Using Herbs and Spices

Have you ever wondered which herb or spice goes with which dish? Ever ask yourself questions such as: What do you use marjoram for? Does sage go in spaghetti or beans? Can I use chives to flavor eggs?

Read on to discover which herbs and spices go well with which dishes. Just bear in mind that cooking is supposed to be fun and the excitement comes with experimenting; so use this as a guide and don’t be afraid to explore new possibilities for your herbs and spices.

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BASIL is from the mint family and can be used fresh or dried. It is most commonly used in Italian dishes such as pesto, soups, salads, and sauces

BAY LEAVES are used dried and add flavor to soups, vegetables, stews, and meats. They are not edible and are usually removed before serving

CHIVES are from the onion family and are used fresh. They add a wonderful flavor to eggs, vegetables, salads, dips, and sauces

CILANTRO comes from the leaves and stems of the coriander plant and is used fresh, mostly in Asian, Latin, and Caribbean dishes

DILL WEED is a member of the parsley family and is an excellent complement to fish, salad, sauces, and salads

MARJORAM is a member of the mint family and has a sweet and mild flavor (like oregano). It is used to flavor sauces, salads, meats and cooked green vegetables

OREGANO is from the mint family and has a strong flavor and aroma. It is used in both Mexican and Italian dishes

PARSLEY is used fresh or dried and has a mild flavor. It is great with eggs, meat, fish dishes, sauces, and salads

ROSEMARY is a member of the mint family and smells like pine and lemon. It is used fresh, dried, and powdered and season soups, meats, and vegetables

SAGE has a strong bitter, musty, mint taste and is used fresh, dried, or ground. It is used to flavor cheese dishes, pork, beans, and salad dressings

TARRAGON has an anise like flavor and can be used fresh, dried, or ground. It is commonly used in French cooking and to season sauces, chicken, and fish

THYME belongs to the mint family and has a lemony aroma that is used to flavor meats, soups, vegetables, and sauces

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ALLSPICE is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It is sold in whole and ground form and is used to flavor fruit dishes, pumpkin dishes, and stews

CARAWAY comes from an herb in the parsley family and is sold in seed form. It has a nutty flavor that enhances the taste in bread, cheese, pork, and vegetables

CAYENNE is ground red pepper and made from tropical dried chilies. It is used mainly to add heat and spiciness to meats, eggs, vegetables, and sauces

CINNAMON comes from the inside bark of an evergreen tree grown in the tropics. It comes in whole sticks or ground form and is used in sweet dishes, but also adds flavor to meat dishes, stews and curries

CLOVES come in whole and ground form. They are used to flavor baked goods, vegetables, ham, and some hot beverages

CORIANDER is a seed that is part of the parsley family and comes in whole or ground from. It is used in pickling, specialty drinks, and Scandinavian dishes

CUMIN comes in whole seeds and ground form. It is actually an ingredient in curry and chili powder and is used in Latin, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Mediterranean cuisine

CURRY is a blend of numerous spices, herbs, and seeds. It is used in its mild form in eggs and fish dishes and in a stronger form in meats and fish dishes

GINGER comes from a root. It is sold in fresh, dried, and ground forms. The fresh is used in Chinese and Japanese dishes, while the dried, ground variety is used in soups, meats, curries, and baked goods

MUSTARD SEED comes in white and brown forms. It is used in pickling, dressings, sauces, meats, and cheese dishes

NUTMEG is the seed from the nutmeg tree and is sold in whole or ground forms. It is used in many baked goods, egg dishes, custards, fruits and vegetables

PAPRIKA is a spice that ranges from mild to hot and pungent. It is used to garnish savory foods, while the stronger version is used in Hungarian dishes

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