30 spices

and
aromatic
herbs
 Herbs:
Basil: (Ocinum basilicum)
Parsley
It is one of the most precious aromatic plants in the kitchen, it is :
considered irreplaceable by a gourmet. (Petrosel
It has a sweet taste, is fragrant and seems to be stronger when,
in summer, the sun increases its intensity. The most perfumed
leaves are those that are collected shortly before flowering,
since they contain a greater amount of oily substances that
determine their aroma; Its older leaves tend to have a spicier
flavor

Description
It is a herbaceous plant, from the Labiate family; It has an
erect trunk, reaching a height of 30-60 cm. With opposite
leaves, intense green on the upper side and green-gray on the
lower side. The flowers are small, white. It is an annual plant,
the new leaves are the most scented and its leaves should be
used when the plant is 20 cm high. Basil grows well in simple,
well-sunny and well-watered soils.

inum
Varieties sativum)
There is basil and basil.
There are more or less 40 types of basil. The most used are two: the It
"Genoese basil", with a sharp perfume, and the "Neapolitan" with
the lettuce-shaped leaf, more delicate and with a slight mint
aroma. Other varieties: "fine green compact", small in size, the
"mammouth" has very long leaves and is the type most adapted
to being dried. There are varieties with colored leaves: basil with
red serrated leaves and dark opal basil cultivated mainly for
decorative purposes.

Use in kitchen
Only the leaves of basil are used, fresh or dried. The fresh
leaves are used whole or finely chopped. Thanks to its fresh
flavor, it is suitable for preparing egg-based dishes, such as
omelettes and scrambled eggs; It is excellent for fish, particularly
mullet and lobsters; with vegetables such as eggplants, Italian
squash, peppers and tomatoes. The dried leaves, on the other
hand, can be used to prepare juices, stews and soups, as they
have lost their characteristic aroma predominating that of mint,
they are a bit bitter. derives
from the
Greek "petroselion" which means "stone celery" and "sativum" which
means "adapted to be cultivated". There are two varieties, that with curly
leaves that is grown in Great Britain, New Zealand, the United States and
Australia, and that with smooth leaves or common parsley, widely used
in Italy.

Parsley
Description
It is a herbaceous plant, it belongs to the Umbelliferae family. It has
an erect trunk, 15.80 cm high, cultivated it is biennial, if it is
spontaneous, it is perennial. The leaves, a nice bright green, have
bumpy, irregular edges and are vaguely triangular in shape. The flowers
gathered in umbels are greenish white; The fruit, on the other hand, is
made up of two dry parts full of seeds. The entire plant emanates a
pleasant aroma. Prefers cool, shady places.

Collection and Conservation

The flowers are collected from May to October (Italy). The leaves can
be dried, arranging them in subtle strata, in a shaded, ventilated and
repaired place. They are kept in glass or porcelain containers.

Use in kitchen
It has the power to revive the flavors of other herbs and is,
consequently, always present in bouquet garnier and fine herbs. It is an
ingredient in many foods and many sauces. One of the best known is the
Piedmontese "bagnet verd" which is served as an accompaniment to the
stew and is prepared with: garlic, yolk, bread crumbs dipped in vinegar,
anchovy fillets and, naturally, parsley. The "zimino" (vegetable-based
fish sauce), typical of Liguria and Tuscany, combines garlic, spinach,
chard, salt and pepper in oil or butter. Serves to accompany lean meals.
"Zogghiu", a typical Sicilian sauce for grilled meats or fish, is composed
of garlic, mint and parsley ground in a mortar, salt and pepper are added
and dissolved with oil and vinegar.
 Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Salvia derives from the Latin ' salves ', meaning health; ' officinalis '
because it was used in ancient pharmacies. It was always considered a
plant with cosmetic and healthy properties. A Latin saying went, "why
should a man die when sage grows in his garden?"

Description
It is an evergreen, aromatic shrub, belonging to the Labiadas
family. The root is branched and woody. The upper part of the
trunks, which can reach 1 m in height, is covered with ash-white
hairs. The leaves are opposite, oval, the lower leaves have a
stem, the upper ones do not. The surface is rough, ash green
and strongly aromatic. The flowers, blue or violet, are grouped
together forming a terminal spike. The fruit contains a single
seed.

Use in kitchen
Sage has a rather spicy and aromatic taste, with a subtle
taste of camphor. It is used in several ways: in Italy to give
flavor to meat dishes (particularly veal and calf liver) and also to
fry together with butter to season foods; The Germans use it to
flavor eels and, in Mediterranean countries, they put it in
anticuchos alternately with pieces of meat and vegetables. Used in
cheese or sausage paste, chopped sage along with onion is also used in
the preparation of fillings for pork and chicken.
 Mint

There are numerous varieties of mint. The best known and most
commonly used are peppermint, Roman mint, savory and mentastro.

