Pickling Spice

Nothing beats homemade pickling spice since you can customize it to match your palate. If you like spicy flavors, increase the crushed red pepper. If you don't like spice, omit them altogether. Homemade pickling spice is also a very economical option. Making it only requires pantry staples from your spice cabinet. It's also a great thing to make when you have spice jars that are running low. Combine all the small extra bits into one jar, and you've made pickling spice! Use this pickling spice to make homemade corned beef or add it to the brine for pickled okra or to spicy pickled garlic for extra flavour. Note the optional ingredients and use them or adjust their amounts to reflect how much you like those flavours.

1 Tbsp. allspice berries (only whole allspice berries work here; ground allspice will be entirely too sharp and bitter)
1 Tbsp. black peppercorns (whole peppercorns, not ground pepper)
1 Tbsp. black mustard seeds (yellow work too, but won't provide the same visual effect in the jar)
1 Tbsp. cloves (only whole cloves work; ground cloves don't add the right flavour)
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes (optional; depending on your heat preference)
2 tsp. ground ginger (not fresh, it will be too sharp)
1 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated (optional, the warm homey flavour of nutmeg adds depth)
2 bay leaves (dried and crumbled)
1 stick cinnamon (smashed or crumbled)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or pint jar and mix well.

If you like, you can toast the allspice, peppercorns, mustard seeds, cloves, and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes for a deeper flavor before adding the other ingredients. Either way, mix everything together and store whatever you don't use that day in a glass jar or similar vessel in your pantry or spice cabinet.

This recipe makes about ½ cup pickling spice.