Cooking Spices And Herbs

Cooking Spices And Herbs

Container Gardening: Container Herb Garden


Basics of Learning to Cook with Fresh Herbs

Learning to use fresh herbs is a great way to spice up your cooking, making it tastier and better than ever before.  There are infinite ways to use fresh herbs in your cooking. This means that you get to use your imagination to create new ways of using the herbs you choose every day!  A benefit of using fresh herbs is that you will not need to use as much salt or fatty ingredients to add flavor and substance to your cooking.  This brings obvious health benefits as well as the fact that herbs are loaded with antioxidants which protect against cancer and heart disease.

Using recipes is a great way of introducing yourself to using fresh herbs in your cooking.  The next level of learning how to use herbs comes with fully understanding the different flavors of the herbs you are using.  To achieve this, I suggest first tasting each herb by itself, then add it to something bland yet familiar, such as rice or potatoes.  Finally, (and here’s where your creativity comes in) experiment by adding the herb whenever you think it will work.  

If you’re using herbs from your own garden, it is important for you to know that the best herbs come from plants that are in the leaf making stage, not in the flowering (reproductive) stage.  During the flowering stage, leaves become bitter, grassy, woody, or yellowed because more of the plant’s energy is going toward flowering (reproduction).  You can delay your plant flowering by harvesting often.

When starting to grow herbs at home, it’s a good idea to start small so as not to become overwhelmed.  I recommend starting with six basic herbs, including:  Chives, Thyme, Tarragon, Oregano, Rosemary, and Basil.  A few others to add when you’re comfortable with the above might be:  Sage, Marjoram, and Dill.  Once you’re comfortable with all of these, you may wish to experiment with many others.  There are infinite possibilities.

When cooking with your herbs, it is a general guideline to use three times as much fresh as you would of a dried herb.  The best time to pick herbs from your garden is in the morning, after the dew has dried and before the sun gets hot.  This will provide you with the optimum flavor and best storage time line.

When storing your herbs in the refrigerator, I recommend putting them in a perforated plastic bag which you can easily make yourself by poking holes in a plastic bag.  They will keep this way for a few days.  If the herbs you’re storing have long stems, you can cut them at an angle, like flowers, and put them in water, covered loosely with a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  Change the water daily and they can last up to a week.  Be aware that longer herb storage times may result in diminished flavor.

A few ideas to get you started cooking with herbs include using Basil, Garlic, Oregano, and Rosemary for meat, stew, pasta, or casseroles.  To enhance sweetness, use Cinnamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg.  To heat up a dish, add black, red, or white Pepper.  Be sure to add fresh herbs at the end of cooking so that flavor lasts.  Keep in mind that you can use herb flowers for a beautiful garnish.

Happy Cooking!

The Spice Lover's Guide to Herbs and Spices
The Spice Lover's Guide to Herbs and Spices
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Description

IACP Cookbook Award Finalist Nobody knows herbs and spices like Tony Hill, owner of Seattle's famed World Merchants Spice, Herb & Teahouse. Now, in this acclaimed book, Hill gives us a comprehensive guide to these essential flavorings based on his travels around the globe. Blending culinary history, the lore of the spice routes, and his own inimitable tasting notes, he profiles more than 125 herbs and spices, ranging from the familiar to the exotic. He gives practical information and advice, including how best to use nine popular chiles, what distinguishes true cinnamon from cassia cinnamon, and why it makes a difference where your bay leaf comes from—plus more than 75 delicious recipes for distinctively spiced dishes. To top it all off, Hill reveals the secret recipes for 85 of his signature herb and spice blends, including barbecue rubs, mulling spices, chili powders, chai mixes, and curry powders. Complete with 185 color photographs, The Spice Lover's Guide to Herbs & Spices is an indispensable culinary reference that is both a pleasure to cook with and enjoyable to read. "Hill . . . is way ahead of cookbook authors who cling to parsley in a cilantro world. . . . This is the book for anyone who has been lucky enough to find grains of paradise or Aleppo pepper and wonders where to go from there." —Regina Schrambling, Los Angeles Times "Even those who never cook may find themselves often dipping into this intriguing read." —CeCe Sullivan, The Seattle Times

