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Title: Comida Listo: Spicing it Up!
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Article: I realize that many newcomers don't speak Spanish, and that makes going to the grocery store a bit of a challenge sometimes. Oh, a cucumber looks like a cucumber, whether the sign says pepino or cucumber... unless it's a white cucumber, then it looks more like a bleached zucchini.   I usually buy the regular green cukes, because they are what is available where I shop, but if you are are shopping in a Mercado, don't hesitate to buy the pepino blanco. Once you peel it, you will never notice a difference. Someone with more knowledge of botany will have to explain why they look like they do, and any differences that exist, but for me it tastes like cucumber, and that is all I care about.   One area where it isn't so easy to guess is in the spice department, so I am reprinting my spice list for you. Molido means, "ground," and entero means, "whole." While grano means, "grain," if you are buying ground coffee it's molido but whole coffee is en grano... not frijol. Another food term that doesn't translate is brown rice; it's arrozo intergral. Whole wheat flour is harina integral, too. If you ask for arroz cafe or arroz moreno, who knows what you will get.   That all being said and done, here is my spice list. These are the spices I actually have in my cupboard right now. The spices and herbs in red were imported, and the rest bought locally. As an interesting aside, you can also buy tumeric root in the grocery store, but then it's known as raize de safron instead of curcuma.   Allspice, Whole = Pimienta Tabasco en Grano Anise Seed = Anis Semilla Basil = Albahaca Bay Leaves = Hojas de Laurel Cardamom, Ground = Cardamomo molido Cardamom, Whole = Cardamomo entero Caraway Seed = Semilla de Alcaravea Cayenne = Chile piquin molido Cilantro = Cilantro Cinnamon = Canela Cloves, Whole = Clavo entero Coriander Seeds = Semilla de cilantro Cumin, Ground = Cumino molido Curry Powder, Indian = Curry de India Dill Weed = Hojas de Eneldo Epazote = Epazote Garlic = Ajo Ginger = Jengibre Marjoram Leaves = Mejorana entera Mexican Pepperleaf = Hoja Santa Mustard Powder = Mostaza molida Mustard Seeds, Yellow = Mostaza semilla Nutmeg, Ground = Nuez Moscada Molida Oregano Leaves = Oregano entero Paprika = Pimenton dulce Paprika, Smoked = Pimenton Ahumado Parsely = Perejil Peppercorns, Black = Pimienta Negra, entera Peppercorns, Green = Pimienta Verde, entera Peppercorns, Red = Pimienta Rosa, entera Rosemary = Romero Sage = Salvia Tarragon = Estragon Thyme, Ground = Tomillo molido Tumeric = Curcuma     Theresa is the author of ¿What do I do all day? and Theresa's Cooking Blog . Her weekly column, Comida Listo, can be found on Yolisto each Tuesday.