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Basil

Basil – Is one of the most popular culinary herbs today, with over 50 species this annual is in the mint family. It has a rich historical past filled with different cultural folk lore. It is a passport to paradise in India, one of its forms considered sacred by Hindus and signifying reverence for the dead. Its name is derived from the Greek word for king – basileias – as well as from a fantastic monster called the basilisk. Basil was once used to make royal unguents, perfumes, and medicines. Today basil is the favorite herb for flavoring tomato dishes, as it seems to have a natural affinity for the tomato. It is an essential ingredient in spaghetti sauce and pesto. Basil is also reputed to repel mosquitoes and flies which is why the French often put pots of it in their sidewalk restaurants. It has an Anise or clove-like flavor. Some of the most popular cultivars are: Bush, Camphor, Cinnamon, Holy or Sacred, Lemon, Lettuce leaf, Licorice, and Opal. To preserve fresh Basil, wash and dry the leaves and place layers of leaves, then coarse salt, in a container that can be tightly sealed. Alternatively, finely chop the cleaned basil and combine it with a small amount of olive oil. Freeze in tiny portions to flavor sauces, salad dressings, etc.

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Cayenne

Cayenne – Cayenne is a hot, pungent powder made from various chilies that originated in French Guyana. Cayenne is also referred to as red pepper. There is no reliable substitute for Cayenne.

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Celery Seed

Celery Seed – Celery seed comes from a wild variety of celery called lovage. It is mostly grown in India. Celery seed has a very strong flavor. Because of it's robust flavor it should be used sparingly in dishes. The plant lovage may be used in some dishes to replace celery. It is called for in such dishes as Irish Christmas cake. There is no reliable substitute for celery seeds.

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Chili Powder

Chili Powder – Chili powder is a mix of dried chilies ground to a powder used to flavor Southwestern dishes. It is as unique and individual as those that prepare the powder. It can be everywhere from dark to rusty red in color. This mixture may also be augmented with garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, and cloves. Substitutes? You must be kidding.

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Chives

Chives – Have been grown and used in the orient for over 3,000 years. The smallest member of the onion family, chives grow in clumps. Chives complement cheese, soups, salads, egg dishes, dips, spreads and any food you would use onions with. Other varieties are Chinese and Garlic Chives. The pretty lavender blossoms make this plant a favorite in the garden and for cutting. Additionally, these blossoms make a great herbed vinegar. They impart a slight blush of their color, as well as, a great hint of chives to the vinegar. This is best accomplished with White Wine vinegar. Both chives and edible flowers are a tasty and colorful addition to salads. Garlic chives add a delicate garlic flavor to food. Their long flat leaves are unlike those of the ordinary chives (which have tubular leaves), and their blossoms are white. Romanian gypsies are said to have used chives in their fortune telling rites, hanging clumps in their wagons to drive away evil spirits. Combined with two or more herbs, chives are an essential ingredient in bouquet garni and fines herbs. When used in a cooked dish, chives should be added near the end of the cooking to preserve their flavor. Chives are a good source of vitamin A and also contain a fair amount of potassium and calcium.

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Cilantro

Chinese Parsley & Cilantro – Cilantro has a lively, pungent flavor. Some perceive it as a blend hinting of flat leaf parsley, juniper berries, mint, and lovage; others find it a mix of orange peel and sage. Cilantro leaves do not hold their flavor when dried. It is widely used in Asian, Caribbean, and Latin American food. Its distinctive flavor lends itself to highly spiced foods. If you are out of cilantro you may substitute flat leaf parsley for its shape or a spicy basil for its flavor.

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Cinnamon

Cinnamon & Cassia – Once used in love potions and to perfume wealthy Romans, this very ancient spice comes from the bark of a tree that thrives in Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon, a name still used to identify true cinnamon) and the Malabar Coast. It is extremely mild whether rolled in a stick or ground. Sadly, much of the so called cinnamon available on the market is actually cassia, a close but much less delicately flavored relative. While used mostly in sweets, it adds intrigue to savory dishes and meats. When cinnamon is unavailable ground cloves may be used as a substitute. Oil of cinnamon comes from the pods of the tree and is used in flavoring and as a medicinal.

