Originally Posted by
Cloudship
Really just to learn what they are. I accept that my sense of taste does not always conform to everyone else's, so if I am going to use them, I need to know what they taste like to me. I will probably go the oil and bread route, since that is simple and will let me do a few at a time.
Oil, especially olive oil, can really change how some flavors are perceived. The oil can be so cloying that you don't actually taste the seasoning unless it is extreme.
Other things to consider are how fresh the spice is, is it finely ground or coarse texture, whole leaf, etc. For example, oregano fresh from my garden has a much "sharper" taste than the leaves I dry to use over the winter. Have you considered getting a book on spices, which might suggest the optimal ways to taste them?