If you are using ground seasonings like caraway for a Swedish beet dish, fennel in minestrone soup, coriander on roast pork, or cumin in chili, then up their presence in the recipe by using freshly ground spices. If you have time, first toast the seeds lightly in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, then cool and grind to a powder in a spice mill. (A coffee grinder reserved for that purpose works wonderfully.)

If you’re short on time, grind the seeds without toasting. Freshly ground spices have bright and pungent flavors that you won’t find in dried pre-ground spice from a bottle.