#4: Give it a whiff
One of my favorite things about cooking is how yummy my house smells while the food simmers. This tip is excellent! Some spices and herbs work well together, while others? Not so much. Take a whiff of whatever you’re adding, and if it gets a yum when combined, you’re on the right track!

I often combine all my herbs and spices in a small bowl to smell them all at once. Remember, if an ingredient has a strong smell, it also has a strong taste, so stay on the lighter side for things like saffron and clove. Salt has no smell at all, though, so you’ll want to go by taste for that one!