Getting To Know Your Herbs and Spices

HERBS..are leaves, or the seeds and flowers of aromatic plants. SPICES..are the roots, stems, bark, buds, seeds or fruit of aromatic tropical plants. Buy these in small quantities because they lose their flavor quickly.

ALLSPICE..This is not a blend of spices but a dried berry. It's fragrance suggests a mixture of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Available in ground or whole. Use the whole berry in soups, broths, and gravies. Use the ground in vegetables, cookies, cakes, pickling, gingerbread, pot roasts, pumpkin, and squash dishes.

BASIL..The fresh or dried leaves of this herb are especially suited to most tomato dishes. Use in soups, meat pies, stews, peas, string beans, broiled fish, scrambled eggs, omelettes, duck, goose, game birds, roasts, salads, bean soup, pea soup, seafood chowders, mushroom stuffing, eggplant, and spinach dishes.

BAY LEAF..This strong herb, also known as "laurel leaf", enhances soups, meat stews and pot roasts and is part of a bouquet garni. Use in marinades, potatoes, artichokes, smoked ham, tongue, fish chowders, chicken, and game birds.

CARAWAY SEEDS..A small brown herb seed found in rye bread, rolls, biscuits, bread mixes and corn bread. Use in cottage cheese, cream cheese, chili, meat stews, game birds, creamed vegetable soups, root vegetables, cabbage and sauerkraut.

CARDAMON..This sweet black spice is available ground or as a whole seed, in or out of its pod. It is widely used in Danish pastries. Try it in spiced wines, fruit compotes, sauerbraten, pickles and curry dishes.

CHERVIL..This lacy leaf enhances soups, green salads, potato salad, omelettes, scrambled eggs, and fish dishes. Sprinkle several teaspoons over beef, veal, lamb roasts and steaks. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons just before the end of cooking tome to squash, beans, beets and spinach.

CHIVES..The most delicate member of the onion family, and the only one that is considered an herb. The chopped slender leaves give a delicate onion accent to green salads, egg and fish dishes, soups and light sauces, sliced fresh vegetables, seafood dishes, cottage, creamed and cheddar cheese. Good with many quick canned soups.

CINNAMON..This pungent spice comes in sticks or ground. Use the sticks in pickling, sugar syrups and hot lemon and tea beverages. Use ground cinnamon in cakes, breads, cookies, pies, rice dishes and fruit desserts.

CLOVE..The nail shaped whole clove is the traditional spice used for studding smoked ham. Ground clove is used to flavor spice cakes, sweet potatoes, beets, and carrots.

CORIANDER SEED..May be used in dishes calling for anise seed or fennel seed. Use in poultry stuffings, biscuits, pickles and mixed green vegetables. Good in all stewed and baked fruits.

CUMIN..Use in soups, cheese, pies, egg dishes, meats, sausages and pickles.

CURRY POWDER..A prepared blend of from 4 to 40 spices, usually including turmeric, ginger, coriander, cumin, cloves and mustard. It is added to all curries and frequently to some egg dishes, seafood, vegetable and poultry dishes.

DILL..Dill was used as part of an anicient mixture to help ward off witches. The colonists called dill the meeting house herb because they chewed the seeds to lull them through the long sermons of the time. The herb is available as seeds,weed, or fresh leaves. Use the seeds with fish and poultry. The weed or fresh leaves are great with tomatoes, potatoes, in salads and cream sauces. Use in cottage, cream and cheddar cheeses. Add 1 teaspoon of crushed seeds to your homemade vinegar dressings. Use in sauerkraut, pickling, soups, gravies and tuna casseroles.

FENNEL..In earlier times, fennel was chewed by people trying to lose weight, while others chewed the seeds for courage. Use in sweet pickles, pastries, poached fish, apple pie, spaghetti sauce, marinades, breads, rolls, and in braising liquid for beef, lamb, pork and stews.

GARLIC..Although garlic is not an herb strictly speaking, cooking would be lost without it. The garlic is a member of the lily family and can be subtle or powerful depending on the quantities used. Personal taste is advised. If you like it, use it.

