Saturday Share - 12 Basic Herbs & Spices

I often post a recipe on Saturday, but today I thought I'd do something a bit different, but still related to cooking at home.

Certain basic ingredients including an inventory of herbs and spices should always be on hand if you cook at home. 

Every home cook usually has some kind of flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cooking oil, pasta, and some canned goods like a tomato products, vegetables, fruit, and maybe some convenience items like cream soups.

The basics I want to cover today are flavoring ingredients like salt, black pepper, herbs, and spices—the items that add pizzazz to a dish. What herbs and spices you may ask since there are so many? Here's a starter list.

Image by Steve Buissinne,  Pixabay

12 BASIC HERBS & SPICES 

1. Allspice comes from a pea-sized fruit that grows in Jamaica, Mexico, Central and South America. It has a delicate flavor and is aromatic, resembling a blend of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

It's used to season and flavor everything from meats to pickles to baked goods.

2. Basil is the dried leaves and stems of an herb originally grown in the Mediterranean region but is now grown just about everywhere. It's cultivated easily in containers or in the garden.

I made the mistake of planting it in my garden. In this climate with its long-growing season, the basil went wild. Pretty soon it was popping up everywhere. Now I make sure to clip the seed stalks as soon as a blossom appears.

Bay Leaf, PublicDomainPictures, Pixabay

3. Bay Leaves, the dried leaves of the Bay Laurel, an evergreen tree, also originally from the Mediterranean. 

You can actually order a bay laurel tree from the large nurseries and plant it in your yard. I haven't done that yet, but I want to get one. 

It has a "sweet" herbaceous note that goes well with a large variety of dishes—spaghetti sauces, soups, stews, sauces, etc.

4. Dill is a small dark seed from the dill plant, originally grown in India.You're most familiar with this as dill pickles, but it's used in many dishes like sauerkraut, potato salad, noodles, dressings and sauces.

5. Mace is the dried outer red covering of the nutmeg seed and has a delicate, bright, peppery taste with citrus notes. 

When whole, it's used in pickling, stewing fruit, flavoring fish and fish sauces. When ground, it's in baked goods. It gives doughnuts their  distinctive taste

Image, Nutmeg by Agnieszka, Pixabay

6. Nutmeg is sweeter than mace and has a "warm" nuttier taste. In the photo at right, you can see the red covering that is ground into Mace.

Nutmeg is used for baked goods and sweeter dishes as well as eggnog. It's less expensive compared to mace.

7. Marjaram is part of the mint family and was originally grown in France and Chile. It has a minty slightly sweet flavor and is used in everything from soups to roasted meats, especially lamb. I've always added it to Italian tomato sauces because it adds a freshness to the marinara.

8. Oregano is also part of the mint family, is a species of marjaram that is a more robust flavor. The dried leaves are used in many Italian dishes. It's easy to grow in containers are in the garden.

Paprika, Rita-👩‍🍳 und 📷 mit ❤, Pixabay

9. Paprika is the ground powder from the mild, red pepper grown in Spain, Central Europe, and all over the U.S. Here, we use it for everything from sprinkling over deviled eggs and salad dressings to sauces and main dishes. 

I particularly like Smoked Paprika to use with dry rubs on meat, in chili, BBQ sauces, roasted vegetables, etc. 

10. Rosemary is a herb that resembles little pine needles and was originally grown in France, Portugal, and Spain. Now it's now grown everywhere. I have a huge pot of it on my patio.

In my climate, it's easy to grow in containers or the garden. Dried rosemary is a staple of Italian dishes, roasting meats and vegetables, stews, etc. A fresh sprig of it rossed over a flat iron steak and basted with the meat jus before serving imparts a delicate fresh flavor.

11. Sage was originally grown in Greece, Albania, and what was once called Yugoslavia (now divided into 6 independent countries).

Sage is easily grown in containers. I have a pot of it on my patio. This spiace is most frequently used at Thanksgiving it seems. It has an aroma reminiscent of camphor. It's used for poultry stuffing, sausages, meat loaf, stews, and other meat dishes.

Image by Steve Buissinne,  Pixabay

12. Thyme was grown in France and Spain but everywhere now. I find it's harder to grow in my climate. 

It's delicate looking and doesn't tolerate oour hot summers very well, but I've managed to grown in in a container in the shade. 

The leaves and stems of the plant are used and can be used just about anywhere sage is used, but it gives a more subtle seasoning. Fresh sprigs of thyme on a roast or steak enhance the taste of the meat.

That's my idea of a basic herb and spice pantry. If you don't have these, pick a couple from the list to buy the next time you shop for groceries.

Are there some herbs and spices you frequently use that aren't on this list? Share your favorites with us in a comment.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

It's the weekend. Cook or bake something delicious! Then relax by reading a good book.

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