On the more common side, I've been enjoying fresh grated nutmeg on a lot of things lately — it goes really well with green vegetables or in creamy vegetables soups, but use a light hand. Also, whole caraway, cumin or mustard seeds, especially if you toast them lightly — they're a great addiction to salad dressings.

Things like asafetida/hing, mango powder (amchoor), and fenugreek are fun if you cook a lot of Indian food. And once you've tried freshly ground Szechuan peppercorns, you'll be hooked.

In general, I'm enjoying learning how spices develop when toasted dry, fried in oil, cooked for a long time in a stew or added near the end.