SPICES - SALTS - HERBS

by Ted Peterson
The web page is an article on the different spices and herbs. Also you will find a large number of herbs that can be used as a spice.
If you have another good article that would fit into this site send to the e-mail address at the end of this page.
Spices are items that can be added to your food so that they taste better. We are listing some but not all that you can use. Most of them can be picked up at local store where they have them in small jars in powdered form.
Allspice. This is a dried spice berry that taste like cinnamon-cloves and nutmeg. It comes from Jamaica .
Angelica. An herb with bright green leaves with a sweet, pungent smell. It can be added to almost any food item.
Basil. A sweet clovelike tasting herb that is essential for Italian cooking. Fresh leaves are best torn or cut to release flavor.
Bay Leaf. An herb that has a strong spicy flavor that is removed before serving. Good for meat or stews. Mostly dried but can also be used fresh.
Black Pepper. The standard black pepper that most people use.
Borage. An herb that taste faintly of cucumbers that is used in fruit salads or fruit drinks. It also makes a pretty garnish.
Cardamom. This is a seed that comes in a number of colors but green is best. It add a little bitter taste to the meal. It comes from India.
Cayenne. This comes from a blend of small chilies. This add hot to almost any food and is used most of the time with eggs and cheese. It come from East Indies and Africa. You do not use a large amount.
Chervill. A delicate herb that should NEVER be cooked. Only add when served in salads, with fish, chicken or eggs.
Chili Powder. A commercial mix of other spices. This spice is used in stews-soups that have eggs and cheese. From Mexico.
Chives. This herb has a light onion or garlic taste. It is used in soups and sauces with fish.
Cieely, Sweet. This herb has a delicate anise taste and will reduce the need for sugar when added. It is used in salsas, soups. and stews.
Cilantro. This herb should be added at the last minute in Latin and Asian cooking. Used with rice, beans, etc. and other food.
Cinnamon. Comes from the bark of a tree. This will come in sticks, powder or ground. Cinnamon is used in almost any cooking and comes from any tropical region.
Cloves. This is made from the buds of a group of plants from the West Indies. It adds a sweet flavor to almost any food.
Coriander. This comes from a seed that adds a burnt orange flavor to food, and can be added to almost any other spice and will help almost any food. It comes from China and Egypt.
Cumin. A hot bitter strong heavy taste seed that comes from Pakistan - Iran. It is used in cooking used in Indian - African cooking and goes with fish, poultry etc.
Dill. Dill is used in pickles or fresh with eggs, chicken, etc. added just before serving.
Fennel. Licorice flavor herb that is used in raw and cooked dishes. Used is Scandinavian breads and cakes. Will help to cut the oiliness from fish.
File Powder. Ground from dried sassafras leaves from United States that is used in gumbo that acts as a thickening agent.
Garlic Salt or powder. Garlic Salt can be used as a spices if you want to have a garlic taste in your food. This is made by turning garlic bulbs into a powder. Garlic grows in the United States.
Ginger. This is a plant from tropical Asia that the root when dried and powdered is used as a spice. It will give a pungent taste to food.
Hyssop. This herb will add a pungent minty taste. You use the flower buds not the leaves in different salads.
Juniper. This is a dried whole berry from Southern Europe that is crushed to release flavor. Used for fish, game, poultry and all other types of meat.
Lavender. A herb that is used in sachets and potpourris, and fruit drinks. Also good when added to teas.
Lemon Balm. This herb has a lemon flavor and is used in soups and salads.
Lemon Verbena. This has a lemon scent and is added to fruit drinks, teas, or puddings.
Lovage. This herb has a celery taste is is used in salads and soup.
Mace. Outer covering of nutmeg seed. Milder than nutmeg. from Grenada-and Indonesia.
Marjoram. Almost the same herb as oregano and is used with fish, meat,egg etc. Add at the end of cooking.
Mint. This herb is used in candy, etc. Also used in Middle Eastern dishes. Oregon is one of the largest growers of mint in the US.
Nutmeg. A spice seed the size of an olive. used in rich-rich foods. From Philippines and West Indies.
Onion Salt. Onions can be made into a powder and added to any food as a spice. Onions grows almost any place in the US.
Oregano. Like Marjoram but is stronger and is best used in pizza in almost all Italian, Greek cooking. Good for fish, meat, and poultry.
Paprika. Ground dried red pepper. From Hungary-Mexico-Spain-Morocco. Used in potatos and eggs and other food items.
Parsley. This herb is used as a garnish and goes with almost all types of food. Most dinners that have potatos, soups, salads etc will have a stick of parsley on top.
Rosemary. This herbs leaves when crushed and dryed goes with game, poultry and meats if grilled. This also can be also added to soups etc.
Sage. Sage has a mentholated flavor and is added to fatty foods. Used in all poultry stuffings.
Salad Burnet. This herb has a cucumber taste and used in salad and cheese. Should never be cooked.
Saffron. The most expensive spice. It is hand picked and 250,000 are needed to make one pound. It is very fragrant. It comes from Morocco with a little from Turkey. Used in soups.
Star Anise. It comes from magnolia tree and is slightly sweet and has a licorice flavor. The tree is growned in China-Vietnam and is used in jams, soup and stews.
Table Salt. Table salt is the standard salt that is used in all meals. Do not use any extra as it can be harmfull.
Tarragon. This herb has a licorice flavor and is good with chicken, fish, eggs and in salads.
Thyme. This herb comes in a number of varieties that adds lemon, orange and others flavors. It is excellent with fish and poultry.
Turmeric. Yellow spice with warm mild aroma and is a member of the ginger group. From India . Used in mustard pickles and relishes.
Winter Savory. This herb has two varieties with the winter one is best. It is used in meat loaf and other meats.
SAUCE and OTHER LIQUIDS SUPERMENTS
The following items use used in cooking or in eating different foods. They will not be eaten without some other food item. Almost all the items, except 2, will come in ready made jars.
Barbecue Sauce. A sauce that is used in barbecuing meats.
Bearnaise Sauce. A sauce that is used in a lot of cooking. To make, see other article on this web site.
Hollandaise Sauce. Another sauce that is used in a lot of cooking. To make, see other article on this web site.
Horseradish Sauce. A sauce that can be both mild or hot that goes with meat, salads and other foods.
Ketchup. This is a sauce that is made from tomatos and spices that will go good with all meat.
Mayonnaise (Salad Dressing). These two are almost the same and is used in most sandwiches and salads.
Mustard. This is a yellow item that will go good with hot dogs and a lot of other meat items.
Tartar Sauce. A mayonnaise based sauce that goes with all types of fish.
Tomato Sauce. This item will come in different size cans but most of the time will come in 6-8 oz size. It is used in a lot of different cooking.
Vanilla and Vanilla extract. This is a spice that is used in a lot of different cooking.
Vinegar. A liquid that is used in a lot of different cooking. Most vinegar comes from apples and will have different colors, etc.
Worcestershire Sauce. A sauce that can you can buy that will go with almost any meat.
This is a small list. New items will be added from time to time.
Good luck.
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