Herbs and SpicesHFA 4UI

Definitions:• Spices: Aromatic natural products which are

dried seeds, buds, fruit or flower parts, bark or roots of a plant – usually of tropical origin

• Herbs: Aromatic leaves, stems and sometimes flower of plants – usually of temperate origin

• Blends: A mixed of spices, herbs, seeds or other flavouring materials either ground or whole. Examples: curry, Italian spice, pickling spice

• Condiments: Any spice, herb or seed, but more commonly a pungent, prepared mixture of seasoning sometimes in liquid form used to accompany food. Examples: mustard, relish, ketchup, salsa, Worcestershire sauce

Original Uses of Spices:• Seasonings used to cover up the bad

taste of food• Gifts used as a tribute or for trade• Dyes for cloth for garments• Preservatives for food• Medicines

Plant PartsSpices and herbs come from various parts of a plant/shrub/tree• Roots - eg. Ginger, turmeric• Bulb - eg. Garlic• Bark - eg. Cinnamon• Flower - (bulb) – eg. Cloves, stigma -eg. Saffron• Fruit - eg. Allspice, mace/nutmeg, paprika• Seed – eg. Fennel, dill, anise• Leaf – eg. Basil, parsley, oregano• Stem – eg. chives

Forms Available:Herbs and spices are available in several different forms:• Fresh whole – eg. Parsley, dill, mint, garlic, basil,

ginger• Dried whole – eg. Nutmeg, bay leaf, cinnamon

sticks, caraway seeds, cloves• Dried crushed – eg. Oregano, thyme, hot pepper

flakes, savoury, parsley flakes• Ground into a powder eg. Cinnamon, cloves,

paprika, cumin, thyme, mace• Combined in blends eg. Chili powder, curry,

pumpkin pie spice, celery salt • In oils and vinegars eg. Tarragon, chives, garlic

TIPS FOR CHOOSING AND USING HERBS

AND SPICES

• When selecting dried herbs and spices, whole spices keep flavour longer than ground ones

• Instead of buying ground black pepper, buy peppercorns and grind them in a pepper mill

• Buy whole nutmeg and grate directly into food

BUYING

Storing• Keep dry spices away from direct sunlight and heat

of the stove to preserve flavour.• Store spices in tightly closed glass containers to keep

freshness and prevent a flat taste.• Keep spices dry. Dampness will cause dry spices to

deteriorate. Never dip a wet spoon into a spice can or jar.

Testing • When testing spices and herbs for freshness, colour

and smell are the keys.• Spices should have their original colours. • Ground spices should give off a strong aroma.• Dried herbs that are still green are closer to peak

flavour than those who have faded to gray.• To check freshness, crumble leaves between your

fingers and smell them. If aroma is strong, herbs will still have good flavour. If aroma is faint, discard herbs and replace.

Cooking • Until you are familiar with spices, use them with a

light touch. Let them enhance natural flavours. If you use spices too heavily, they will overpower the taste of food.

• When preparing a meal, don’t spice everything. Have a balance of plain and lively.

• When you add spices to dishes depends on the cooking time of the food. If added too early, their flavour may be cooked out; if added too late, their flavours may not have a chance to develop and the food will not taste seasoned.

• Before adding dried herbs to food, put in small bowl and grind to bits with back of spoon, or rub between fingers to release flavour

Keep in mind:• For long cooking foods (eg. soups and stews), add

spices during last hour.• For quicker foods (eg. meatloaf or casserole), mix

spices with other ingredients.• If using dried herbs in foods that cook in just a few

minutes (eg. hamburger), soak in a little milk or oil before adding them to other ingredients

• For uncooked foods (eg. dips or potato salad), blend herbs with other ingredients then refrigerate several hours to give flavours time to “marry”.

• To substitute fresh herbs for dried herbs, used three times more fresh herbs than dried.