Herbs and Spices

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Herbs and Spices
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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.

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What are herbs?

• 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.

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Facts about Herbs

• 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.

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More Facts about Herbs

• 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

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Healing Powers

• 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 1600s, 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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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Blends

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

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Using Herbs

• 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 3x more flavor then fresh
  herbs
• You can microwave fresh herbs in order to dry
  them.

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Using Spices

• 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 flavorthose
  can be added earlier

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Bouquet Garni

• If using whole spicesyou 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.

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Gourmet Foods

• 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.

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What are some examples?

• 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?

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Storing Herbs and Vegetables

• 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.

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A Few More Storage Tips

• 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 youve stored something too long
  by rubbing it between your fingers or palmsif
  there is no odor then you have stored it too long.