Food can fail, or sail, on strength of spices
Spices, observes Ana Sortun, are a way to add layers and richness to food without adding fat and heaviness. In a word, ''they're strength," says the chef and owner of Oleana restaurant in Cambridge.
So it makes sense that you'd want the spices you buy to be richly colored, fresh, and fragrant. To create the eastern Mediterranean flavors that her restaurant is known for, Sortun draws on an array of spices that includes cumin, coriander, pepper, dried oregano, dried mint, Aleppo chilies, cinnamon, allspice, as well as favorites such as sumac, which adds a lemon flavor that Sortun likes on salads.
Sortun, who recently published a cookbook called ''Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean," prefers to shop for spices at smaller stores like Sevan Bakery in Watertown and Christina's Spice and Specialty Foods in Cambridge because the quality tends to be reliable.
''I like to be as close to a food source as possible," she says during a recent interview over jars and bags at Christina's. Sortun, who buys spices every few weeks for her restaurant and every couple of months for her home, suggests ways customers can check for quality as well.
Spices like paprika or chilies should look oily, Sortun says, holding up a jar of brightly colored powder and noting how granules cling to the glass. Christina's carries at least eight paprikas, says owner Ray Ford, including smoked and Spanish varieties.
Seeds such as coriander, cumin, and mustard are supposed to be dry, so their freshness may be more difficult to gauge. Sortun recommends ''reviving" old seeds or cinnamon sticks by putting them in a skillet over low heat and gently toasting them until you can see their oils and they become fragrant. They can then be cooled and ground. (This method also works with ground spices, but Sortun notes that they burn easily.)
At Christina's, most 2-ounce jars or bags are between $2 and $4, Ford says. Penzeys Spices, a Milwaukee retailer that has a store in Arlington, carries quarter-cup pots for between $1 and $4, says a spokeswoman, Margie Gibbons. Traditional dried herbs such as basil, oregano, and thyme remain the company's most popular, she says.
Whole Foods sells spices in bulk as well as in bottles at its stores in Cambridge (Fresh Pond), Newtonville, Bedford, and Framingham.
Sortun says she prefers buying fresh herbs but makes three exceptions: oregano, mint, and za'atar, a cross between thyme and oregano that can be dried and blended. All three are important to Mediterranean cooking, she says, and have flavors that are distinct from their fresh counterparts. Dried oregano and mint might not have bright color, but their fragrances should indicate how fresh they are, Sortun says.
Sortun does not overlook salt and pepper. She likes non-iodized kosher and sea salts to draw out the flavors of foods. Peppercorns of different colors offer a variety of flavors and aromas.
Like wine, spices are going to taste differently depending on where they're grown and produced. For Sortun, that is part of their draw. ''They each have a quality of their own," she says.
Emily Shartin can be reached at eshartin@globe.com. 
