Herbs

Herbs have been used to flavor food, and are believed by many people to have
medicinal properties. Normally the leaves are used in food preparation, as they
contain aromatic oils which are released when the leaves are crushed or chopped.
Occasionally flowers, roots, or seeds are used.

Herbs usually grow in temperate climates, and can easily be grown in gardens or
indoors in pots. They can be dried or frozen for use all year round and can be used
raw or cooked.

A bouquet garni is made from a variety of fresh or dried herbs tied in muslin. It is
added to soups, stews, etc., for flavouring, then removed before the dish is served.

Herbs and their Uses

 Angelica: The stems are candied (preserved in sugar) and are used to
decorate cakes, etc. the root can be used to flavor drinks.
 Basil: The leaves are used for salads; tomato, egg, or mushroom dishes;
pasta dishes; and in sauces.
 Bay: The leaves are used in meat and fish stews, soups and marinades.
 Chives: The leaves are used for salads, vegetables soup, omelettes, cream
cheese, and meat broths.
 Dill: The leaves are used with fish, salads, and sandwich fillings. The seeds
can be used in stews and bean soups.
 Garlic: The bulb is used and divided into cloves. It has a strong flavour and
is used sparingly in stews, soups, salads, butter, mayonnaise, etc.
 Mint: The leaves are served chopped in vinegar with roast lamb, and used in
water ices, drinks, and fruit salads.
 Oregano: The leaves are used for meat loaves, marrows, stuffed green
peppers, pizzas, and pasta dishes.
 Parsley: The leaves are used for stuffings, sauces, soups and salads. It is a
good source of vitamin C if used in large quantities.
 Rosemary: The leaves are served with roast lamb or chicken, fish, eggs, and
cheese.
 Sage: The leaves are used for stuffings, sage and onion sauce, and to flavour
cheese in the UK called sage Derby.
 Tarragon: The leaves are used to flavour vinegar, sauces, mustards, or are
cooked with chicken dishes.
 Thyme: The leaves are used in stuffings, soups, stews, herb sauces, and with
vegetables.

Spices
Spices have been used throughout history all over the world, and have for many
centuries been an important trading commodity. Spices are mostly grown in
tropical countries and tend to be derived from dried roots, seeds, or barks. They
are used in food preparation either whole, crushed, or powered. They are used
in small quantities so they do not contribute significantly to the diet, although
curry powder contains a useful amount of iron, probably partly obtained from
the iron pots in which it is prepared.

Spices and their Uses

 Allspice: Savoury sauces, marinades, Middle-Eastern meat dishes,
pickling
 Caraway seeds: Used in breads, cakes and cheeses, particularly in
German and Jewish cooking.
 Cayenne Pepper: Made from ground chilies. A hot, fiery pepper, used
sparingly in cheese dishes and with shellfish.
 Chilies: Used in hot pickles, curries, spicy dishes, chili and tabasco
sauces, and chili con carne.
 Chinese five spice: A mixture of star anise, anise pepper, fennel, cloves,
and cinnamon. Used in Chinese cookery.
 Cinnamon: Comes from the bark of a tress. Used in mulled wines, cakes,
apple pies, biscuits.
 Cloves: These are flower buds from the myrtle tree. Used for bread
sauce, baked gammon, etc.
 Coriander: The seeds and leaves are used in curries and other spicy
dishes
 Curry Powder: A mixture of several hot spices. Used in mulligatawny
soup and savoury dishes.
 Ginger: The root is used powdered, crystallized or whole, in cakes, with
melon, etc.
 Mustard: The seeds are used for mustard powder and in pickles. Mustard
is served with meat, cheese, etc., and are used in salad dressings.
 The seed is sold whole or powdered. Used in custards, cheese sauce, milk
puddings, moussaka.
 Paprika: Ground sweet red peppers; not usually very hot. Used in
Hungarian cookery, e.g. goulash, and with egg and shellfish as a garnish.
 Peppercorns: Can be white, black, green or red. Served with most meats,
powdered or freshly grounded.
 Turmeric: This is made from the root of a plant and is used in curries, or
for colouring rice yellow.
 Vanilla: Vanilla plants are a type of orchid and this dried seed pods are
used wither whole or as an essence for cakes, puddings, etc.