GINGER..The ginger plant root has a hot sweet flavor. It comes whole, ground or cracked. Bits of ginger are found in Spanish and Oriental stores and are used in pickling, marinades and preserves. Ground ginger is used in applesauce, gingerbread, pies, cakes, cookies and pot roasts. Can also be used in some poultry dishes.

MARJORAM..This is a very fragrant spice and was used by the early colonists as an aid in polishing furniture. The leaves of this versatile herb of the mint family can be used whole or ground in poultry stuffing, tomato dishes, soups, green vegetables, shellfish, salmon, tuna, string beans, and sausages.

MINT..The leaves of the spearmint and peppermint herbs add a fresh cool flavor to sauces for lamb and veal. Also used in peas, carrots, frozen desserts, cold drinks and fruits.

MUSTARD SEED..Two main varieties of mustard; white or yellow, and brown or Oriental, are grown as spices. Dry powdered mustard can be used in sauces, salad dressings and cheese dishes. The tiny whole mustard seeds go into pickles and vegetable relishes.

OREGANO..Used like basil in many Italian dishes. Tomato or tomato-based juices. Use in the basting sauce for baked fish or crabs, scrambled eggs and omelettes, chowders, bean soup, tomato soup and chicken soup. Also oregano is called wild marjoram and don't forget the pizza.

PARSLEY..Parsley can be used as a mouth freshness, especially after onion and garlic dishes. Another interesting fact is there is 3 times more vitamin C in parsley than orange juice. Parsley is used mostly for garnish.

POPPY SEED..The poppy seed's nut like flavor has always been thought to stimulate the appetite. Use in dough for breads and cakes. Mix with other ingredients as a filling for cakes and pastries. In vegetable and fruit salads, all spaghetti and noodles. Use according to taste with butter. Sprinkle on all types of veggies.

ROSEMARY..Legend has it that rosemary can be used to make husbands faithful. Also it can be used as a hair rinse for brunettes. The spiky leaves of this fragrant herb are excellent with lamb, beef, pork, green beans, boiled potatoes, turnips, corn bread, soups and stews.

SAGE..At one time it was thought that eating sage would help people live longer. The gray-green leaves of this herb are dried and are available whole, rubbed or ground. It is widely used in poultry and fish stuffings and with pork and veal. Strong tasting vegetables like onions. Sage adds a new dimension to cheese dishes. Sprinkle over fish before broiling.

SAVORY..This herb comes in a summer and winter variety, summer being slightly milder. Savory is known in many countries as the "bean herb" because of its affinity to beans. Use in bean and pea soups while cooking or sprinkle fresh savory on top before serving. All poultry varieties especially stuffings. All varieties of broiled fish. Great in meat loaf, egg salad and omelettes.

SEASAME SEED..This spice is the dried, hulled fruit of a tropical plant, and is the source of a cooking oil used widely in the East. It is sold whole and un toasted, and can be baked on rolls, breads and buns. Toasted, it can garnish salads and cooked noodles. Sprinkle over the top of cheese, meat, vegetable and poultry casseroles before baking. Add to all cooked vegetables just before serving to give a slightly nut flavor and added texture. One of my favorites is pour melted butter over broccoli and sprinkle seasame seeds on top.

TARRAGON..This herb is available fresh or as dried leaves. It is a must in bearnaise sauce and is good with all egg dishes, poultry and fish dishes. Almost all classic sauces use tarragon. Good in seafood and vegetable soups. Add 1 teaspoon to scrambled eggs before cooking, then sprinkle a little on top before serving.

THYME..History records thyme was used for just about everything from a cure for madness, rheumatism, nervousness and headaches, to attracting lovers for young maidens. An herb with strongly aromatic gray-green leaves and is available whole or powdered. Use fresh in a bouquet garni and in clam chowder, poultry stuffings and in almost any meat stew. All varieties of fish, baked, broiled, chowders, gumbo, etc. Add to cooking or basting liquid according to taste. Most varieties of vegetables. Add 1/2 teaspoon when you saute them.