I’ve been wanting to post this list for days, but work, a persistent head cold, the absence of light and general too-much-to-do-ness have conspired against me. I’m sorry for being behind my posting schedule, even if you don’t mind – it’s very annoying when life gets in the way of blogging. So I’ll better get right to it, before something ruins my plans again.

As much as I love slow cooking, complex recipes or the steady rise of the dough, I often have no time for anything elaborate. On the other hand, I hate boring food. This is where my “minimum effort, maximum results” mantra comes in again: I’m interested in everything that gives me a lot of interesting flavour, fast. There are other ways than the usual herbs and spices to get there and I have gathered some of my favourites below.

1. Black garlic. Black garlic is made by heating garlic bulbs very carefully, for weeks, and it doesn’t taste like garlic at all. It has a deep, rich, syrupy flavour with a hint of acidity. It’s a great ingredient for vegans and vegetarians, as it adds a dose of umami to everything it touches. I use it in stews and sauces and I’ve just realised I should cook a black garlic risotto.

2. Salted cherry blossoms. This unlikely condiment is made by pickling cherry blossoms in plum vinegar and salting them. As I love the taste of plum vinegar and the look of cherry blossoms, I’ve always wanted to try this Japanese invention. Finally, I found that Sous Chef stocks it and immediately bought a packet. The blooms are very salty and should be rinsed first. They can be used to make tea (an infusion, to be precise) or as seasoning. I’ve eaten the blossoms with rice: it looks lovely and there’s a pleasant hint of salty pickled plum.

3. Smoked soy sauce. Another Japanese entry, I have already written about this special soy sauce. I cannot eave it out, though, as it’s so good. It is the quickest and the most magnificent way to upgrade your fried salmon or noodle soup.

4. Truffle oil. Probably the most mainstream item on the list, truffle oil has a bad reputation – products of questionable quality and over use in mediocre restaurants have seen to that. But if the oil is actually flavoured with real truffles, it is an amazing thing that makes all your mushroom dishes, pureed soups and many other things taste so much better.

5. Aleppo pepper. I’m not a huge fan of chilis, as I cannot stand the heat, but I do like Aleppo pepper. If it’s just because it has Aleppo in its name… well, so be it. This beautiful red pepper (also known as pul biber) is not crazy hot and tastes slightly fruity to me. I use it in the form of flakes to add a little spiciness here and there.

6. Mulberry syrup. My love for pomegranate molasses has already been exposed on this blog. If you’re a fan too, you might also be interested in mulberry syrup – to me it’s similar, although less tart and tastes more like dried berries than fruit. It’s usually diluted with water and drank (in Lebanon, this is known as Sharab al Toot), but I like it in dressings and stews and most of all, drizzled on baba ganoush.

7. Floral waters. This is familiar territory, I have mentioned rose, orange blossom and kewra waters before. It didn’t seem to be fair to leave them out, as floral waters are one of the easiest ways to take your food from the ordinary to something special. Just don’t listen to those who say that rose water tastes like soap (and make sure you don’t accidentally buy a synthetic version).

8. Violet sugar. My baking tends to be big on flavour and small on style. Most of the time, I have zero patience with decoration and presentation. But even I can manage sprinkling some violet sugar on the frosting of a cupcake and in three seconds, I’ve added some amazing colour, not to mention the violet candy flavour.

9. Crystallised mimosa flowers. To be frank, I don’t think these things have anything to do with mimosa. The small yellow balls consist mostly of sugar and include 0.9% flowers, but I don’t mind. They look as happy and sunny as real mimosa blooms and always make things better.

What are your tricks for an instant flavour boost?