Cooking with Herbs and Spices: The Complete Guide to Aromatic Ingredients and How to Use Them, with Over 200 Recipes
Cooking with Herbs and Spices: The Complete Guide to Aromatic Ingredients and How to Use Them, with Over 200 Recipes
List Price: $12.99
Sale Price: $10.20
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Ras El Hanout 4.0 Oz By Zamouri Spices
Ras El Hanout 4.0 Oz By Zamouri Spices
Sale Price: $13.95
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Zamouri Spices - Ras el Hanout - as featured in O, The Oprah Magazine.This is NOT a simple version of Ras el Hanout found in cookbooks; this is AUTHENTIC!In Moroccan language, Ras el Hanout literally means head of the store or the best spice mixture a merchant has to offer.(also known as ras al hanout or ras el hanouth, raz al hanout or Moroccan Seasoning)Ras el Hanout is a spice blend that Zamouri Spices is proud to present as its best and most unique mix that any adventurous palate would love to experience. The secret of this mix and its recipe is passed down through generations. Native to Morocco, every spice vendor in the region has its own recipe. Zamouri's, too, has its original blend used only in the remote region of Zamour (North Africa Atlas Mountains) for a thousand years.Ingredients from over 30 different herbs and spices include:Grains of Paradise, Lavender, turmeric, ajawan seeds, kalajeera, ginger, galangal, oris root, rose buds, monk's pepper, cinnamon and more!

Features

  • Authentic, Traditional Seasoning from Morocco
  • Unique Family Blend from Zamouri region of Morocco
  • Perfect for Tagine and Couscous Recipes
  • Over 35 herbs and spices - an aromatic bouquet of flavor
  • A Must-Have for Moroccan Cuisine
Indoor Culinary Herb Garden Starter Kit- Start Growing Fresh Cooking Herbs & Spices- Great Gift Idea!- Seeds: Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard, Sage
Indoor Culinary Herb Garden Starter Kit- Start Growing Fresh Cooking Herbs & Spices- Great Gift Idea!- Seeds: Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard, Sage
List Price: $34.95
Sale Price: $32.95
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Description

Cool indoor herb gardening kit. Grow your own fresh cooking herbs indoors year round. Add zest and flavor to your cooking, and enjoy the fun and benefits of indoor gardening. Nothing improves your cooking like fresh herbs. Herb Kits make fantastic gifts. Contents: Tray, Dome, 50 Peat Pellets, 12 packages Culinary Herbs: Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Lemon Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard, Sage, Instructions

Features

  • Assortment of 12 Culinary Herb Seeds Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Lemon Basil, Dill, Oregano, Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard & Sage
  • Package of 50 Jiffy Peat Pellets & Greenhouse Dome and Tray, Laminated Comprehensive Instructions
  • Rated "Top Pick" by Weekend Journal Section of the Wall Street Journal - March 26, 2004
  • Winner of Editors Pick from Five Star Review Magazine - December 2004
  • Makes a great gift idea for any occassion
Laxmi Ginger-Garlic Paste - 26.5 fl. Oz
Laxmi Ginger-Garlic Paste - 26.5 fl. Oz
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Description

Ginger and Garlic are a must-have in Indian curries. This is a convenient way of making Indian curries with ginger and garlic already in a paste.

Features

  • Laxmi
  • Ginger-Garlic Paste
Spice Kitchen Wall Calendar:  Spice, The World's Great Flavors and Their Stories 2011 Wall Calendar
Spice Kitchen Wall Calendar: Spice, The World's Great Flavors and Their Stories 2011 Wall Calendar
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Description

This beautiful SPICE 2011 Hanging Wall kitchen and cooking Calendar offers unusual views, intriguing stories and histories of 12 glorious spices and herbs. Garlic, Oregano, Star Anise, Thyme, Fennel, Sassafras, Chile Pepper, Ginger, Rosemary, Tamarind, Arrowroot and Salt. Includes wine, culinary and cuisine pairings.  SPICE The World's Great Flavors is an educational and handy guide for the experienced chef or novice Spice lover.  If you have ever wondered how to use that rack of spices in your kitchen, or if you simply want to expand your Spice and Herb knowledge this is an invaluable kitchen reference.

Hellenic Herb Blend Salt Free
Hellenic Herb Blend Salt Free
Sale Price: $4.95
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Description

Greek cooking has always been known for its wonderful use of herbs. Hellenic Herb Blend enhances the flavor of Chicken Gyros, Spanakopitas, Keftedes and other traditional Greek dishes.

Features

  • A true restaurant recipe
  • All Natural
  • Over 20 years in business
  • Simple and delicious
  • Simple recipes
Big Garlic Unisex T-shirt (RED, SMALL)
Big Garlic Unisex T-shirt (RED, SMALL)
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Description

# 6.1-ounce, 100% cotton # Double-needle neck, sleeves and hem # Taped neck and shoulders

Features

  • # 6.1-ounce, 100% cotton # Double-needle neck, sleeves and hem # Taped neck and shoulders
B2B Electric Meat Grinder (4500)
B2B Electric Meat Grinder (4500)
List Price: $96.67
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Description

Features smooth milling with self-aligning ,cast stainless seele, cone-shaped grinding burrs for smooth even milling, grinds dry grains such as wheat, corn, oats and barley as well as peppercorns and spices, adjusts from fine to course grinde, makes 1/2 cup of flour per minute, clamp on design secures to a flat surface

Features

  • Super fast, brews instantly cup a minute speed
  • Automatically switches to Keep Warm temperature
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