Spices & Dried Herbs¶
A reference guide for the spices and dried herbs we actually use, with Czech translations, pairing suggestions, and practical science. This complements the glossary -- see glossary.md for the master English-Czech ingredient list.
Most of what makes a spice taste good is in its aroma, not its taste. Spice flavour comes from volatile compounds -- essential oils locked inside plant cells. The three things that matter most: buying them reasonably fresh, storing them properly, and using heat (blooming or toasting) to unlock their full potential before they hit liquid.
Everyday Spices¶
| Spice | Czech | Form | Fresh preferred? | Pairs well with | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sweet paprika | paprika sladká | ground | no | pork, chicken, potatoes, goulash | Backbone of Czech cooking. Buy in small tins, replace every 6 months. |
| paprika (hot/sharp) | paprika ostrá | ground | no | goulash, stews, pork | Sold as "mletá paprika na guláš" -- a specific hot paprika variety, not a blend. |
| black pepper | pepř černý | whole | no | everything | Grind fresh. Pre-ground loses potency within weeks. |
| 4-colour peppercorn | pepř 4 barvy | whole | no | steak, pasta, cream sauces | Mix of black, white, green, pink peppercorns. |
| caraway (whole) | kmín celý | whole | no | pork, sauerkraut, potatoes, rye bread | Czech essential. NOT cumin -- see caraway vs. cumin note below. Toast before crushing. |
| caraway (ground) | kmín mletý | ground | no | potato soup, pork roast, dumplings | Pre-ground for convenience; whole is more flavourful. |
| cinnamon (whole) | skořice celá | whole | no | mulled drinks, slow braises, stewed fruit | Better than ground for long-simmered dishes -- remove before serving. |
| cinnamon (ground) | skořice mletá | ground | no | baking, apples, sweet potatoes | Fine for baking. |
| nutmeg (whole) | muškátový ořech celý | whole | no | béchamel, spinach, cream sauces, baking | Grate fresh on a microplane -- far better than pre-ground. |
| mace (ground) | muškátový květ mletý | ground | no | béchamel, sausages, cream sauces, baking | Outer covering of nutmeg -- similar but more delicate flavour. |
| cloves (whole) | hřebíček celý | whole | no | mulled drinks, red cabbage, slow braises, baking | Extremely potent -- 2-3 whole cloves per pot is enough. |
| allspice (whole) | nové koření celé | whole | no | beef, pork stews, root vegetables | Czech staple. Tastes like cloves + cinnamon + nutmeg combined. |
| sesame seeds | sezamové semínko | seed | no | Asian dishes, bread, salads | Toast in a dry pan before using. |
| garlic (dried granules) | česnek sušený granule | dried | either | rubs, roasted potatoes, marinades | Not a substitute for fresh -- its own ingredient. Good in dry rubs where fresh garlic would burn. |
| bear garlic (dried) | medvědí česnek sušený | dried | yes | eggs, potatoes, soups, spring dishes | Wild garlic / ramsons. Fresh is a Czech spring delicacy (April-May); dried is a decent off-season substitute. |
| ginger (ground) | zázvor mletý | ground | yes | baking, Asian dishes, carrots, pork | Fresh preferred for savoury cooking. Ground is fine for baking. |
| lemon peel (dried) | citronová kůra sušená | dried | yes | baking, fish, salad dressings | Fresh zest is dramatically better for most uses. Keep dried for baking emergencies only. |
Caraway vs. cumin warning: In Czech, kmín means caraway and římský kmín means cumin. Many translated recipes get this wrong. If a Mexican, Indian, or Tex-Mex recipe calls for "kmín," it almost certainly means cumin (římský kmín). If a Czech recipe for knedlíky, pork, or sauerkraut calls for "kmín," it means caraway. When in doubt, think about the cuisine of origin.
Herbs (Dried)¶
Dried herbs work best when they are the "hearty" type -- those with sturdy leaves and stable flavour compounds that survive drying and long cooking. Delicate herbs (basil, parsley, dill, cilantro) lose most of their character when dried and should be used fresh whenever possible. For our kitchen, that means fresh basil and parsley in season, dried everything else.
The standard substitution ratio: 1 part dried = 3 parts fresh (by volume). For ground dried herbs like sage, use 1 part dried = 4 parts fresh.
| Herb | Czech | Form | Fresh preferred? | Pairs well with | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| basil | bazalka | dried | yes | tomatoes, pasta, pizza, chicken | Dried is a shadow of fresh -- acceptable only as background in long-cooked sauces. Use fresh in season, add at the very end. |
| oregano | oregáno | dried | either | tomato sauces, grilled meat, beans, pizza | One of the few herbs that tested better dried than fresh in long-cooked dishes (ATK). |
| thyme | tymián | dried | yes | chicken, mushrooms, root vegetables, cream sauces | Works well dried in long-cooked dishes. Fresh better for finishing. |
| rosemary | rozmarýn | dried | yes | lamb, potatoes, chicken, focaccia | Very potent dried -- use half what you think you need. Crush or grind the needle-like leaves. |
| marjoram | majoránka | dried | either | pork, potatoes, dumplings, soups, sausages | The defining herb of Czech cuisine. Essential in pork roast and potato soup. Add early in cooking. |
| bay leaf | bobkový list | dried | either | stocks, stews, braises, rice, beans | Add at the start of cooking, remove before serving. Store in freezer for longest shelf life. |
Spice Blends¶
Homemade blends are fresher and cheaper than store-bought. Store in small jars away from heat and light. These are the ones we actually use.
