Spice…the Variety of Life

By Deborah Lambeth

Picture this: you sit down to dinner, you see a sizzling steak on your plate and you cannot wait to dig in and eat it. You slice it, take one bite, and realize, "hey, there isn’t garlic on this! Isn’t that cinnamon?" Obviously it makes a difference in determining what spices to use when cooking. Just like cinnamon doesn’t taste good on steak, garlic probably isn’t the first thing you want to wake up to on toast!

There are many herbs and spices, that when used correctly, keep foods interesting and pleasing to the palate. As long as you don't overdo it, and as long as the seasonings are fresh, you can create sensational meals. There are tips, however, to using spices to ensure the flavor of foods is enhanced and not compromised. For example, cooking spices too long may result in the flavor being too strong. When you cook stews and soups it is best to add herbs and spices an hour or less before serving. Did you know that crushing the herbs before you add them opens the aroma and makes foods more flavorable? When you use fresh herbs and spices, they should always be added towards the end of cooking so that the flavors are just as fresh as the herbs themselves!

Are you a pro-chef wannabe? Do you loathe cookbooks and make up your recipes as you go? Here’s a tip: do not use more than three herbs and spices in any one dish. There are some caveats to that. For example, some Indian recipes are an exception to the rule, as they often calls for 10 or more different spices in one curry dish. Unless it is a curry, you are planning on cooking. It’s fun to be creative in the kitchen and using spices/herbs is one area where you can really be creative. Change the spices you would normally add to a dish and experiment a little.

I heard Emeril Lagasse say on a show recently that people keep spices in their cabinets too long. He joked about a friend of his who had a jar of garlic passed down from his grandmother! Storage and handling are just as important as learning how to use spices/herbs. Spices need to be stored in a cool, dark place. They will lose their flavor more quickly if they are left in excessive light. Spices/herbs should be stored in airtight containers; they will retain their flavors for up to a year when stored like this. A basic rule of thumb is to store spices/herbs away from any source of humidity. The freezer is a perfect place to store spices-the refrigerator is not.

Commercial spices/herbs are a shortcut for most cooks. However, you can grow herbs very easily in your yard, pots, or window planters. Check with a local garden store to buy seeds or the small plants. Dill, Parsley, Mint, Oregano, Thyme, and Basil are just a few of the very fragrant herbs you can grow and harvest to put in your scrumptious dishes! When you pick your herbs, it’s best to pick them in the morning. Dry your herbs on racks or upside down by their stems. Once the herbs are dry, scrape the leaves off the plant. You now have fresh herbs!

By following these simple tips on using your herbs and spices, you may just create a recipe that will be one of a kind and enjoyed by everyone. (and to think…you didn’t even use a cookbook!)