Try Italian Spices to your favorite Recipes.

Italians prefer fresh herbs and use spices much more cautiously. Remember dried spices are quite a bit stronger than fresh herbs and a little will go a long way. The following are some of the more commonly used spices in Italian cooking.

Allspice: the dried berry of a South American evergreen tree. The flavor is similar to cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It is often used in pickling, cakes and other sweet

Anise seed: Has a mild licorice and is often used in baking. It is also used in making liqueurs.

Capers:A caper is also the pickled bud of a bush common in the Mediterranean region. Common in Southern Italian regions and Sicily, often used in salads, meats, pizza and pasta sauces.

Caraway seeds: Often used in pork and sausage recipes.

Cinnamon: Great for desserts. You can buy cinnamon grinders and grind this spice fresh just like black pepper. The difference is amazing.

Fennel Seeds: These fragrant seeds are one of my favorite spices and my pizza would not be the same without it. The seeds can also be added to meatballs and Italian sausage, and lends a distinctive flavor to roasted meat or fish. For even more flavor, toast the seeds lightly before adding them to your recipes.

Ginger: Not a very popular Italian spice, but is used in the Northern regions.

Juniper berries: The berries are used in pork and game dishes and in marinades.

Nutmeg: This spice is the seed of an evergreen tree from Southeast Asia. It is best ground fresh with a microplane. Itlians use it in desserts and some sauces.

Pepper: Black pepper corns are ground fresh. Red Pepper flakes: These are dried chilis and seeds of chili peppers. They are quite hot and add heat to sausages and sauces; more common in the Abruzzo and southern regions.

Saffron: This yellow spice comes from a flower in the crocus species and is used to add flavor and color. Italians use it most commonly in risotto recipes.

Sea Salt or Kosher Salt: These are actually quite different from your typical iodized table salt. Unless you feel you need iodine, I would recommend switching to one of these salts. The flavor is far superior and sea salt melts very well in sauces, marinades and salad dressing. Kosher salt's large crystals make it a good choice for rubbing on meats before cooking. Try one and see if you don't notice the difference.

Sea salt comes from evaporated seawater and is made without processing, which allows it to retain some minerals from the sea. These minerals can add flavor, color and some people consider it more nutritios. Like kosher, it has larger crystals than table salt making it easier for chefs to add a pinch.

You will need to use a salt grinder for these salts to use them at the table, or just use them during cooking.

Vanilla bean: Italians use the fresh bean and not the bottled extracts common in America. The fresh beans have a flavor and aroma far superior to an extract.

Dried spices will gradually lose their flavor and are best used within 6 months of being dried. The problem with many store bought spices is knowing how long they have been on the shelf before you buy them. Try to find the freshest ones you can and throw them away after their expiration date. Believe me, you will notice the difference in the flavor of your cooking.

Try cooking with these popular Italian herbs.

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