Sometimes we need some inspiration in the kitchen. Sometimes inspiration comes in a jar. This melange of hot, sweet, smokey spice will perk up your game in the kitchen in many ways, infusing meats with its peppery power, saturating marinades with full-bodied flavour, lifting vegetables to new heights with a simple sprinkle. Everything you wish for in a spice rub resides in this mix, undertones of garlic and onion, the pure pleasure of salt, a variety of peppers to titilate the taste buds. There is smoked paprika for depth, mustard powder for bite, thyme and basil for sweetness, cayenne for heat. This recipe yields about two and half cups, enough for gifting, plenty for you. Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, it will keep for many months.

Ted Reader is known as the "King of the Q" and he knows a thing or two about fire and flavour. Unabashedly bold in the kitchen, his recipes are marked by a generosity of spirit and loads of perky personality. I used his Bone Dust rub recipe pretty much as he wrote it, with just a few tweaks to make it my own. Feel free to do your own tweaking, though I would try this close-to-perfect blend as is first. Do not substitute table salt for kosher salt. Kosher salt has a purity of flavour and crumbly texture that makes a big difference in this blend. If you had to choose one way to make food taste better, that one way would be to use kosher salt. Its presence makes both the spices and the food sing.

Bone Dust
adapted from Ted Reader

1/2 cup sweet paprika; 2 tbsp. smoked paprika; 1/4 cup chili powder; 3 tbsp. kosher salt; 2 tbsp. cracked coriander seeds; 2 tbsp. garlic powder; 2 tbsp. onion powder; 1 tsp. turmeric; 2 tbsp. coarsely ground mustard seeds; 2 tbsp. raw or granulated sugar; 1 tbsp. ground black pepper; 1 tbsp. ground pink pepper; 1 tbsp. dried basil; 1 tbsp. dried thyme; 1 tbsp. ground cumin; 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper.

If you are grinding your own spices for this mix, take care to not overprocess them and turn crackly, crumbly texture into powder. It is nice to have some larger bits in your seasoning, little jolts of one of the peppers, the crystals of raw sugar and the lively flakes of kosher salt. The dried herbs are also nice when flecked throughout your blend and not pulverized to homogeneity. So, carefully grind your spices one at a time so that you can control how much they are processsed. Then, simply combine all your spices, mix them up well and store in a jar in a cool, dry place.

Bone Dust, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. . . . . 1) Sprinkled on scrambled eggs 2) whisked into a vinaigrette 3) smeared on steak before grilling 4) rubbed on a raw salmon filet 5) added to soup 6) simmered in a thick, wet stew 7) mixed with some soft goat cheese for a kicked-up spread 8) tossed with chicken wings before roasting 9) in a fragrant bath of tomato sauce destined for spaghetti 10) as a finishing touch to steamed brocolli.

Whatever your inclinations are in the kitchen, Bone Dust is a power house of a condiment to use any which way you like. Once you try your hand at blending your own spice rubs, you and your nose can go on a sensory journey creating many more interesting combinations. Ted Reader offers us a panoply of options: Mediterranean-Style Rub scented with herbs and the sweet fragrance of ground fennel seeds, Indonesian Cinnamon Rub with the added warmth of allspice and cloves, a Tandoori Rub that includes cardamom and coriander seeds and a Cajun Rub spiked with hot mustard powder, cayenne and sweet paprika. When inspiration hits and you feel like playing the flavour card, let these Ted Reader books guide you:

With the season's frost settling on the ground this crisp morning, I pulled out my cozy arsenal of autumn spices and whipped up these gorgeous cookies, filling the kitchen with warm aromas. I am that quick to adapt to the cooler weather. Why wait? It's never a bad idea having moist, crackled gingersnap cookies on hand.

I am of the mind that more is better here when it comes to spice. And fresh ginger adds a big kick to an already punchy cookie, a bright, peppery, deep essence. Lots of cinnamon is used along with cloves, allspice and cardamom, and even a jolt of espresso powder, a melange with personality that will leave your tongue practically singing. Partner these with strong, fragrant tea and a tart apple and you have yourself a mid-afternoon snack to remember.

In truth, these cookies have served me well other times of the year, such as summer time, besides a scoop of good vanilla bean ice cream and a bowl of raspberries. I enjoy these on a dark winter morning with a steaming cup of coffee and a banana. Some would say a glass of milk makes the perfect partner. Any time is the right time for a great cookie. Whether destined for a party platter to share with friends or for solo munching in your kitchen, reading the newspaper, this is a cookie to keep in your tool kit and pull out all year round.