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Cumin

Cumin – Also called comino this ancient spice dates back to the Old Testament. The seeds are from a plant native to the Nile Valley. Shaped like a caraway seed, cumin is the dried fruit of a plant in the parsley family. Its aromatic, nutty flavored seeds come in three colors: amber (the most widely available), white and black (both found in Asian markets). White cumin seed is interchangeable with amber, but the black seed has a more complex, peppery flavor. Cumin is available in seed and ground forms. If you are out of cumin you may substitute caraway seeds.

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Curry

Curry Powder – Packaged curry powder was probably a British invention. Hoping to export to England the flavors they had enjoyed in India, the British likely took back with them one of the southern spice mixtures - perhaps a kari podi (curry powder) or a sambar podi (sambar powder). This blend was added to Western style flour bound stews that were then dubbed curries. Indian cooks do not use a single spice mixture to flavor their cooking. Rather each dish is flavored individually with a combination of spices, called a masala, that may be simple or complex and that varies with the individual cook, the dish, and the region.

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Dill Weed

Dill Weed – Dill has been around for thousands of years. Romans in the first century were convinced that dill brought good luck. Dill leaves have a flavor that is pungent and slightly tangy, almost caraway tasting. Dill is one of the best complements for many foods not to mention their importance to dill pickles. Fresh leaves loose their flavor quickly when being cooked, for this reason it is always best to add them as near the end of the cooking cycle as possible. The herb is sold as both fresh and dried. There is quite a difference between the flavor of fresh and dried dill weed.

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Fennel Seed

Fennel Seed – Fennel seeds may be purchased either whole or ground. Fennel seeds may be added to many dishes that are both sweet and savory.
Should you run out of fennel you may use dill and caraway as substitutes.

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Garlic

Garlic – Bulb, separated into cloves or knuckles - Garlic, in most kitchens, if you're not using garlic, you're not really cooking. Garlic is one of the most popular seasoning herbs. It is used in almost every form of cooking and in almost all cuisine's around the world. Originally from India or Central Asia, it is now grown worldwide with lessor success in the most northern climates. There are many different varieties of garlic including American garlic, Mexican garlic, Italian garlic, elephant garlic and green garlic. There are also many processed variations available as well. There is fresh, roasted, garlic flakes (aka instant garlic), garlic powder, garlic salt, garlic extract and garlic juice. Garlic tablets are also available at health food stores. To lessen the effect of garlic breath, you might try eating some fresh parsley. This won't take it away completely, but it will help. A member of the lily family, many of its cousins can be found elsewhere in this herb & spice compendium. They include; onions, garlic chives, chives and Welsh onions.

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Ginger

Ginger & Ginger Root – Rhizome - Mistakenly called a root this rhizome is thought to have originated in Southeast Asia. Today most ginger comes from Jamaica followed by India, Africa, and then China. There are two types of fresh rhizomes, young and mature. Young ginger sometimes called spring ginger has a pale thin skin that does not require peeling. Mature ginger has a tough skin that must be peeled away. Mature ginger is just a little stronger than young ginger. When purchasing choose the heaviest and hardest rhizomes available. They will get lighter and will begin to wrinkle when they are past their prime. Fresh unpeeled ginger, tightly wrapped, may be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks and in the freezer for several months. To use frozen ginger, simply cut off what is needed and return the rest tightly wrapped to the freezer. Want to keep peeled ginger for up to three months? Store in screw lid jars filled with dry Sherry or Madeira wines. The wine will impart some of its flavor to the ginger. To compensate for this the wine may then be used for cooking and will have a slightly ginger flavor. Most ginger that we use in this country is of the powdered variety. Some cooks will tell you that powdered ginger cannot be substituted for fresh, but if you add it very slowly and carefully it can be done. The powdered variety is somewhat stronger than fresh. This is the spice that has long lended its name to the beverages ginger ale and ginger beer (alcoholic and nonalcoholic). Additionally ginger may be found crystallized, also called candied. This ginger has been cooked in a sugary syrup. If you have a child that is susceptible to car sickness, see if you can get them to eat one or two small pieces of candied ginger. It should do the trick. There is also preserved ginger that has been preserved in a sugar-salt mixture. This is used often as a confection or in desserts. Melon and preserved ginger is a classic combo. Pickled ginger has been preserved in a sweet vinegar and is often used as a garnish. Finally, there is red candied ginger that has been packed in a red sugary syrup. Yes, ginger is one of this authors favorite spices. Substitutes? I don't think so.

