What are herbs and spices used for Enhance

What are herbs and spices used for? • Enhance flavor in foods, especially salads, casseroles, soups, and meats. • They can be sweet, Smokey, hot, or bland. • Some herbs are also used to cure diseases in certain cultures.

• Leaves of plants that lack woody stems. • Typically, the green, leafy part of the plant is used in cooking. • The plants are grown for their flavor and medicinal value. • Some define herbs as plants with healing properties.

• They can be grown in window boxes and in back yards. • The smell or fragrance of herbs comes from tiny hairs with glands all over the stem and leaves of the plant. The fragrant oil is released by pressure (like crushing a leaf) or by sunlight.

• People used herbs in everyday life because they had: – No refrigerator - so herbs helped old food taste better – No easy access to water - so people used herbs as perfumes and deodorants. They even put herbs on floors so when they walked on them, they had an herb air freshener! • Some examples of herbs: – Mint – Bay leaves – Basil

From very early times, herbs have been used for healing. By the fifth century, people in England had 500 herbs they used as medicines. • Around the 1600 s, people started thinking about herbs in a different way. They looked at an herb and by its color and shape decided how to use the herb. This was called the Doctrine of Signatures.

– An herb with leaves that looked like snake skin would be used to try to help someone who had been bitten by a snake. – A plant growing near a wet place would be used to treat colds. – A plant with heart-shaped leaves would be used to treat heart problems.

What are Spices? • Spices are dried roots, stems, and seeds of plants that are usually grown in the tropics. • Aromatic substances of vegetable origin used as a preservative • Used to add flavor and zest to foods.

Characteristics of Spices • Not all spices are hot like many may think, but most do add flavor. • Spices are sold in whole and ground forms, with ground being the most popular. • Some examples of spices: – Cinnamon – Nutmeg – Pepper – Ginger

What is the difference between herbs and spices? Spices and herbs are both from plants and are used in very small amounts to flavor food. "Spice" refers to seasonings made from dried seeds or bark. Spices generally originate in the Far East and tropical countries. "Herb" refers to any plant with fleshy parts that are used in brewing tea and seasoning foods, or as medicines.

• Combinations of herbs and spices that are usually ground up together. • Some examples: – Pumpkin pie spice – Poultry seasoning – Cajun seasoning

• Fresh herbs are not as concentrated as dries herbs, so you need to use more of them to get the same flavor. – Unless the recipe calls for fresh, used dried. – Dried herbs contain 3 x more flavor then fresh herbs • You can microwave fresh herbs in order to dry them.

• Ground spices release their flavor immediately when they are added to food. Therefore, you should add them toward the end of cooking. • Whole spices take longer to release flavor…those can be added earlier

• If using whole spices…you might want to put them in a cheesecloth bag (cloth bag that adds flavor to the product) before adding them to your food. • This way the flavor can escape while your meal cooks and you can remove them before serving.

• Gourmet food is food that is expertly seasoned using herbs and spices. • Creative seasoning can make even the most basic foods, such as pizza, into gourmet dishes! • Becoming familiar with a wide range of spices can help you learn how to prepare foods with a gourmet touch.

• Vanilla flavored dishes, such as custard, often call for nutmeg. • Italian dishes, such as pasta or fish, often call for oregano. • Rosemary is often used in chicken and lamb. • Cinnamon is often used with apples. • What are some examples you can think of?

• Always store them in cool, dry places away from light. • Keep containers tightly closed. • When storing fresh herbs, keep them in the refrigerator. Putting the washed herbs in a Ziploc bag with a paper towel is a good way to keep them fresh.

• Buy herbs and spices in small amounts • When properly stored, they will keep their flavor and aroma about a year • Whole spices will last longer • You can tell if you’ve stored something too long by rubbing it between your fingers or palms…if there is no odor then you have stored it too long.