WHY DO WE USE HERBS AND SPICES

Otto Say’s

Pasta sanza vino e come il cuore sanza amore

Pasta without wine is like a heart without love

WHY DO WE USE HERBS AND SPICES

Food is always better when properly seasoned. You'll enjoy cooking a lot more once you've mastered the herb and spice basics. The food will taste better, smell better, and impress your friends—family-co-workers and pets.

1. Wake up your taste buds, cooking with herbs and spices will enhance the flavour of healthy foods without adding fat, salt, sugar, or calories.

2. Herbs and spices contribute bright colour, savoury taste and sensational aroma.

Tips for using herbs and spices:

Avoid overwhelming a dish with too many seasonings, and never use two very strong herbs together. Instead, season with one strong flavour, and one milder flavour to complement the food.

      When cooking, add dried herbs early in the process, but use fresh herbs at the end for optimum  flavour.

Add herbs and spices to cold dishes several hours before serving to allow the flavours to blend.

Fresh leaves should be chopped very finely. Exposing a greater number of surface cuts will allow the food to absorb more of the herb’s flavour.

When necessary, a mortar and pestle can be kept in the kitchen to powder dry herbs.

If doubling a recipe, you may not need to double the herbs. Use just 50% or less

How to store herbs and spices: 
Proper storage is essential to retaining the flavour of herbs and spices.

Dried herbs and spices should be kept in a cool, dry, and dark place. Storing right next to the stove, although convenient for cooking, is not the best location, because heat, air, and bright light destroy flavour.

Store dry herbs and spices in tightly covered containers.

Date dry herbs and spices when you buy them. Try to use them within 6 months for best results

If you can’t smell the aroma of an herb when you rub it between your fingers, then it is time for a new supply.

Treat fresh herbs like a bouquet of flowers: Snip the stems, stand the herbs in a glass of water, and refrigerate.

To increase shelf life, freeze or dry fresh herbs. To freeze fresh herbs, wash and pat dry. Remove the leaves from the stems and store the leaves in a freezer bag. They can also be chopped and frozen in ice cube trays and then stored in a freezer bag. 

Guide to using Herbs and Spices

Basil - Italian foods (especially tomatoes, pasta, chicken, fish and shellfish)

Bay leaf - Bean or meat stews and soups

Caraway - Cooked vegetables such as beets, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, turnips and winter squash

Chervil - French cuisine, fish, shellfish, chicken, peas, green beans, tomatoes and salad greens

Chili powder - Bean or meat stews and soups

Chives - Sauces, soups, baked potatoes, salads, omelets, pasta, seafood and meat

Cilantro- Mexican, Latin American and Asian cuisine; Rice, beans, fish, shellfish, poultry, vegetables, salsas and salads

Cumin - Curried vegetables, poultry, fish and beans

Curry - Indian or southeast Asian cuisine; Lamb or meat-based dishes and soups

Dill (fresh) - Seafood, chicken, yogurt, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes and beets

Dill (seeds) - Rice and fish dishes

Ginger (dried) - Ginger (dried)

Mace - Baked goods, fruit dishes, carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower

Marjoram - Tomato-based dishes, fish, meat, poultry, eggs and vegetables

Oregano - Italian and Greek cuisine; Meat and poultry dishes

Paprika - Spanish dishes, potatoes, soups, stews, baked fish and salad dressings

Rosemary - Mushrooms, roasted potatoes, stuffing, ripe melon, poultry and meats (especially grilled)

Sage - Poultry stuffing, chicken, duck, pork, eggplant, and bean stews and soups

Tarragon - Chicken, veal, fish, shellfish, eggs, salad dressings, tomatoes, mushrooms and carrots

Thyme - Fish, shellfish, poultry, tomatoes, beans, eggplant, mushrooms, potatoes, and summer squash

Turmeric - Indian cuisine; Ads color and taste to potatoes and light-colored vegetables

P.S. It is a long-standing myth that spicy food exacerbates ulcers and other stomach ailments. But research shows hot chili peppers actually protect the stomach lining and may prevent the gastric damage associated with anti-inflammatory painkillers. They are high in nutrients such as calcium plus vitamins A and C, and there’s some evidence that hot chilies can reduce cardiovascular disease risk, help prevent diabetes and boost metabolism. They may also have some ability to prevent disease

 

Smile and Be Sweet

“The best way to win a friend is to listen and

Smile it only takes a minute” – Otto