Conscious Choice: Seasoning Saavy

February 2001

Seasoning Saavy

by Mary Boldan

Not so long ago, ubiquitous seasonings such as parsley sprigs, pepper, and cinnamon were about the only herbs and spices that American cooks took for granted. Today, thanks to an interest in ethnic foods, as well as famous chefs using herbs and spices to add texture, taste, and variety to their menus, a whole world of tiny purveyors of flavor, such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, and turmeric, is available to all who want to add an extra twist to an otherwise bland dish.

While the level of knowledge of cooking herbs has varied over the decades, it has definitely reached a peak during the end of the twentieth century. Several of the year’s most celebrated cookbooks include Jerry Traunfeld’s The Herbfarm Cookbook and The Mediterranean Herb Cookbook by the prolific Georgeanne Brennan. During the last part of the twentieth century, Americans could not get enough of the robust, complex favor of ethnic dishes. The American Spice Trade Association reports that spice consumption in the U.S. is skyrocketing. In the first half of the 1990s, we used a whopping 45 percent more spices than in the first half of the 1980s.

Cooking with herbs and spices has also taken on a new importance due to our awareness of healthy eating. Herbs are full of vitamins and minerals. One cup of green leafy herbs gives you the same amount of vitamins as a cup of green leafy vegetables. And both herbs and spices can add interesting flavors to foods when salt and fat are eliminated.

Yet many perfectly competent cooks also find that they use a particular herb or spice only in designated recipes, then let it languish among the half-empty jars of herbs and spices shoved in the far recesses of the kitchen cabinet. While it does not take a degree in the culinary arts to use herbs and spices, ignorance of how the various seasonings mingle — or don’t — makes many a cook hesitant to risk a perfectly good dish. Like friends, some seasonings mingle well, while others are best enjoyed separately.

Before you can become confident in the use of herbs and spices, it is helpful to understand just what is a spice, what is an herb, and how they can affect a food’s flavor. While the term spice is often used broadly to include all seasonings, a true spice comes from the bark, roots, leaves, stems, buds and seeds, or fruit of aromatic plants and trees which usually grow in tropical countries. Examples of spices include black pepper, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, and turmeric. Herbs, on the other hand, are soft, succulent plants whose leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds are used as seasonings. Herbs usually grow in the temperate zone and include oregano, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary. While herbs add distinctive flavors to meat, vegetables, and salad, spices enhance the sweet taste of foods.

Spices and herbs used for cooking contain a chemical substance called terpenese, commonly known as essential oils. These essential oils are what provide the characteristic smell or taste of herbs and spices. Without them, herbs would be no tastier than grass clippings.

Selection

Herbs can be purchased either fresh or dried. Middle Eastern, Latino, and Asian markets often carry fresh herbs and spices as well as dried herbs and spices of high quality and at lower-than-grocery-store prices.

When purchasing dried herbs, opt for whole-leafed herbs rather than those in powdered form. Herbs are more concentrated in flavor when they are allowed to dry and shrink rather than being powdered when fresh; thus, whole-leafed herbs hold their flavor longer in storage. To release the oil of the herb, you can either crumble the herb between your fingers or crush the herb using a mortar and pestle. Do not pulverize herbs. The same holds true for spices. Instead of buying pre-ground spices, invest in a small pepper grinder or use a coffee grinder. You can clean your grinder before and after the process by grinding a teaspoon of rice in the grinder.

Shelley Young, chef and owner of The Chopping Block, a cooking school on Chicago’s north side, cannot stress enough the importance of grinding and crushing herbs and spices. She compares their freshness to that of freshly ground coffee versus canned coffee. "Even though it may be more work, there is a distinct and fresh difference which is worth it."

Storage

Spices such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, and peppercorns have a long life, but you should pack away freshly ground herbs and spices immediately in order to retain their flavor. The smaller the herb or spice is ground or crushed, the shorter its life, since more of the surface of the vegetative material is exposed, which increases the speed at which essential oils evaporate.

Heat also hastens flavor loss. Keep herbs and spices away from sources of intense heat, such as stoves, sunlight, and high humidity. Never shake out herbs and spices over a steaming pot where moisture and condensation form. Instead, measure away from the steam. For the same reason, never dip a wet spoon into your spice jar. To keep the essential oils trapped safely in dried herbs and spices, use airtight containers and keep the containers in a cool, dry, dark place. According to McCormick Spice Company, ground herbs and spices kept under ideal conditions can retain their effectiveness for one to three years. Whole spices can last up to four years.

