General information

Herbals have a strong characteristic and distinctive smell, because of their essential oils. Herbals will mostly be used in fresh condition, in contrast to spices. Because herbals often have a particular effect on the human organism they are correspondingly getting used for the preperation of foods.

Herbals also have, like spices, a far going back history, which is due to their similarly, there is no clear border between herbals and spices. The hunter-gather cultures, about 50 000 years ago, have already enwrapped the pieces of meat in spices before frying it, to realize a better taste.

Useful tips for the use and effects of spices

The best way to dry spices is to bind the shafts together and hang them their leaves pointing to the ground. Though they should not be exposed direct solar radiation. You should also be careful when using dried leaves, because they oftentimes have a much more intensive aroma than fresh leaves.

Spices should aways be chopped by a sharp-edged kitchen or chopping knife and never on a wooden board, which would absorb the juice. A plastic board would be better suited. For some spices it is the best to be chopped by a scissor, as for instance dill or chive.

Parsley

Parsley should never be boiled, since thereby it looses its taste and vitamin content.

Hint: Parsley stays nicely green if it gets bedspread with salt after chopping.

Chive

Chive gets bitter when chopped, thats why it should always be chopped directly before eating.

Hint: By the addition of chive to seasonings, the flavor of other spices will be brought out.

Coriander

Another name for coriander is Chinese parsley, because the leaves are very similar to regular parsley. The coriander leaves can be used to season beans or bean dishes, but also for sauces and meat. They have a sweet and sour taste. The coriander seed may be used to season vegetables, cakes, and pastry. The seeds have a light lemon like taste and endures long cooking.

Lovage

Lovage should be used very careful, because at excessive use only the unusual flavor of the lovage can be tasted. It is difficult to describe the flavor lovage. You can say it tastes like a mixture of lemon, celery, and musk. Lovage can be used to season salads and soups.

Oregano

Oregano has an positive effect on the gall, therefore you should season very greasy foods with oregano, because the gall metabolizes fats.

Thyme

Thyme fits very well to dark kinds of meat, as for instance beef, game or mutton. However, it should be used very cautiously, because thyme has an very intensive taste and the whole dish easily takes up this intensive taste of the thyme.

Autor: Andrea Bracht
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