Salts

• Salt is the primary spice to make any dish taste better. Go lightly when adding salt. Too much salt can ruin a meal as quickly as it improved it. Garlic salt and onion salt are ways of combining the savory alternatives. If you are using a flavored salt, don't add plain salt as well.
  
  

Peppers

• Basic table pepper is an under-appreciated spice. Freshly ground peppercorns add the most flavor to a variety of foods like meat, soup and salad. Peppercorns come in a range of flavors and colors including pink, black, red and white. Peppercorn blends are also common. Spicy peppers--a fruit grown in all parts of the world--will add heat to any meal.
  
  

Sweet Spices

• Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are common spices for sweet foods. Found frequently in baking recipes, these spices are often used for holiday cookies and breads. These spices are also used frequently for hot beverages such as cider and mulled wine. Cinnamon and nutmeg are often sprinkled on lattes and cappuccinos to bring out the earthy flavors in coffee. Vanilla comes in liquid form and is used in a majority of baking recipes.
  
  

Savory Spices

• Often grouped together as Italian spices, common savory spices include basil, thyme, parsley and oregano. These spices are best when fresh, but easily found in grocery stores dried and crushed. These spices are easily grown in a kitchen garden--a small indoor garden grown year-round to ensure the cook has fresh savory spices at all times.