• Even a basic selection of spices can add a wide variety of flavors to your cooking.spices image by Bartlomiej Nowak from Fotolia.com
  
  If you're new to the art of cooking, you may find yourself somewhat intimidated by the task of stocking your kitchen with an arsenal of seasonings. A diverse selection of spices is an essential part of even simple cooking, with many recipes falling flat if they don't have the required ingredients. Prepare yourself for most any standard recipe with a stock of the most important, oft-used herbs and spices. 
  
  

Hot Spices

• Hot spices, including many types of ground pepper, give heat to dishes, but different flavors of heat are appropriate for different dishes and culinary ethnicities. Be sure to have black pepper, ground red (cayenne) pepper, crushed red pepper flakes (these are also made from cayenne pepper but impart flavor in a different way), chili powder or ground chili (the latter is pure chili while the former is combined with other spices) and paprika.
  
  

Sweet Spices

• Sweet spices are most often used in making sweet baked goods, desserts or sweet drinks. Occasionally, they are used in combination with hot spices for savory main courses with a complex flavor. Essential sweet spices include cinnamon, cloves, ginger, dried mint, nutmeg, allspice, fennel and anise. Many of these spices are commonly mixed together in cooking sweets.
  
  

Savory Spices

• Savory spices are used in cooking meat and side dishes and give a slightly sharp, but not hot, flavor; each savory spice has its own distinct flavor. Essential savory spices for your pantry should include sage, thyme, rosemary, basil, cumin, oregano, coriander, marjoram and bay leaves.
  
  

Pungent Spices

• Other spice and powders have a strong, pungent flavor and are inescapable in the dishes they flavor. These include powdered mustard, onion and garlic.
  
  

Spice Blends

• Some essential pantry spices are not pure herbs or spices, but blends and combinations that are so commonly used that they're called for in many recipes. These include Chinese five spice powder, curry powder, garam masala, poultry seasoning and Italian seasoning.