At the chef's table

Fresh spices make all the difference when cooking

Undoubtedly you're aware of the commitment Chicago chefs have to buying locally grown organic products for their restaurants. Farmers markets have sprung up all over the city, making access to clean, tasty and responsible food simple.

Many of the same chefs who have contributed to this newspaper column can be found every Wednesday and Saturday shopping at Chicago's Green City Market, which is at the south end of Lincoln Park between 1750 N. Clark and Stockton Drive. They fill their cars with vegetables and fruit, chicken, eggs, beef and even honey, all headed for their restaurant's menu. Many of you are shopping the same markets for your family's menu.

Now that all that wonderful, fresh-picked, seasonal farm produce has found its way into your kitchen, it's time to expose a serious threat to good cooking: the home spice rack.

That dusty, almond-colored lazy Susan in the cupboard over the stove, stacked with ground spices, has been spinning around since gasoline was $1.25 a gallon. Pre-ground coriander, cumin or even nutmeg purchased during Jimmy Carter's administration should be Public Enemy No. 1. These tired, tasteless spices threaten good cooking everywhere.

Once the aroma of freshly toasted and ground coriander seed fills the kitchen and descends on the nose, nearly everything in the spice cabinet will become obsolete, and frankly, garbage.

The problem with ground spices and spice blends sold at the grocery store is there is no way to know when they were ground or how old they are. The longer spices sit around, the more aroma and flavor are lost. So, using both hands, throttle that lazy Susan and throw those spices out.

Then, visit my friends Patty and Tom Erd, proprietors of the Spice House (1512 N. Wells; 1941 Central St., Evanston, or 577 S. Third St., Geneva). Here at copperblue, we buy all our spices from the Spice House. They even custom-grind a personal recipe for a Moroccan spice called Ras El Hanout. A visit to one of its stores is truly a sensory experience that promises to send you running for the kitchen, excited to cook.

Start with a sampling of 8 to 10 whole spices, 2 to 3 ounces of each. Choose spices that are familiar to your cooking, and make sure to buy both whole Muntok white and Tellicherry black peppercorns. Alone, these two everyday spices will enliven flavors of everything basic.

For helpful advice on buying, talk to the staff at the Spice House. Cooking Italian or Thai calls for different types of spices. Make sure to begin with the spices used most in your kitchen, and then add a few different spices with which to experiment.

Purchase a couple of pepper grinders for the black and white peppercorns, to keep freshly ground pepper at hand. And pick up a simple coffee grinder for grinding the newly purchased whole spices when needed.

Now get home and start cooking.

Michael Tsonton is chef-owner of copperblue, 580 E. Illinois.