I know that mixing your own seasonings can be a little intimidating, they make those premixed packets for a reason right? Nobody wants to mess up dinner, friends and family looking down dejectedly, refusing to make eye contact with you, and deep down inside you know that they've lost all respect for you and you might as well just forget about going to your sisters school play or your Aunts Anniversary party. You've become a black sheep, a leper to your family, the one they keep locked in the cellar so the neighbors don't see you. But never fear, with a little practice and a little forethought you can step up in that crux moment when the fork is twixt plate and mouth and hold your head up high.
The trick with seasonings, well, two tricks really, are:
1. To know what the spices taste like individually. It's a wonderful thing to hear people talk about how fantastic Rosemary Chicken is, but it's entirely another thing to make a batch of it up and realize that Rosemary just happens to be one of those flavors that turns your stomach and you've ruined your dinner. With any new spice it's important to taste test it first, as much as sticks to the tip of your finger is usually enough to give you an idea. Keep in mind that what you're tasting will be diluted in the actual dish, spread throughout and mixed with the flavors of every other thing you add, so don't be disturbed if it seems a bit too strong. This is especially true in the case of certain herbs and spices that are especially powerful, Rosemary continuing to be a good example, and one that I will discuss more in the next section.
2a. Remember that you're trying to eat delicious food, NOT spices with interesting textures. As I said above, the flavors will seem stronger when tried all alone, but until you have a little more experience with them go slow, add them a little time, taste test frequently. It's not unusual when I start trying a dish with a new spice for ten or twelve spoons to make their way into my sink before the meal is ever finished. And I learned this the hard way. The first time I tried cooking with Rosemary I added too much, I treated it like I would treat Garlic, an old familiar friend whose company I just couldn't get enough of, piled into a pot of Beef Stew like gold in a leprechaun's pot. The results were horrifying. Rosemary, when used properly adds a little Springtime freshness to any meal, when used improperly it is like a pine forest was violently ill in your mouth.
2b. This isn't to disparage spicy food, a good bowl of Spicy Chili or a rich bowl of Curried... anything, is fantastic. Just make sure to keep it balanced so you're tasting food, not just spice. Tender tubers, mouthfuls of meats, vivid vegetables, perfect pasta, they're all just as important as the seasonings you use, every flavor there to balance and sustain every other in harmony. Eventually it becomes second nature, keeping that balance in mind, remembering each flavor individually and as a community, but until it does, just take it slow and keep what I've said in mind, not because I'm some kind of Seasoning Guru, just because, for whatever crazy reason, I genuinely care how your dinner turns out.
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