There are many gingersnap cookie recipes out there. I have tried and tasted MANY of them. This is the one I love the most, a kicked up and slightly modified version of the old stand-by from Joy of Cooking. Why does it work? Butter. Demererra sugar, with its rich flavour and dark butterscotchy feel. Lots of spice. Some whole wheat flour for old-fashioned wholesomeness and a hint of wheat. Molasses for chewiness and flavour with deep resonance. A roll in some granulated sugar, resulting in glistening crystals and a pleasing crunch. And careful baking, paying attention to not overbake these beauties, leaving them with a crisp outer shell that yields to a moist interior. With the signature crackles one comes to expect in a gingersnap, I offer you the best one I have ever met. Oh, you may have noticed from my photo that my cookies are huge, a handful of sugar and spice. I used an ice cream scoop to form tennis ball sized rounds which I then rolled in granulated sugar and flattened slightly with the palm of my hand. These larger cookies may need a minute or two longer in the oven.

Gingersnaps Recipe adapted from the 1974 Edition of The Joy of Cooking

3/4 cup butter, softened; 2 cups granulated sugar; 2 eggs, beaten; 1/2 cup molasses; 2 teaspoons white vinegar or fresh lemon juice; 2+3/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup whole wheat flour; 1+1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom; 1 tsp. instant espresso powder (optional).

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until blended. Mix in molasses and vinegar or lemon juice and blend well. In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking soda, gingers, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and espresso powder if using. Stir well and add to wet ingredients. Mix just until the flour mixture is well incorporated and you have a cohesive dough. For cookies that are perfectly round, chill dough for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Form dough into 3/4 inch balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten cookies slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the top is crackled. For giant cookies, form dough into 3" balls, roll in sugar, flatten and bake for about 15 minutes. Do not overbake if you like some chew to your gingersnap.

Makes a big batch of small cookies or about 10 large 4-inch cookies.

Indulge in the joy of baking cookies:

Sicilian Sea Salt With Dried Herbs

Salt, the single most important ingredient in imparting flavour in foods. The right usage brings foods to life in a way nothing else matches. The right amount in foods shouldn't actually taste salty. Beef should taste beefier, potatoes more potatoey, and, yes, chocolate, more chocolatey. Salt in baking is of utmost importance too, for the same reasons, livening up the flavours.

Which brings me to having some fun with salt in the kitchen, creating some unusual blends to boost your creations in unexpected ways. It's as simple as blending freshly grated lemon peel with good sea salt in a spice grinder and letting your nose and tongue enjoy the experience. Or pulsing ruby red Espelette pepper with sea salt for a sweet/hot condiment to sprinkle on salads and savoury dishes. The Sicilian sea salt blend in the photo above was a gift my parents brought home from an Italian fine foods market they tripped over while recently visiting a small town in England. My spice scouts are on task!

Intriguing salty notions were transmitted to my brain via Patricia Wells, from her new book Salad As A Meal, with plenty of goodies besides salads to salivate over. Here are some perfect examples of using simple ingredients in a new way to create something extraordinary.

Lemon Zest Salt

1 tbsp. grated lemon zest; 1 tbsp fine sea salt (or kosher salt). Combine zest and salt in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Transfer to a small jar and close with the lid. Store, sealed in the jar, in the fridge, for up to one week. Try it on grilled salmon, clam chowder or sauteed asparagus.

Red Hot Salt

2 tsp. ground piment d'Espelette or other ground mild chile pepper; 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika; 1 tsp. fine sea salt. Combine all ingredients in a jar. Cover and shake to blend. Store, sealed in the jar, at room temperature for up to 1 month. Use on chicken dishes, meat or vegetables.

Fennel and Saffron Salt

Pinch of ground saffron; 3 tbsp. fine sea salt; 2 tbsp. fennel seeds. Combine ingredients in a spice grinder and grind until the fennel seeds are fairly coarse. Transfer to small jar and cover, shaking to blend. Keeps for up to 1 month. Wonderful over tomatoes or stewed beans.

Japanese Sesame Salt

1 tbsp. fine sea salt; 7 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds. Grind the sesame seeds and salt in spice grinder but do not let the mixture form a paste. Store for up to 1 month. Nice on salads or Asian noodles.

Right now may be a good time to throw out that box of iodized table salt sitting in your pantry and go for something infinitely better, kosher salt or sea salt. I used kosher salt in the place of sea salt in the recipes above and love the clean, natural taste it delivers, chemical free, uncomplicated and pure. You will find iodized salt harsh and crude in comparison and will not turn back.

Salt gets bad press because high sodium diets have been linked to high blood presesure and other illnesses. I believe that many of these health problems are associated with consuming commercially prepared foods which are heavily loaded with sodium. Moderate usage of salt in home cooking should not pose a problem to your health under most normal circumstances.

Build flavour right into your cooking with inspiration from these titles: