Herbs, Seasonings & Spices

Spices were literally used as money hundreds and thousands of years ago. It is not uncommon to see an uncommon herb or ingredient which is not native to a particular region. Remember, even a thousand years ago there were explorers leaving the homeland and coming back with treasures not just of gold, but of new herbs and culinary delights.

Herbs are best when fresh.  Dried herbs are basically a waste of time, while very few retain some of their fragrant taste, most do not.  Many herbs are easy to cultivate with little or no care in gardens as small as your window sill.  Naturally, there are exceptions to every rule, but the primary rule is A) do not use dried herbs unless it is the dead of Winter and you do not have a choice (exception to this rule is oregano) and B) always chop up your herbs to release the essential oils that add the flavoring.  If you just throw your basil, or parsley or whatever into the dish whole, you will only get the taste of that flavor once you bite into it.  The exceptions to this rule is of course is garlic (just cut it in half once to expose the inside, and bay leaf, bay leaf is strong, you do not want bits of that, in fact, if you leave it whole, find it and remove it from your dish and discard so people do not choke on it.  And lastly, Saffron, also very strong.  

Basil: is from the mint family but actually has a more mild savory taste which is great for risotto, tomato sauce and salads
Bay Leaves Leaves which come from a tree, very strong in taste, one bay leaf can flavor an entire pot of broth or sauce
Cilantro
Cinnamon - Natural antiseptic and indigenous to Africa
Cumin
Garlic the top of the plant looks like a leek, bulb grows in the dirt
Lemongrass looks similar to a scallion and is most common in Asian cooking.
Mint grows wild in the sidewalk cracks of Rome, and is basically a weed, in the same family as basil
Nutmeg
Oregano Small tiny round leaves about the diameter of a pencil eraser, this is one herb that breaks the rule and actually has more flavor once dried than when fresh.
Paprika A red spice, usually in powder form,
Parsley Often used as a garnish, but if it is dried, has little or no taste at all.  A mild herb, it is best used chopped and put into fresh soups, or seafood dishes. The "Italian flat leaf" is a more flavor variety rather than the "curly" parsley.
Pepper pepper comes from the peppercorns (round, but smaller than the size of a pea) and are white or black
Red Pepper Flakes also come ground as a powder, but usually crushed so you can still see they are little round seeds
Rosemary From a plant that easily grows and is never more than a foot (12") in height.  Rosemary leaves resemble that of pine needles, only longer, they are very pleasantly fragrant and are often the perfect compliment to potatoes.
Saffron: 70% of the world's supply of saffron comes from Spain  and continues to be the world's most expensive and valuable spice, because it is still hand picked. It comes from the crocus flower (purple in color) and takes over 200 of these flowers to produce just 1 gram.  It can only be harvested for a few weeks out of the year and a single ounce of it can easily cost $25.  I once was able to buy an amount about the size of a teaspoon for half price ($12) because it went about a year since its expiration date (saffron, once picked, is immediately roasted to seal in its flavor which keeps for about 2 years) but even after that, for me, it was still enough to flavor a whole pot of paella for three.
Sage - sage is a favorite among the Tuscan people
Salt: One of the most basic minerals, salt adds a lot of flavor and brings out the natural flavor of your foods. It can be mined from sea or land There are basically 3 types of salt, and chefs prefer Kosher or Sea Salt which is coarse but here is the breakdown: Iodized Salt; this is what you will find on the table 95% of the time. Iodine was added for health reasons long ago, but it also used because it dissolves better in certain dishes, like for when baking. Kosher Salt; other than being produced under the supervision of a rabbi, it has no additives, is pure and very coarse. Sea Salt;  Most sea salt comes from India, Africa and Europe.  The Italians and French have some of the best.  It has hints of the sea, minerals and vitamins.  Many chefs proclaim this as the best for bringing out the natural flavor of foods.
Thyme
Vanilla - Bean  

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