Transcript Herbs and Spices PowerPoint

What are herbs and spices used
for?
• Enhance flavor in
foods, especially
salads, casseroles,
soups, and meats.
• They can be sweet,
Smokey, hot, or
bland.
• Some herbs are also
used to cure
diseases in certain
cultures.
• Leaves of plants that lack
woody stems.
• Typically, the green, leafy
part of the plant is used in
cooking.
• The plants are grown for
their flavor and medicinal
value.
• Some define herbs as plants
with healing properties.
• They can be grown in window boxes and in
back yards.
• The smell or fragrance of herbs comes
from tiny hairs with glands all over the
stem and leaves of the plant. The fragrant
oil is released by pressure (like crushing a
leaf) or by sunlight.
• People used herbs in everyday life because
they had:
– No refrigerator - so herbs helped old food taste better
– No easy access to water - so people used herbs as perfumes and
deodorants. They even put herbs on floors so when they walked
on them, they had an herb air freshener!
• Some examples of herbs:
– Mint
– Bay leaves
– Basil
From very early times, herbs have been used
for healing. By the fifth century, people in
England had 500 herbs they used as
medicines.
• Around the 1600s, people started thinking
about herbs in a different way. They looked at
an herb and by its color and shape decided
how to use the herb. This was called the
Doctrine of Signatures.
– An herb with leaves that looked like snake skin would
be used to try to help someone who had been bitten
by a snake.
– A plant growing near a wet place would be used to
treat colds.
– A plant with heart-shaped leaves would be used to
treat heart problems.
What are Spices?
• Spices are dried roots, stems, and
seeds of plants that are usually grown
in the tropics.
• Aromatic substances of vegetable
origin used as a preservative
• Used to add flavor and zest to foods.
Characteristics of
Spices
• Not all spices are hot like many may think,
but most do add flavor.
• Spices are sold in whole and ground
forms, with ground being the most popular.
• Some examples of spices:
–
–
–
–
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Pepper
Ginger
What is the difference between
herbs and spices?
Spices and herbs are both from plants and are
used in very small amounts to flavor food.
"Spice" refers to seasonings made from dried
seeds or bark. Spices generally originate in the
Far East and tropical countries.
"Herb" refers to any plant with fleshy parts that are
used in brewing tea and seasoning foods, or as
medicines.
• Combinations of herbs and spices
that are usually ground up
together.
• Some examples:
– Pumpkin pie spice
– Poultry seasoning
– Cajun seasoning
• Fresh herbs are not as concentrated as
dries herbs, so you need to use more
of them to get the same flavor.
– Unless the recipe calls for fresh, used
dried.
– Dried herbs contain 3x more flavor then
fresh herbs
• You can microwave fresh herbs in
order to dry them.
• Ground spices release their flavor
immediately when they are added to
food. Therefore, you should add them
toward the end of cooking.
• Whole spices take longer to release
flavor…those can be added earlier
• If using whole spices…you might want to
put them in a cheesecloth bag (cloth bag
that adds flavor to the product) before
adding them to your food.
• This way the flavor can escape while your
meal cooks and you can remove them
before serving.
• Gourmet food is food that is
expertly seasoned using
herbs and spices.
• Creative seasoning can
make even the most basic
foods, such as pizza, into
gourmet dishes!
• Becoming familiar with a
wide range of spices can
help you learn how to
prepare foods with a
gourmet touch.
• Vanilla flavored dishes, such as
custard, often call for nutmeg.
• Italian dishes, such as pasta or fish,
often call for oregano.
• Rosemary is often used in chicken and
lamb.
• Cinnamon is often used with apples.
• What are some examples you can think
of?
• Always store them in cool, dry places
away from light.
• Keep containers tightly closed.
• When storing fresh herbs, keep them
in the refrigerator. Putting the washed
herbs in a Ziploc bag with a paper
towel is a good way to keep them
fresh.
• Buy herbs and spices in small amounts
• When properly stored, they will keep their
flavor and aroma about a year
• Whole spices will last longer
• You can tell if you’ve stored something too
long by rubbing it between your fingers or
palms…if there is no odor then you have
stored it too long.