Cooking Beyond Salt & Pepper

A lot of people are intimidated by spices and herbs. There are too many of them and not really quite sure how or when to use them but this shouldn't be the case at all. I know it's a little overwhelming at first - going beyond the "Italian Blend Seasoning" or basil and dried parseley, cinnamon and vanilla... but once you get to know their flavors and what they do to the food or to each other, the possibilities are endless! (I've experimented with a lot!)

Spices and herbs should be used to enhance the natural flavor of food--not disguise or obscure it. Many herbs and spices can complement a dish and each other; however, be selective in their combinations. Avoid using too many at one time.

Both herbs and spices contain volatile, essential, flavorful oils. So storing them properly is important; the goal is to keep the volatile oils inside the spices for as long as possible. That means keeping them away from light, air, moisture and heat. I like to keep mine in tins in a drawer where I can easily access them.

I like to use fresh herbs as much as possible. This means I don't have to use dry herbs which requires longer cooking time to get all the essential oils and full flavors from. Fresh herbs add such freshness to food. Storing your fresh herbs is as important as storing the dry ones. When I get home from the store - I usually wash the herbs pat dry it with paper towel - wrap it in paper towel put in a zip loc bag and in the fridge and ready to use whenever you're ready for it.

A little goes a long way! A little of lemon zest on a risotto makes a big difference in flavor. Rosemary is heavenly on poultry. Cumin adds depth to beef. Coriander seeds can act as a condiment on salads or add on fish (by the way - the leaves of coriander is also known as cilantro :). The list can go on and on and on. You just have to try it out and see which one works with what food.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with salt and pepper but adding herbs and spices will give your food full of flavors without adding the extra calories :D Enjoy! By the way I only cook with Kosher salt and use fresh cracked pepper as much as possible :)