Table Of ContentHERB &
SPICE
COMPANION
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© 2015 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.
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HERB &
SPICE
COMPANION
The Complete Guide to
Over 100 Herbs & Spices
Lindsay Herman
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CONTENTS
AN INTRODUCTION........ 6 Thyme .................. 80
GROWING HERBS & Watercress................ 82
SPICES AT HOME . . . . . . . . . . 8 Exotic Herbs.............. 85
DRYING, FREEZING, AND STORING Angelica ................. 86
HERBS & SPICES . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Anise Hyssop .............. 88
HERBS Bergamot................. 90
Herb Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Borage .................. 92
Cooking with Herbs .......... 24 Chamomile ............... 94
Common Kitchen Herbs ..... 29 Culantro ................. 96
Arugula ................. 30 Curry Leaf ................ 98
Basil .................... 32 Elder ................... 100
Thai Basil .............. 34 Epazote.................. 102
Holy Basil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Fenugreek ................ 104
Bay Leaf ................. 38 Houttuynia Cordata .......... 106
Indian Bay Leaf ........... 40 Hyssop .................. 108
Catnip................... 42 Lemon Balm............... 110
Chervil .................. 44 Lemon Verbena ............ 112
Chives .................. 46 Lovage .................. 114
Cilantro.................. 48 Marigold ................. 116
Dill ................... 50 Myrtle................... 118
Fennel .................. 52 Nasturtiums ............... 120
Garlic ................... 54 Nepitella ................. 122
Horseradish ............... 58 Pandan Leaf............... 124
Lavender ................. 60 Perilla ................... 126
Lemongrass ............... 62 Rau Ram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Marjoram ................ 64 Salad Burnet............... 130
Mint .................... 66 Sassafras................. 132
Oregano ................. 68 Savory .................. 134
Parsley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Scented Geranium ........... 136
Rosemary................. 72 Sorrel ................... 138
Sage .................... 74 Sweet Cicely .............. 140
Scallions ................. 76 Wasabi .................. 142
Tarragon ................. 78 Woodruff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
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SPICES Fenugreek Seeds ........... 218
Spice Guide .............. 147 Galangal ................. 220
Cooking with Spices.......... 148 Grains of Paradise ........... 222
Common Kitchen Spices..... 153 Juniper Berry............... 224
Allspice .................. 154 Licorice .................. 226
Anise ................... 156 Mahlab .................. 228
Capers .................. 158 Makrut Lime............... 230
Caraway ................. 160 Mastic................... 232
Cardamom ............... 162 Nigella .................. 234
Black Cardamom . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Rose .................... 236
Celery Seeds .............. 166 Saffron .................. 238
Chili Peppers............... 168 Sichuan Pepper ............. 240
Cassia .................. 172 Star Anise ................ 242
Cinnamon ................ 174 Sumac................... 244
Clove ................... 176 Tamarind................. 246
Coriander Seeds ............ 178 Turmeric ................. 248
Cumin................... 180
Dill Seeds................. 182 HERB & SPICE BLENDS...... 250
Fennel Seeds .............. 184 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........... 252
Ginger .................. 186 ONLINE RESOURCES ....... 253
Mustards................. 190 INDEX .................. 254
Nutmeg.................. 192 IMAGE CREDITS........... 256
Paprika .................. 194
Pepper .................. 197
Poppy Seeds............... 200
Sesame Seeds.............. 202
Vanilla................... 204
Exotic Spices ............. 207
Ajwain .................. 208
Amchoor ................. 210
Annatto Seeds ............. 212
Asafetida................. 214
Barberry ................. 216
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AN INTRODUCTION
JUST A COUPLE OF DECADES AGO, THE WORLD OF HERBS AND SPICES WAS ONLY
as varied as the typical supermarket shelf. How times and meals have changed!
Thanks to a booming agriculture industry and wide-reaching international trade, it’s
now possible for tasty, exciting flavors from the other side of the globe to wind up
on your dinner plate.
Specialty food stores and well-stocked supermarkets today offer herbs and spices
from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, while farmers markets sell
top-notch produce, sourced from around the world but grown on local farms. If your
town doesn’t have a fancy specialty store or farmers market, don’t worry. Online gar-
den centers, nurseries, and spice merchants have made it easier than ever to purchase
exotic herbs and seeds grown anywhere from Argentina to Zanzibar.
Whether you’re a newbie in the kitchen or an herb-growing pro, the sheer variety
of flavors available can be exciting and a bit overwhelming. For culinary beginners,
Western classics are a great place to start: basil, dill, garlic, oregano, parsley, rose-
mary, sage, and thyme. They are easy to find, and their complementary ingredients
will be, too. They’re also some of the easiest herbs to grow at home. Once you’ve
gotten the swing of these staples, feel free to experiment with your cooking and add
new flavors to the mix.
