herbs and spices

2. What are herbs and spices used
for?
• Enhance flavor in
foods, especially
salads, dishes,
soups, fish and
meats.
• They can be sweet,
Smokey, hot,
• Some herbs are also
used to cure
diseases in certain
cultures.

3. • Leaves of plants.
• 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.

4. • 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.

5. • Ancient times: 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, oregano,
– Bay leaves, parsley
– Basil, cilantro

8. 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 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.

9. – 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.

11. 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.

12. 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

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AVOID
smelling
PEPPER or
CHILI
POWDER as
they can
irritate your
nose.

18. 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.

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“Spice” vs. “Herb”
Spices come from the bark (cinnamon), root (ginger,
onion, garlic), buds (cloves, saffron), seeds (yellow
mustard, poppy, sesame), berry (black pepper), or the
fruit (allspice, paprika) of tropical plants and trees.
Herbs are leaves of low-growing shrubs. Examples
are parsley, chives, marjoram, thyme, basil, caraway,
dill, oregano, rosemary, savory, sage and celery leaves.
These can be used fresh or dried. Dried forms may be
whole, crushed, or ground.

20. • Fresh herbs are not as concentrated as
dries herbs, so you need to use more of
them to get the same flavor.
– Dried herbs contain 3x more flavor then
fresh herbs
• You can microwave fresh herbs in order
to dry them.

21. • 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

22. • 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.

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Use the following
guidelines for
storing your
spices and herbs
to maintain
maximum quality.

24. 24
To prevent flavor and color loss, AVOID:
Moisture
Light
Heat
Air

25. 25
Store in tightly
covered
containers.
Store in a dark
place away from
sunlight, such as
inside a cupboard
or drawer.

26. 26
AVOID storage
above dishwasher,
microwave, stove,
refrigerator
or near a sink or
heating vent.
If storing in an open spice rack,
store away from heat, light and moisture.

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Refrigerator/freezer storage?
• Refrigerate paprika, chili
powder and red pepper for
best color retention,
especially in summer or
hotter climates.
• Spices and herbs can get
wet if condensation forms
when a container from a
refrigerator or freezer is
left open in a
humid kitchen.

28. • 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.