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Mint

Mint – Long a symbol of hospitality, Greece mythology claims that mint was once the nymph Mentha. She angered Pluto’s wife Persephone, who turned her into this aromatic herb. Mint grows wild throughout the world and is cultivated in Europe, the Untied States, and Asia. All mints are spreading plants and must be kept separated and controlled if you grow them. Mint is used in scenting potpourri and in flavoring drinks, candies, vegetables, and a host of commercial products including toothpaste, chewing gum, and medicines. Strong smelling mint leaves are rubbed on the skin to repel insects. Mint is used in both sweet and savory dishes and in drinks, such as the famous Kentucky Mint Juleps. The most common mints of the dozens of varieties are: Apple Mint-Soft leaved, white flowered, fruity fragrance, apple flavor; Orange Bergamot-Citrus flavored, nice for tea or potpourri; Pennyroyal, (English) - Not recommended for culinary use today but is a very fragrant addition to mint potpourri and tussie mussies and an effective insect repellent for cats and dogs. One used by royalty to combat body lice, hence its name. The most powerful mint as an insect-chaser;, Peppermint or White Peppermint-in contrast to the next kind. This is the regular peppermint most likely found in nurseries. It has a great flavor; Peppermint, (Black Stemmed) - From England or Yugoslavia, this is the loveliest mint of all in terms of fragrance and flavor, and the one used for commercial trade. Not black-stemmed at all, but a darker purple stem and veins in the leaves than found in regular peppermint or orange peppermint, all of which are purple flowered; Pineapple Mint-Pineapple fragrance when young. Flavor does not equal fragrance. Stunning in garden and fresh arrangements because of creamy patches on leaves; and Spearmint-This is the mint meant when recipes call for “mint”. The classic flavoring for mint juleps, it is also the most used mint for culinary purposes.

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Mustard (dry)

Mustard – There are a variety of plants grown for their acrid seeds and leaves collectively called Mustard Greens. The leaves may be used in salads or cooked with or as a substitute for spinach. Mustard belongs to the same family as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, and kohlrabi. For centuries mustard has been used for culinary, as well as, medicinal purposes. Most notably its use as a curative for the common cold. I don't think there has been a child born that has not had to suffer through at least one mustard plaster. The name comes from the Roman mixture of crushed mustard seed and must (unfermented grape juice), called mustum ardens or burning wine. Mustard seeds are sold whole, ground into powder, or processed further in prepared mustard. There are two major types of mustard seed, white (or yellow) and brown (or Asian). There is a third variety that is black which is the most pungent but has been replaced mostly by brown because it can be grown more easily and economically. White seeds are relatively large. Their flavor is spicy and almost sweet. Brown mustard seeds have a flavor that is hot and slightly bitter. Toast either sort of seeds in a little butter or oil in a skillet until you smell them. Out of mustard seeds? Try caraway seeds.

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Oregano

Oregano or Wild Marjoram – Is Greece for “joy of the mountain”. Oregano belongs to the mint family and is related to both marjoram and thyme. It is similar to marjoram but is not as sweet and has a stronger, more pungent flavor and aroma. Because of its pungency, it require a bit more caution in its use. It may be used fresh or dried in the same foods you would use marjoram or thyme for, especially in Italian, Spanish, or Mexican dishes. Oregano is the pizza herb and was popularized in America by the GIs returning from Italy and Greece after World War II. It is particularly good in beef dishes, and a special ingredient of hoagies. There are several varieties from England, Greece, Spain, Mexico, and Sicily (the grocery variety may be a blend of several), so the flowers will range from white to purple. Greek Oregano has a stronger, more pungent flavor that the others. ‘Dittany of Crete’ is an annual variety with pink flowers and a marjoram flavor. (An ingredient of vermouth.) Fresh or dried oregano blossoms are very pretty and are used in fragrant tussie mussies or arrangements.