But before you run out and buy up all the seasonings in your grocery store, read
through these introductory chapters for a primer on herbs and spices.
Herbs & Spices 101
Although it’s easy to use the words “herb” and “spice” interchangeably, there’s actu-
ally a major difference between the two.
Herbs are generally the leafy green foliage and tender stems of a plant, used
either fresh or dried in cooking. Most herbs grow wild in temperate climates, where
their growing cycles sync with the changing seasons. Spices, on the other hand, are
almost exclusively native to the tropics and subtropics, and they come from various
other plant parts, including the bark, berries, fruits, seeds, roots, and rhizomes. For
example, allspice and peppercorns are technically berries, while cloves and capers are
flower buds. Nutmeg is a seed; ginger is a rhizome; and cinnamon is made from tree
bark. All spices are typically dried after they’re harvested, and some require further
processing in order to develop their signature flavors. There are also several plants
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that offer up both herb and spice: coriander (cilantro), dill, and fennel all produce
edible leaves as well as seeds.
One interesting similarity between herbs and spices is their role in early medicine.
Virtually all have been used as curatives at some point in history. In fact, before herbs
and spices were widely used in the kitchen, they were prized for their medicinal and
mystical powers in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, and China. Dating back to
1500 BC, the oldest known medicinal text, the Ebers Papyrus, contains more than 800
ancient Egyptian remedies featuring plants such as chamomile, cinnamon, coriander,
cardamom, fennel, garlic, mint, sesame, sage, and thyme. Egyptians also used herbs
for embalming, cosmetics, and perfumes.
Herbs and spices also held symbolic meaning in ancient cultures, and some have
even carried through to the modern day. In Greece and Rome, for example, poets,
athletes, and war heroes wore wreathed crowns of bay (laurel) leaves, a symbol of
honor. Today, poet “laureates” are wordsmiths of the highest order, and a “baccalau-
reate” degree is offered to university students upon graduation.
While some herbs and spices are still used for their medicinal properties, this book
covers only those with value in the kitchen. Luckily, most tasty seasonings grown from
the earth also have great health benefits: They are natural digestive aids, and many
offer antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. They’re also low in
calories and high in vitamins and minerals, making these flavor boosters an all-around
healthy addition to any meal.
How to Use This Book
Herb & Spice Companion is divided into an Herb Guide and a Spice Guide, together
containing one hundred profiles of the world’s most commonly used seasonings. Each
guide is organized by availability in the marketplace: First up are the seasonings that
are widely sold at well-stocked supermarkets, specialty markets like Whole Foods and
Fairway, and local farmers markets. The more exotic seasonings come next. These will
take a little exploring to get your hands on, but many can be found in ethnic markets
or via online herb and spice merchants.
For those interested in starting an herb garden at home, each profile features
growing instructions that detail the plants’ basic needs, including light, water, and soil
requirements. See the following chapter, Growing Herbs & Spices at Home, for more
information. To learn how to store your seasonings for optimal freshness, flip to Drying,
Freezing, and Storing Herbs & Spices on page 17. And finally, when you're ready to savor
their flavors, each profile offers preparation tips and cooking suggestions.
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HERB & SPICE COMPANION
GROWING HERBS &
SPICES AT HOME
There is no question that herbs are at their best when picked fresh from the ground:
They’re at peak flavor and peak nutritional value. Unfortunately, some of the most
delicious herbs and spices can be impossible to find fresh at your local supermarket.
Their seeds, however, are likely available at nurseries, gardening centers, or via online
shops, making it possible to grow fresh herbs from anywhere in the world right in
your home. It’s a worthwhile investment: You’ll cut the cost of herbs from your shop-
ping lists, and when it’s time to whip up a meal, you’ve already got the freshest
seasonings on hand. Growing your own herbs and spices also opens up a world of
culinary options, thanks to the incredible variety of flavor combinations on offer, from
fresh lavender to cinnamon basil to pineapple sage to chocolate mint.
Worried about your lack of garden space? No problem. Herbs are some of the
simplest plants to grow in tight quarters. Most common herbs can thrive in small
containers indoors, as long as they’re stationed in a sunny window and treated to an
adequate water supply and great drainage. Plus, you’ll get the added pleasure of fresh
herbal aromas filling your home all day long.
The following are easy to find at local nurseries or garden centers in the United States:
• Basil • Mint • Sage
• Chives • Oregano • Tarragon
• Cilantro • Marjoram • Thyme
• Dill • Parsley
• Fennel • Rosemary
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