I like this thread, Mike.

Personally, I don't think seasoning is a crutch for me at all. I have
spent years and a lot of buck learning how to cook with spices in
order to make more authentic (and tastier) dishes.

I grow my own basil (and lots of it!), sage, tarragon, parsley,
rosemary, chives and if I can get it to survive in the south Texas
heat, thyme.

There my friend, is where the difference is in taste. I use some
store bought dried herbs, and dry some of my own, but the difference
in dried and fresh is night and day.

I keep fresh garlic and onions on the ready, which carmelized to be
used as a spice in mashed potatoes, or mixed with olive oil after
carmelizing and used as a seasoning is excellent.

Salt though, is something that I use very little of since it
diminishes the flavors of the other herbs and spices I use. I do use
it, and have two different kinds of sea salt, and then of course
regular table salt for the pasta water. But the Mediterranean sea
salt box I have is about three years old, and has about another two to
go before i use it all.

I can't grow all the spices I use, and some of them are pretty
expensive. I won't cover up the flavor of my expensive smoked paprika
with a lot of salt. Otherwise I would just use the crap they sell at
the grocery store.

It took me a long time to learn which spices lose themselves in
cooking, which ones become lost when mixed with other spices, and
which ones stay about the same even in long cooks. With that in mind,
even with good spices, you still need a little salt in most dishes.

If the title of this post had been "is SALT a crutch?", I would whole
heartedly agree. When I cook most people are surprised at how little
salt I use, and the lack of butter. Both of those.... crutches! Even
though I love salt, I have weaned myself away from it, and when I cook
a production meal for guests, I always tell them to tasted the meal
first before seasoning. RARELY do they add salt.

Sweet Hungarian paprika, authentic Mexican oregano from the market
(not actually oregano at all, but a member of the sage family!), fresh
cilantro, and all the plants have carefully grown for kitchen use.....

nope, not a crutch.

Your point is well made and taken, though. As are the follow up
posts.

Robert