Description
It is an aromatic plant of the Laminaceae
family. It has a branched underground trunk
from which appendages emerge from which
roots and branches develop. The trunks are
50-60 cm high, erect, branched and purple or
green in color. The leaves are opposite, oval
and serrated. The flowers are grouped in
spikes that can be white or purplish-red. It
grows on the plain, but can also be found up
to 700 m high, cultivated protected from the
wind and with medium sun exposure.

Collection and conservation

The leaves are collected in June, before
flowering, while the flowering tips in July-August (Italy summer). Yes, it
is recommended to collect it in the morning or afternoon, never on a
rainy day. Both the leaves and the flowering tips are dried by placing
them in the shade, on the reeds. The product is left to mature for about
a month and kept protected from light and heat to limit the loss of
essential oil through evaporation. Conservation should never exceed one
year.

Use in kitchen
The use of mint is very widespread in India, the Middle East and North
Africa; It is also common in Spain and Italy while in France it is
considered a somewhat harsh aroma. It is optimal for preparing lamb,
mint accompanies very well all meats with strong flavors such as duck
and mutton. Its aroma is clearly summery, combining well with summer
vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, new potatoes, eggplants and Italian
zucchini. It is also very good using it in fruit-based preparations with
raspberries, strawberries and other berries. Well dried, excellent herbal
teas and tea are prepared.
 Rosemary: (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Ros marinus means sea spray, perhaps because marine coastlines

constitute the best habitat for these plants; officinalis , because it has
always been an herb used in ancient pharmacies.

It is an evergreen, highly branched shrub belonging to

the Labiadas family. The trunk is woody; The leaves are
small, subtle and opposite, lance-shaped, with the lower
part green-gray and the upper part almost silver. The
flowers are collected in terminal spikelets, closed in blue or
whitish crowns. The fruit is a small capsule.

A little history
The Romans made rosemary the symbol of love and
death, Orazio, in fact, said: "If you want to earn the
esteem of the dead, wear them crowns of rosemary and
myrtle." There is no information that says that they used it
to season foods. It was used to flavor wine, which was
called "rosemary wine" and as has happened with many
herbs, rosemary has entered the kitchen through medicine.
In the 19th century we found it and it seems to be widely
used as a scent.

Use in kitchen
It is widely used in the kitchen to flavor various dishes and meals:
roasts, stews, potato-based dishes, rustic pastries. It is used in liver
pâté, with lamb, beef, rabbit, duck and goose. It is optimal ground and
sprinkled on bread and focacce. It is common in Italian cuisine, but rarely
responded to beyond its confines.

Collection and Conservation

Rosemary blooms from March to October (at the end of winter until
the end of summer and beginning of autumn, Italy), it is widely diffused,
it grows spontaneously on the coasts of the Mediterranean, preferring
sunny places and sandy soils. The leaves are used, collected in the
middle of summer and dried quickly in the shade. They are preserved in
glass jars.
 Tarragon: ( Artemisia dracunculus)

It is believed that this plant was called Artemis in honor of Diana

artemide, from which it derives the property of restoring menstrual flow;
dracunculus means "little dragon", perhaps because the shape of the
bush could remind us of this mythical animal. It is
considered by all to be an aromatic herb of French
cuisine. Tarragon has only begun to be used in
other countries some time ago.

Description
It is a herbaceous, perennial plant, belonging to
the Compositae family. The roots are woody and
branched, as is the trunk, which forms clumps
more than 1m high. The leaves near the base are
divided into three parts and are elongated, while
the upper ones have no stem, with entire margins
and pointed tips. The inflorescence is a highly
branched pinecone with small yellowish-green
flowers. The fruit is dark brown in color. Tarragon
does not grow spontaneously, it prefers the plain
and altitudes no higher than 800 m, adapting well
to the continental climate.

Collection and conservation

The leaves are collected from March to the end of summer (Italy). The
branches of the inflorescence are cut, trying not to touch the woody part.
Tarragon can be dried in shady, dry and well-ventilated environments
and preserved in glass or porcelain containers.

Use in kitchen
It is used to flavor egg-based dishes. It combines well with chicken
and also with meat and cooked fish. It is an essential ingredient in the
preparation of béarnaise sauce, tartar sauce and the famous tarragon
sauce.
 Dill: ( Anethum graveolens)

Anethum graveolens : anethum from the Greek anethon which means,

possibly, that this plant was native to Neto, in
Sicily, today called Noto; graveolens means smelly,
to distinguish it from other anethum, with a spicy
perfume.