When purchasing fresh herbs, avoid herbs that are limp or yellowing, or have black spots. Store fresh herbs is in a resealable plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator. Because any moisture shortens their shelf life, wash them upon use rather than washing before you bag them. When using fresh herbs in cooking, simply place the whole herb in a cheesecloth bag for easy removal. Take advantage of the whole herb. The woody stems of strong, resinous herbs such as thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, and savory, can be used instead of wood chips on the grill.

A Matter of Taste

Philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau once wrote, "smell is the sense of imagination." Like the real magic of aromatherapy, with its scents of spicy potpourri, or warm vanilla, cooking with herbs and spices can energize or soothe the spirit. And not only do they include the sense of smell, but also the sense of taste.

Instead of dominating food, seasonings should enhance its natural flavor. That is why the art of blending herbs is prized by world renowned chefs. The best way to gain expertise? Experience. According to Shelley Young, "the only way to fully appreciate the impact of an herb or spice is to learn to taste it. We all know the taste of chocolate and how it should be used; however, most people are clueless as to the taste of herbs and spices. Instead of just eating, learn to taste the food and identify the seasoning. If you cannot identify the taste, ask the chef."

In her class, Flavor Dynamics, Young teaches that there are two types of herbs:

• Fresh, light, and airy herbs that do not dry well. Common fresh herbs include dill, parsley, cilantro, tarragon, chives, mint, and basil.

• Sultry, earthy quality dried herbs need a long cooking time to develop flavor. Common sultry dried herbs include thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, tarragon, and thyme.

On the other hand, spices can fall into one of five categories:

• Sweet: such as cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, vanilla

• Pungent: such as cloves, anise

• Tangy: such as ginger, cardamom, caraway

• Hot: such as pepper, chili, mustard

Penny Newkirck, owner of Country Garden Cuisine cooking school in St. Charles, Illinois, which specializes in herbal cookery, admits that while it is fun to experiment, novice cooks also should study recipes to get a feel for what herbs and spices enhance what dishes. "If you are not sure how to combine or cook with herbs and spices, look over ethnic recipes and [see] how they combine herbs and spices."

Newkirck adds that the beginning cook should learn how herbs and spices permeate food; butter fat or infusion.

Butter dishes, such as dips, salad dressings, and herb butters, turn out best when herbs have a chance to blend with other ingredients over several hours. Herbs that play a role in these dishes include dill, parsley, cilantro, tarragon, and basil.

Herb and spice blends that are rubbed into meat, chicken, seafood, and even vegetables also get better over time. Depending on your schedule and on the intensity you are after, most foods can be coated with a rub up to six hours in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to cook. The longer the food sits with a rub on it, the more flavor it will absorb. Note, if you are rubbing in advance, hold off on the salt until it is time to cook.

When herbs or spices are used in long, slow cooking, braising, and steeping, such as in soups, teas, or herb-flavored vinegars, they are said to be part of an infusion. Strong, resinous herbs like marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and savory do best when allowed to mellow during the cooking process. If you want the herb to contribute a rounded background flavor, add a sprig of a given herb at the beginning of cooking. To gently release the flavor oils of an herb in a slow cooking dish, lightly crush the sprig before adding it to the liquid in the dish.

The Mingling of Herbs and Spices

Every cook knows that there are some flavors that just naturally go well together; white wine with fish or chicken, milk products with fruit. So it is with herbs and spices. Basil, thyme, and oregano are quite happy together in meat dishes, soups, and on pastas, while cinnamon and nutmeg work wonders in desserts and baked goods.

Most of the interesting flavors come about by combining a leading flavor with two or three others that blend almost without notice. Newkirck explains that when combining herbs or spices, there is always a predominant seasoning, followed by a secondary and then a mild seasoning. For example, in tomato sauce, the predominant herb is basil, the secondary might be oregano, while the mild herb may be garlic, parsley, or fennel, or all three. In apple pies, the predominant spice is cinnamon. Cloves and nutmeg are secondary, followed by allspice or ginger.

Certain timeless combinations have endured for centuries, often becoming a culinary signature of the region that created it. While the store shelves are stocked with ready-made, easy-to-use herb and spice blends, they often contain MSG, salt, starches, and artificial colors and flavors. The advantage of combining your own herb and spice blends is that you know what the actual ingredients are, and you can blend them in amounts that suit your personal taste.

When creating ethnic dishes you need to ask yourself what herb or spice you typically recognize in the particular cooking. For example, a Mediterranean spice rub might contain fennel, mustard seed, rosemary and lavender, while an Asian blend might have a hint of ginger, coriander, and sesame. Once you know the outline to follow, you can invent some taste specialties of your own. Perhaps you’ll add lemongrass to that curry, or celery seed to that pasta sauce. As you become more experienced, you and your food will become bolder, renewing your sense of cooking — and eating — as a daily adventure!

Download our Herb and Spice chart (20k pdf)

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