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This combination forms the backbone of my cooking. The ingredients appear in various proportions to one another, depending on the dish, and they don’t always go together, but I’ve found that more dishes than not benefit from some combination of this powerful quartet. Cinnamon almost belongs in this group as well; it’s very strong, is not as versatile as any in the quartet, and needs to be used judiciously, but I use it frequently in savory dishes.

Knowing how to buy and use spices is important. There are a few simple rules: buy them whole whenever possible, buy them in small quantities to ensure that they’re always fresh, and toast them before you crush or grind them. Toasting your coriander and cumin, or any whole seeds or berries, releases the oils that make them such powerful seasoning devices.

My number-one favorite spice: Coriander

There is no more balanced spice in your pantry than coriander. This seed of the coriander, or cilantro, plant is unique in another way: besides being balanced, it works with almost every food, and it’s almost impossible to overseason food with it. You can give meats a thick crust of cracked coriander seeds, or give a sauce a teaspoon of pulverized coriander seeds, and its effects are equally powerful. Think about other spices: peppercorns, cumin, chilies, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon—every one of them can be overused, can overpower a dish. From a standpoint of both flavor and aroma, coriander is both subtle and powerful. I love the citrusy notes it brings to food, similar to the flavor of burnt orange. Coarsely cracked, it’s beautiful on grilled lamb chops, adding aroma, flavor, and crunch. Powdered, it’s wonderful in sauces. I use it almost across the board; coriander is my ally in the kitchen.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a powerful spice in savory dishes. I love it in shellfish sauces, and it adds subtle depth to the braising liquid for lamb and veal shank and to tomato sauces. But it’s very, very tricky to get right and can ruin those dishes, too. What I recommend, to give you more control when you’re seasoning sauces, is to use cinnamon sticks and taste the sauces as they’re cooking. When the cinnamon flavor hits the right pitch, remove the cinnamon stick. You can’t do this if you use powdered cinnamon.

Herbs

I love all fresh herbs, and I rarely if ever use dried herbs because I can’t know their quality and what level of intensity they will bring to a dish.

Herbs are divided into two categories, hard and soft. Hard herbs are the ones that have thick, woody stems: oregano, sage, thyme, lavender, and rosemary, for example. These are typically powerful herbs that are added at the beginning of a dish and can withstand the heat, slowly releasing their oils and flavors. Because they’re so strong, they can easily overwhelm a dish.

Soft herbs include basil, dill, cilantro, tarragon, parsley, chives, and chervil. They are more delicate and volatile. These herbs should only be used at the end of cooking, after the pan is off the heat and you’re ready to serve the dish. My mom will spend a lot of money on basil, then throw it into a sauce she’s gonna cook for seven hours—drives me crazy. Don’t cut your soft herbs too much. Mincing them will destroy their flavor. The only herb I cut fine is chives. As a rule, give soft herbs one pass with the knife just before you use them, or better, tear the leaves by hand.

To toast whole spices (or nuts), simply pour them—one variety at a time, since different spices toast at different speeds—in a dry sauté pan and toast, tossing occasionally, over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer them to a plate to cool. To grind the spices, put them in a spice mill, coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle, and grind just before you add them to your dish. You can also simply give them a rough chop on your cutting board.

Herb Credo: If I Had To Choose

Among the hard herbs, the herb that works well with just about anything is thyme. But for impact, nothing beats rosemary, my favorite hard herb. Yes, it can overpower, so you have to be careful using