Opinions please: quality herbs and spices?

Question

For all spice lovers - if you could have a kitchen with all your favorite spices, what kinds would you have and why? I'm trying to compilate a list of herbs and spices to give to a kitchen freak. She's living in a poorly dressed kitchen but is an expert cook, and I want to know what she may love to have in regards to all this. So instead of hitting up a Wal-mart, I'd like to know of the best kinds out there and what they're for. Should I buy fresh and dry them myself? Should I get things you should grind fresh yourself? What about seeds of herbs so she can plant them in the spring? How about those "flavor" flowers and such?

I figured it was a good time to get started on Christmas....all help is appreciated!

Answer 1

Penzeys.com has good quality dried spices, herbs at very reasonable prices.  

I always like to have garlic powder, dill, oregano, chives, paprika, parsley etc on hand.  Get a nice spice rack to go with it, and you have a great gift!

Answer 2

You can go to most health food stores like sunflower and whole foods and buy sice and herb plants.  I like to have the fresh plants and dry them as I need them.  Sometimes a recipie calls for fresh too so its even better.  You don't need to dry them your self, the frsh plants would be nice and if she is a big cook, she will know how to dry them in the oven.  Good idea, that is a different gift.

Answer 3

This is some of what I have in my kitchen. These are essentials for any kitchen, maybe it will help you.

Dry: A high quality whole peppercorn such as a tellicherry, thyme, rosemary, oregano, Kosher, fleur de sel (sea) and regular salt, cinnamon, saffron.

Fresh: thyme, parsley, vanilla bean, red and yellow curry paste, garlic, 2 kinds of olive oil (one for cooking and one for finishing)

Answer 4

Oooh, cool gift!  I love to cook and bake and here are my must haves besides salt & pepper:

Garlic powder, onion powder, Lawry's seasoning salt, sage, oregano (flakes & ground), parsley, dill weed, oriental 5-spice powder, bay leaves, savory, rosemary, thyme, curry powder, ginger (whole & ground), cinnamon (sticks & ground), cardamom, cloves (whole and ground), nutmeg (whole and ground) coriander, ascorbic acid, citric acid, & pure vanilla extract (no artificial!)

If you want to go all out and get some other extracts besides vanilla, I think the basics would be almond, lemon, mint, rum and maple.