What You Need To Know About Herbs and Spices

Years ago, I received a Nice rack and 25 bottles of sauce of herbs and spices for a wedding gift. I remember sitting there thinking to myself, how can I use? Therefore, I was not a trained chef! Do not get me wrong, I was sensitive to this great gift of marriage. However, they lacked the knowledge they need to know how to use them.As new cook, I thought that herbs and spices are the same thing, and soon discovered that they are different. According to Wikipedia, the spices are made from a dried seeds, fruits, roots, bark, leaves, or plant material and used to flavor a meal or used as a preservative. A plant consists of leafy green plants and used to flavor purposes.Here are some great tips that I learned during a mortar years.Using: dried herbs, aromatic seeds, garlic and nuts will release more of them taste when crushed with a mortar. The mortar is a bowl, where ingredients are placed. The tool used for grinding and pestle. For a uniform grind, crush a small amount at a time. It is important to make sure your bowl of mortar is completely clean and dry before using it.Substitutions: To substitute fresh herbs for dried, use three times wort cooler. Freezing: You can freeze fresh herbs Wash the tender leaves in several changes of cold water. Pat the leaves dry with paper towels. Seal of small quantities of leaves in freezer bags, label and freeze.Shelf life SpicesGround spices: 2-3 years full Spices: seasoning blends 3-4 years: 1-2 years Herbs: 1-3 years Reprints: 4 years, except pure vanilla, which lasts forever points * * Here in Pennsylvania, we observe daylight savings time. Each season, when we change our clocks, I'll take the time to go through my closet, spices and delete all obsolete products. The correct way to use and store herbs SpicesYou want to keep in a cool, dry and dark. A good place would be inside your pantry or cupboard in the kitchen cupboard. You do not want to shelve sunlight or near the stove, where heat and humidity can destroy them.When it comes to cooking with herbs and spices, you need to know the basics. Once you know the basics, you will feel more comfortable to wear. There are several good books on the market you can buy to use as a guide. The book is recommended by Jill Norman. It's called, herbs and spices, Cook reference.