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Paprika

Paprika – Paprika is made from certain very finely ground red pepper pods. This pepper is so tough that multiple grindings are necessary to get the right consistency. The color can vary from light bright orange red to dark deep red. The flavor varies from sweet and mild to pungent and hot. Mild paprika can be found in any well stocked supermarket, while ethnic stores will be necessary for a hotter more robust paprika. While these peppers grow in Spain, South America, California, and Hungary, the Hungarian variety is considered the finest. Indeed paprika has long been more of a staple in Hungary than just a spice. If you are out of paprika you might try ground red pepper, but just an eighth the amount, as it is far hotter and not as sweet.

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Parsley

Parsley – Another very old herb, in ancient times wreaths of parsley were used to ward off drunkenness. Parsley's success at this task is questionable, but we do love parsley for its other qualities. While there are more than 30 varieties, the two most popular are curly leafed, here in the United States and Britain, and flat leafed also called Italian parsley is preferred throughout Europe for its richer taste. Stems may be used in white stocks and sauces because they do not color the sauce as the leaves would and for their strength in flavor. Parsley has so much chlorophyll that chewing the fresh leaves will destroy the smell of garlic or onion on your breath. Parsley is also a mild calmative for your stomach and digestive system. Parsley is a great source of vitamins A and C. Dried parsley can be found in the spice section of most stores, but in reality the dried product bears little resemblance to the fresh variety. There really isn't a good substitute for parsley.

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Pepper

Pepper & Peppercorns – Today's most popular spice, pepper, is so plentiful today that we have become spoiled. In the 15th Century peppercorns were so rare that they were used in some places for currency. There are three basic varieties of pepper. Each dependent on how the pepper was picked and prepared. Green - Once the small white flowers of the Piper Nigrum have formed green berries in grape like clusters, they may be picked and stored in water, vinegar, or brine. This climbing vine is grown in India and Indonesia. Green peppercorns have a mild fresh flavor. If the green peppercorns are allowed to dry in the sun, they become hard and brittle and range in color from dark brown to black. Black peppercorns are the most common. They have a rich and spicy flavor. Most experts will say that Malabar peppercorns are the finest, with Tellicherry and Lampong not too far behind. Left on the vine to ripen they turn to red. These peppercorns are then soaked in water and the red shells taken off leaving a buff colored, smoother, softer peppercorn. White pepper has the hottest flavor sometimes with a hint of ginger. White pepper is often used in white or light colored prepared dishes where the presence of pepper might want to be hidden. While pepper is used the world over on meat and savory dishes, don't stop there. Pepper can be used, particularly white pepper, in cookies, cake, and fruit dishes. For an amazing taste try freshly ground black pepper on strawberries. Should you find yourself temporarily out of pepper, sigh, try ground ginger as a substitute.

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Rosemary

Rosemary – Records can be found tracing the use of Rosemary back to 500 B.C. For hundreds of years it was used as a treatment for nervous system ailments. Rosemary is yet another herb that is in the mint family. It is native to the Mediterranean area, where it grows wild, but it is now cultivated all over Europe and the United States. I have seen it used in certain parts of Arizona as a landscape short hedge. There are few herbs as pungent as Rosemary. Being subtle is not one of Rosemary's traits. Looking like a pine needle from a distance, this herb should be ground finely for optimum use. It is also used by better restaurants as a garnish. The flavor has been described as being somewhere between pine, mint, and lemon. It may be purchased in sprigs, as leaves, ground, and as an essential oil. Rosemary is used both in the kitchen and in fragrances for cosmetics. During the winter holiday season there is nothing that will put you in the spirit of the season like rosemaried walnuts. If you just can't seem to find rosemary an interesting substitute is oregano or sweet basil leaves and flowers.

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Thyme

Thyme – There are many varieties of thyme. The most commonly used are Garden Thyme and Wild Thyme. Garden Thyme is sometimes referred to as English Thyme. There are very few poultry, meat, or vegetable dishes that can't be improved with the use of thyme. Wild Thyme is preferred in French cuisine, where it is a widely used herb. Another variety, Lemon Thyme, is an exquisite blend of the earthiness of thyme and the pure freshness of lemon. The only caution in using thyme is that, in general, you should use less than you think will be needed. It is much easier to add more should the flavor be too flat. When you can't find thyme (no pun intended), you could try young sage leaves and flowers.

E-Mail: De Stewart