Herbs and Spices Bring a Sparkle to Flavor in Cooking
There are no limits to what you can do with herbs and spices to enhance flavor! But what is the difference in these "seasonings?"
Spices come from various parts of a plant:
Fruits - allspice, chile, juniper, pepper
Seeds - cardamom, poppy seed, cumin, nutmet
Roots - tumeric, ginger, horseradish
Flower buds - cloves, capers
Bark - cinnamon
How to Buy and Store Spices
Buy the whole or in their original state as roots, stems, seeds to obtain
long-lasting flavor, then grind them just before using.
Store in an airtight bottle or pouch, away from moisture, and in a cool place.
Herbs are divided into two families by the shapes and configuration of
their leaves:
Labiatae (their petals form two liplike lobes) - basil, marjoram, balm,
mint, oregano, rosemary, summer savory, sage, thyme
Unbelliferae (flowers grow in "umbels"= flat or rounded clusters)
- dill, aniseed, caraway, chervil, coriander, cumin, fennel, parsley.
How to Buy and Store Herbs
You may buy them fresh, mold-free, and not discolored; or you may buy
them dried as whole, flaked, or ground. Buying them in flaked form may
assure better flavor and avoid adulteration possible in ground/powdered
form.
Store them away from direct sunlight, artificial light, and heat in an opaque container. With fresh herbs, they may be kept in a refrigerator, placed in a damp paper towel and in a plastic bag. If they still have roots, wrap the same way and place in the warmest part of your refrigerator (the door or near the light on top shelf).
Pick herbs fresh in the early morning before they have opportunity to wilt in the sun; rinse them gently and dry thoroughly. Some harder-to-dry herbs may be frozen in an ice cube tray covered with water or stock or dry in small sealable containers (chives, chervil, fennel, cilantro and parsley). Chopping them or separating into small clusters before placing in a dry container allows you to remove small portions periodically for a recipe.
[The Visual Food Encyclopedia in its "Herbs, Spices, and Condiments"
section gives an illustration, a history, serving ideas, how to buy, store
and prepare, and nutritional and medicinal use for all those major or
commonly-used.]