All-purpose savoury rub -- good on chicken, pork, roasted vegetables: - 2 tbsp sweet paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp cayenne (omit for kid portions)
Czech classic mix -- for pork roasts, potato soup, dumplings: - 2 tbsp dried marjoram, 1 tbsp caraway seeds (lightly crushed), 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp sweet paprika
Simple chilli spice -- for chilli con carne and Tex-Mex: - 2 tbsp sweet paprika, 1 tbsp ground cumin (římský kmín!), 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne, pinch of ground cloves
Warm baking spice -- for pumpkin pie, gingerbread, spiced biscuits: - 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Store-bought Blends (owned, phasing out)¶
These blends are currently in the spice rack. We prefer to replace them over time with individual spices -- better flavour control, fresher ingredients, and no fillers.
| Blend | Czech label | Replace with |
|---|---|---|
| Goulash seasoning | Guláš | sweet paprika + caraway + marjoram + pepper |
| Ground meat seasoning | Koření na mleté maso | marjoram + garlic granules + pepper + sweet paprika |
| American potato seasoning | Americké brambory | garlic granules + sweet paprika + dried herbs |
| French fry seasoning | Hranolky | sweet paprika + garlic granules + oregano |
| Burrito seasoning | Burrito | cumin (římský kmín) + chilli + garlic + oregano + smoked paprika |
| 7-herb chicken | Kuře 7 bylin | Italian herbs + garlic granules + lemon pepper |
| Fish seasoning | Ryby | lemon peel + dill + parsley + pepper |
| Italian seasoning | Italské koření | oregano + basil + thyme (already have all three individually) |
| Curry powder | Kari | keep as-is -- a widely-used blend, reasonable convenience item |
Storage & Shelf Life¶
These guidelines are drawn from recommendations across The Food Lab, The Science of Good Cooking, and Salt Fat Acid Heat.
Where to store: In airtight containers (jars with tight lids, not open racks), in a cool dark cupboard away from the stove. Heat, light, and moisture are the enemies of spice flavour. Never store spices above the hob.
Shelf life guidelines:
| Form | Shelf life | Signs of staleness |
|---|---|---|
| Whole spices (peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds) | Up to 2 years | Rub between fingers -- if you smell nothing, replace |
| Ground spices (paprika, cinnamon, turmeric) | 6-12 months | Colour faded, aroma flat, tastes dusty |
| Dried leafy herbs (oregano, thyme, marjoram) | 6-12 months | Colour turned from green to brownish-grey, no aroma when crushed |
| Bay leaves | 1-2 years (longer in freezer) | No aroma when snapped in half |
| Homemade spice blends | 3-6 months | Less potent than expected in dishes |
Freezer trick: Store backup supplies of whole spices and bay leaves in the freezer in sealed bags. They keep much longer and can go straight from freezer to pan -- no need to thaw.
The smell test: Before using any spice, rub a small amount between your fingers and smell. If there is little or no aroma, the spice is past its prime and will contribute nothing but dusty bitterness to your food. Replace it.
Buy small, buy often: Unless you use a spice weekly, buy the smallest available container. A half-empty jar of paprika that has sat for two years is worse than useless -- it gives you the illusion of flavour while delivering none.
Technique: Blooming Spices¶
Blooming is the single most impactful technique for improving spice flavour, and it requires essentially no extra effort. The science is well documented in The Science of Good Cooking (Concept 33) and The Food Lab.
What is blooming?¶
Blooming means briefly cooking spices in hot fat (oil or butter) before adding any liquid to the pan. Most of the flavour compounds in spices are fat-soluble, not water-soluble. When spices hit hot fat, those compounds dissolve out of the solid spice particles and into the oil, where they disperse evenly throughout the dish.
America's Test Kitchen tested this directly: red pepper flakes bloomed in oil released twice the capsaicin (2233 vs. 1113 Scoville units) compared to the same flakes steeped in water at the same temperature. For thyme, the difference was even more dramatic -- oil extracted ten times more thymol (the main flavour compound) than water did.
How to bloom¶
- Heat oil or butter in your pan over medium heat.
- Add ground spices (and/or hearty dried herbs like oregano, thyme) to the fat.
- Stir constantly for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Ground spices bloom fast.
- Immediately add your next ingredient (onions, garlic, liquid) to prevent scorching.
For whole spices (cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns), you can bloom them in fat for 1-2 minutes until they begin to pop and become fragrant.
Toasting (dry method)¶
An alternative for whole spices. Place whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat, swirling constantly, until fragrant and the first seeds begin to pop (2-3 minutes). Transfer immediately to a mortar or spice grinder.
The critical rule from Kenji Lopez-Alt's testing: always toast before grinding, never grind then toast. Grinding exposes volatile oils to the air. If you toast after grinding, those freed compounds vaporize and escape -- "if you smell it while you're cooking, it will not be in your food when you serve it." Toasting whole spices first forces oils to the surface while keeping them trapped in the cell structure, then grinding releases them into your food.
When to use which method¶
- Blooming in fat: Best for ground spices and when you are already building a flavour base in oil (soups, stews, curries, chilli). This is the default for most of our cooking.
- Dry toasting then grinding: Best when you want the purest, most complex spice flavour and are willing to grind. Ideal for chilli spice blends, cumin, coriander.
- Just adding to liquid: Acceptable only for very long braises (3+ hours) where there is enough time and fat in the liquid to extract flavour. Even then, blooming first is better.