Savory herbs

Savory spices enhance flavor and add color to food, and a blend of seasonings can be used in place of salt - according to your own taste and preference. Usually a combination of three herbs such as a mix of thyme, marjoram, and savory is sufficient. Try some of the classic combinations such as dill with fish, sage with pork, and rosemary with lamb, too.

A spicier blend might include powdered mustard, onion, garlic or curry powder , or white pepper.

Sweet spices are useful in reducing the sugar added to puddings and custards, cooked fruits, breakfast cereals, and beverages.

This group includes cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cardamon, anise, fennel, and mint.

These seasonings are not necessarily sweet in themselves, but they enhance sweet flavors.

Most of the packaged spice blends can be made at home if you have a good supply of herbs on hand. Herbs Provencale is often a mixture of onion, garlic, thyme, basil, and black pepper, while a typical Italian mix would depend heavily on oregano, garlic, and basil.

Some poultry seasonings contain white pepper, sage, thyme, marjoram, savory, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Pumpkin-pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.