Seasoning with Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices add extra flavor and excitement to food. Learn to use a variety of herbs and spices and you'll enhance your reputation as a great cook.

Here's a few hints:

• Delicate flavors are enticing - don't use too much.
• You can reduce or eliminate salt by using herbs and spices instead. Many saltless herb mixtures are commercially available.
• Check your dried seasonings every 6 months or year for pungent aroma. Discard those that are stale.
• Use fresh herbs whenever available. Try growing your own.
• Dry herbs from your garden by hanging them upside down
• 1 T fresh herbs = 1/3 to 1/2 t dried herbs.
  1 t dried herbs = 2 to 3 T fresh herbs.
• If a recipe does not specify fresh or dried, assume it means dried unless stated otherwise in the book's introduction.
• Use scissors to mince fresh herbs.
• Use the Seasoning Chart for ideas for flavoring various foods with herbs and spices

One of my favorite cookbooks is The Spice Cookbook by Avanelle Day and Lillie Stuckey (out of print but still available). It has great recipes plus pages of charts on how to use herbs and spices.

Here are some other herb and spice cookbooks with high customer reviews: