my own tastes, not somebody else's. In other words, I wouldn't do what somebody else does, though I might reflect on what they did as an influence to what I might do. Keep in mind that there is no sense making your own spice blends, if they just duplicate the commercial blends or somebody else's. Making your own spice blends is a liberation from the commercial blends and freedom to do your own.
3) Certain types of blends, I wouldn't even bother to create, but would instead, add various spices directly, to taste, depending upon the dish. Having a blend can be restrictive. Having the separate spices is not.
mjd
Guru
I think that's fairly common among those of us that are enamored with cooking and baking. Others usually just want a sure-fire way to copy a taste with which they are already familiar.
Well, there is sense in it if that's what you want, meaning you're specifically trying to duplicate something. There's an entire industry around copycat recipes, after all.
There are some things where the dried version is preferred, like in a dry rub.
flyinglentris
Disabled and Retired Veteran
There are only two spice blends I have ever found it necessary to make, the Berbere spice blend and the Spice Islands mash and coulis. And there were good reasons to do my own blends in both cases.
The Berbere spice blend had to be cooked, blending the spices together as they were toasted in a frying pan.
The Spice Islands mash and coulis is a special liquid spice blend, more like a preparation, but still spices. There is no way to create the mash or coulis on the fly. They must be created in advance of use.
Otherwise, I am perfectly happy adding individual spices on the fly, so that I have total control over flavor, as I add them.
The Berbere spice blend had to be cooked, blending the spices together as they were toasted in a frying pan.
The Spice Islands mash and coulis is a special liquid spice blend, more like a preparation, but still spices. There is no way to create the mash or coulis on the fly. They must be created in advance of use.
Otherwise, I am perfectly happy adding individual spices on the fly, so that I have total control over flavor, as I add them.