Seasoned cooks know the magic of herbs, spices, and seasonings, which add flavor and infuse cooking with healthful vitality. At first, learning to use seasonings might seem intimidating. Never fear. Here are a few secrets, tips, and ideas to help you enjoy the flavorful range of options flavorings offer for healthy cuisine:
Welcome to the flavorful, exciting, secret word of spices
Bay leaves: These woodsy leaves impart a savory flavor to excellentstews, soups, sauces, gravies, and marinades. It is important to remove all bay leaves before serving.
Black pepper: A foundation spice. For fans, the savor of freshly ground or cracked pepper is worth the grind.
Cayenne pepper: A not-so-secret ingredient in hot sauces. It is often found in Indian, Southern, Mexican, Cajun, and Indian cuisines.
Cinnamon, ground: This aromatic spice has a sweetish flavor with lightly complex undertones. Fantastic for adding an earthy tang to stews, chilies, hot chocolate, and curries. An essential for baking
Cumin: An aromatic, mellow spice. It is a delectable staple in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines, with a nod to the sensational gift it imparts to curries.
Curry powder: This essential Indian blend, which can include a range of spices, such as coriander, cumin, and turmeric, is a pantry staple. Note: The Madras variety packs more heat.
Ground ginger: The basis for many baked goods, from pancakes to gingersnap cookies, ginger hasan intense and astringent taste, warm, fresh color, and distinctive, spicy/sweet aroma.
Nutmeg: Often used in baking sweets, this warm spice can also be superb in baked savory dishes like béchamel sauce, winter squash, and spinach recipes.
Oregano, dried: For its earthy and hearty flavor, reach for oregano when cooking Mediterranean, South American, or Southwestern cuisine.
Paprika: This powder, composed of ground sweet red pepper pods, comes in sweet and hot flavors. Note: Hungarian paprika is the highest quality. Paprika enhances meat, chicken, seafood, and vegetables. In short, all savories.
Red pepper, crushed: It elevates plates of pasta to stir-fries. However, if it existed simply to sprinkle atop hot, fresh, delivered pizza, that would be enough to justify pantry space.
Rosemary, dried: With an aroma of the Mediterranean and notes of lemon, sunshine, and pine, rosemary is used in myriad cooked dishes.
Salt: If any seasoning unites the flavors of the world and the cookpot, it’s salt. Salt enhances food flavors by accentuating natural flavors while balancing sweetness and acidity. Kosher, sea, Himalayan pink, and table salt have different textures and tastes, so experiment with using them to cook and finish dishes.
Thyme dried: This herb imparts a delicate savor to meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and vegetables. It’s popular in Mediterranean and Creole/Cajun cookery.
Epicureans like Claudette Spinelli will tell you that adding herbs and seasonings to your cooking and baking, whether powdered, dried, crushed, or fresh herbs, is a healthy, flavorful way to enjoy the pleasures of the table and enhance well-being.
