Have you ever wondered what to do with allspice or bought lemongrass and thought what now. Wonder no more here are 19 spices and how they can be used in everyday cooking.

Allspice: soups stews, curries, cakes, fruit pies
Caraway: cheeses, sausage, cooked cabbage, soups, soda bread, granola
Cinnamon: desserts, cakes, puddings, mulled wine, bread, rice, granola
Coriander: curries, vegetables
Cumin: meat, vegetables, chili, relish, salad
Curry powder: soups, stews
Fennel: pork, fish, vegetables, bread, pickles, bouillabaisse, potato
salad, cakes, Italian sausage, spaghetti sauce
5 Spice Powder: roast meat, poultry, marinades
Ginger: meat, fish, vegetables, cookies, cakes
Lemongrass: soups, stews, fish, meat
Mustard seed: Indian dishes
Nutmeg: meat, vegetables, egg, cheese, sauces, cakes, fruit, pancakes
Paprika: goulash, poultry, fish, vegetables
Peppercorns: marinades, stocks, stews, broth
Saffron: soups, sauces, fish, rice, cakes, breads
Star Anise: poultry, pork, fish, beef soup
Sumac: fish, chicken, salads, kebabs, lentils
Tamarind: soup, curries, fish, poultry, desserts
Turmeric: vegetables, beans, lentils

When you look at a list like this it seems daunting to buy all these spices and stock your pantry in one day. The best way to handle this is to watch for sales. Spices like allspice and cinnamon will go on sale around holidays. While spices like lemongrass and saffron will be during slow times of the year.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. Sign up for her newsletter and learn more about Gourmayeats Weekly Recipe Club at http://www.gourmayeats.com/recipe.html