free2explore.com - Using Spices

Spices are plant products used in flavoring foods and beverages.
Spice" is a culinary term and does not refer to a specific kind of plant or
plant part.

Cookbooks generally distinguish between seasonings (spices used in food preparation) and condiments (spices added after food is served), but not between herbs and spices. However, herbs, which are defined botanically (as plants that do not develop woody, persistent tissue), usually are called for in their fresh state, whereas spices generally are dried Salt is sometimes thought of as a spice, but it is a mineral.

The correct spice or herb for any food is the one that tastes right for you. Seasoning is not an exact science, but an expressive art - and you are the artist. When experi-menting with a new spice or herb, crush some of it and let it warm in your hand; then sniff and taste it. If it is delicate, you can be bold and adventurous. If it is very strong and pungent, use a light hand the first time that you use it.

The Spice Rack


Thyme	Chili Powder	Ginger	Mace	Marjoram	Oregano
This is an all-purpose spice. Used to season meat, poultry and fish. Combined with melted butter and served over vegetables, add to dishes made with cheese or tomatoes, stuffing, broiled seafood and is the main herb used in making bouquet garni.	Made from dried chilies, usually blended with garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, chili peppers, allspice, garlic, and salt. Sometimes hot flavor. Used in chilli con carne, barbecue sauce, corn and cornmeal dishes, cheese dishes, casseroles and eggplant.	The flavor of ginger is pungent, lemon/citrus, warm, and sweet. Ginger is available ground, whole (gingerroot), and crystallized. Used to add zest to many dishes such as gingersnaps, and gingerbread, Used in pickling, syrups, beverages, marinades, stewed fruits, preserves, tea, and cooking of pork and beef.	Mace is sold primarily in the ground form. Nutmeg and mace are most commonly used in flavoring sweet foods such as puddings, cakes, and cookies. Mace be substituted for nutmeg in recipes. It is used in porridges, cakes, custards, pies, pancakes, fruit salads and pastries.	Along with parsley, sage and thyme, this is probably the best known "exotic" spice. Try adding it to roast chicken or creamy chicken salad. Used in the preparation of lamb, pork, veal, beef, cauliflower, baked fish and chicken. This herb may be used in almost any dish except sweet food.	This is the best spice for tomatoes. The Italians sprinkle it liberally on sliced tomatoes and add a little oil for a delicious salad. Used in callaloo dishes, in preparing poultry, beef, mince meat, mushrooms, pizza,and tomato sauces.

Quick hint: When in doubt about using an herb, be subtle. Usally, just a little will tell you whether it's the flavor your searching for.



Bay Leaves	Basil	Cloves	Tarragon	Allspice	Curry
Bay leaf can turn the dullest soups into winners. Its addition to homemade, or even canned soups, enhances flavors tremendously. Gravies, seafood soups, and roasts are enlivened by the simple bay leaf. Used in soups, chowders, boiling, steaming, or poaching fish and shellfish, roast beef, meats and stews.	Srambled eggs will never be considered dull again after a little crushed basil is added to them. ("tomato herb") Used in most tomato dishes, pizza, soups, and eggplant, barbecue sauce, vegetable salad, meat loaf, lobster, fish, pasta dishes and when preparing stuffing and garnishing.	Whole cloves are great with pork, and add a special zing to ham. Try studding a whole ham with them before you bake it the next time. Cloves will also liven up yellow vegetables, and are great in the fall with butter nut squash; try a little cinnamon with squash too!	The next time you make chicken salad, don't just throw in a little mayonnaise and some salt; add a dash of ground-up tarragon and see what a difference it makes. Be sure to add some whole leaves to bottles of white vinegar and taste the flavor difference.	This spice is exactly what the name implies. It'll liven up any vegetable from black-eyed peas and baked beans to summer squash. Throw a little on baked apples and you'll savor their aroma through the whole house.	This spice is not actually one spice at all, but a fabulous mixture of about two dozen spices that include ginger, cumin, cloves and peppers. This Indian taste treat is, of course, hot, and should be used with the appropriate amount of respect unless you you like your food spicey. Use with almost any meat, fowl, fish or vegetable dish.
More Spices

ANISE SEED - Used in breads, buns, beef stews, cheese dishes, stewed fruits, fruit salad and garnishing.
CELERY SEED AND FLAKES - Used in soups, tomato juice cocktail, sandwich spread, stuffing, stews and sauces.
CILANTRO - Cilantro has a bold flavor often described as a mixture of sage, parsley, and citrus. In Mexican dishes and salsas, cilantro is the "indescribable" flavor note that sets them apart. Cilantro adds pungent flavor to many Latin American and Asian dishes such as stews, soup, steamed fish, curries, vegetables, , salads, relishes and tomato based sauces, and noodle dishes. It is often called "Chinese parsley."
CUMIN - used in cheese dishes, meat loaf, curry dishes, soup, stews, spareribs and marinades for shish kebab.
DILL - used in salads, pickles, egg dishes, soups, salad dressings, and in preparing fish, shellfish and chicken.
GINGER - used in pickling, syrups, beverages, marinades, stewed fruits, preserves, tea, and cooking of pork and beef
Paprika - The brilliant red powder is the "garnish spice" contributing color and sweet pepper flavor. Hungarian paprika is characterized by a hotter taste, achieved in recent times by adding hot, red capsicum pepper to ground paprika. Sold in ground form. Used as a garnish for light-colored food such as fish, potatoes, eggs, and cheese dishes. A popular addition to many rubs, marinades and sauces. It is the principal seasoning in Hungarian goulash and often is used in French dressing. To retain its red color, paprika should be kept in the refrigerator.
Parsley - Parsley has a slightly mild green taste. Parsley is available fresh or as dried flakes. It adds both flavor and visual appeal to salads, soup, pasta, butters, shellfish, meat, poultry, sauces, potatoes, omelets and soft cheeses.
Poultry Seasoning - A mixture of ground thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and nutmeg. Poultry seasoning was created mainly to season stuffing but it also adds an unusual flavor to all poultry, pork, or veal dishes.
Rosemary - Rosemary has a distinctive fresh, sweet, piney aroma and flavor. Rosemary is available in leaf form. Use with lamb, pork, potatoes, carrots, stews, sauces, marinades, fish, poultry, bread, on grilled or skewered meat and in roasted potato dishes.
Sage - Comes in whole, rubbed (crushed) and ground form. The herb is distinctively aromatic and fragrant with slightly medicinal, piney, and bitter flavors. It is used to flavor pork, pork sausage, poultry stuffing, veal, stuffing, and tomato sauces.
Savory - Available in ground form and gives a piquant flavor to many dishes. It has a strong, slightly peppery flavor and is used to flavor legumes, meat, fish (especially trout), sausage, stuffing, tomato sauces, bean soup, meat loaf, hamburgers, eggs, or poultry.
TUMERIC- used to colour butter, cheese and pickles. It is one of the main ingredients in curry powder and prepared mustard.
White Pepper - White pepper has a similar but more earthy flavor than black pepper. Used in many dishes, sauces, rubs, and marinades. Experiment to decide how much you like.
Whole Mixed Pickling Spice - A blend of whole and broken spices, herbs and seeds. In it you find cinnamon, allspice, mustard seed, coriander, bay leaves, ginger, chilies, black pepper, mace and cardamom. Used by some as a rub.