Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Spices and Herbs
Spices and herbs add wonderful flavor to the food we eat. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between the two? How would you describe the difference between an herb and a spice? It's really quite simple once you figure it out. Herbs are the leaf of a plant that is used in cooking. Cooks refer to them as culinary herbs. Spice also comes from plants, but they come from other the other parts of the plant. A spice can come from the plant buds (cloves), bark (as in cinnamon), roots (like ginger), berries (as in peppercorns), aromatic seeds (cumin) or a flower stigma (saffron). Holiday cooking and baking nears with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up in the next few weeks. How many of these different plant parts will you use in your holiday meal preparation? A bit of trivia, perhaps, but interesting, don't you think?
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Yes, very. Thank you for explaining it so well. I would have been hard pressed to figure it out on my own and have never really thought about it.
ReplyDeleteWe *love* our herbs and spices! With the arrival of fall, the pumpkin pie spice has been used frequently already!
ReplyDeleteI always have a little herb garden in a pot outside my back door. There is nothing better than picking fresh basil, thyme or rosemary for your cooking.
ReplyDeleteOh La Tea Dah....I use a LOT of cinnamon, some nutmeg, cloves, and on and on. I saw a spice rack that pulls outward, on tv a few weeks ago. I'd like one like that. Too many spices all on top of each other, are not good. Take care. Sincerely, Susan
ReplyDeleteI use a lot of herbs and spices. Can't imagine cooking without them! I've even moved into the art and science of medicinal herbs. Love the Hoosier in this picture. SO nice.
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