Spice Up Your Life!

by Mark R. Vogel

school kid is taught that Columbus discovered the new world. But few of them know why. Columbus was seeking an alternative route to India in an attempt to break the monopoly that Venice held on the world spice trade.

Little did he know that there was another whole continent in the way. Nevertheless, he was serendipitously successful for he also "discovered" new spices, such as chiles, allspice and vanilla. The quest for herbs and spices over the millennia has led man to exploration, to financial success, and even to war.

Spices are aromatic seasonings that come from the bark, (cinnamon), buds, (cloves), fruit, (paprika), roots, (ginger), or seeds, (nutmeg), of plants. Herbs are the leafy parts of plants such as basil, mint, or oregano.

Spices should be kept in a cool dark cabinet. Heat and light will facilitate deterioration. It is generally recommended to discard any spices more than six months old. Herbs should be wrapped in a damp paper towel or cloth and then placed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Or, you can trim the stems of some herbs like parsley and cilantro and place them in a glass of water in the fridge. The sooner you use fresh herbs the better as they rapidly lose their potency once harvested.

Fresh herbs are usually best when added to a dish near the end of cooking or even after it has been removed from the heat. Overcooking will dissolve their fragrance. The exception is preparations that are not cooked such as salsa, dips, and marinades.

Adding the herbs at the beginning and allowing the item to rest will give the herbs time to infiltrate the base ingredients. Many spices, since they are dried, can be added at the beginning of cooking since heat and moisture is needed to release their essential oils.

There are individuals who have never bothered to take the time to buy and use fresh herbs. Instead, their parsley comes out of a plastic jar.

This is dreadful since there is a world of difference between fresh herbs and their dried counterparts. Believe me, the small amount of effort involved in washing and chopping fresh herbs will be repaid magnanimously.

Most spices on the other hand, do not necessitate the same degree of freshness as herbs and are perfectly suitable dried. Many for that matter only come in dried form.

There are some however, nutmeg being the quintessential example, that are best whole and not ground. Do not be tempted to buy the large jars of spices to save money unless you will use them within six months. An abundance of insipid spices is not a bargain.

As for which herbs and spices best accompany which foods; there are many cookbooks in your local bookstore that publish such lists. Classic pairings include rosemary or thyme with lamb, dill with salmon, basil with tomato products, etc.