It is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the

Umbelliferae family. The root is long and subtle, the
stem is erect, branched at the tip and can exceed
one meter in height. The alternate leaves, blue in
color tending towards green, are very narrow. The
flowers, arranged in umbels, are yellow. The fruits,
double capsules, are covered by slightly prominent
dorsal coasts. Dill adapts well to all environments,
but is particularly sensitive to strong winds, frost and
persistent rain.

Use in kitchen
Both the leaves and the fruits are used as a condiment. It is used to
flavor soups, sauces and is especially suitable for fish. It combines very
well with yogurt, sour cream and eggs.

Collection and conservation

The fruits and tips are used from dill. The fruits are collected at the
end of summer, before ripening; The tips are collected, however, in
August (summer in Italy) when the fruits are not yet ripe. To dry the
fruits and tips, they are placed on a cloth in an airy place. The fruits are
passed through the sifter and the tips are cut into pieces. Both are kept
in glass glasses.
Cress: ( Nasturtium officinalis)

Nasturtium means "that makes the nose twist" because of the

penetrating smell, officinalis because it was used in ancient pharmacies.
It is common in the East and Europe and in America it has been known
since ancient times, growing spontaneously near almost all water
courses.

Description
It is a herbaceous, perennial plant,
belonging to the Crucifera family. The trunk
is hairless. The leaves are composed of 5-7
oval or round leaves, the last one being the
largest. The flowers are small, white, with
four petals. The fruit is dry, with many
reddish-yellow seeds that germinate in a few
days. It grows spontaneously throughout
Italy, along watercourses or also in stagnant
waters or with little current.

Collection and conservation

The flowers and leaves are used. Both
are collected when the plant is in full bloom. Watercress should be used
fresh, since it loses many of its properties with drying.

Use in kitchen
The characteristic aroma, slightly spicy and pleasant, makes it
essential in salads and in all raw preparations such as appetizers. Widely
used as a garnish for food, in the preparation of sauces or as a flavor for
fish. A good soup is also prepared with watercress.
 Laurel

The laurel is native to the Mediterranean and is a small evergreen tree

– however, it can reach 20 m in height – that is often used as a
decorative plant to enclose gardens and grounds. The
term Laurus includes numerous species, but the best
known and most appreciated is nobilis .

Description

It is an evergreen plant, belonging to the Laureaceae

family. The trunk is erect, the bark green. The oval
leaves are dark green, leathery, lucid on the upper part
and opaque on the lower part. It has an inflorescence of
small, yellow-green flowers, gathered in umbels. Laurel
is a rustic plant, it grows without problems in all terrains
and can be grown in any type of garden.

Use in kitchen
Bay leaf is used throughout the world to flavor stews,
broths, pickles and soups. Widely used in meat and fish
dishes, as well as to flavor cold cuts and also drinks and sweets: it is
excellent in, for example, rice puddings .
 LICORICE

The word licorice comes from the Greek, from the

words "rhisa", which means root and "glyks or
glukus", which means sweet. Licorice is one of
the oldest condiments. It is the root of a small
perennial plant that is grown in southern Europe
and the Middle East. It has an aniseed and
bittersweet flavor. It is widely used in
confectionery, desserts, cakes and in drinks, such
as Irish beer (Irish Guinness) and an Italian
liquor called Sambuco.

TAMARIND

Fruit pods and pulp of an African tree, now cultivated

throughout India. The pods contain a very sour juice used
as a condiment in some Indian curries. Its flavor is sour
with moderate acidity and a soft aroma. It is used in
some commercial products such as Worcestershire sauce.

SUMAC

The Romans used it as an acidulant in the same

way we use lemon or vinegar. It is grown in
southern Italy, Silicia and throughout the Middle
East. Not very aromatic, it has a quite pleasant
sweet and sour flavor. The Lebanese and Syrians
use it with fish, the Iraqis and Turks in salads and
the Iranians and Georgians in Moorish skewers.
Several members of the sumac family, native to
North America, are poisonous.

*This herb is present in the shield of my

town (Cebrecos) and for some years it called
the town's cultural association
 OREGANO

Oregano, common name of a genus of perennial

herbs of the labiate family. The species of this
genus are native to Eurasia and are cultivated in
Europe and America for the young, very aromatic
leaves, which are used, fresh or dried, as a
condiment.

The flowers, between purplish red and pink, are

grouped in spikes; They have a pentadentate
calyx (external floral envelope) and bilabiate
corolla (internal floral envelope); two or four
stamens (male flower parts) and a single pistil
(female flower part). The fruit is an achene (dry
and with a single seed). Oregano is lively, it is used in cooking as a
condiment and in medicine for its digestive tonic, stimulant and
expectorant properties. Marjoram is an annual, but behaves as a
perennial if there is no frost. It is somewhat bitter and very
aromatic. It is used as an antispasmodic, tonic, carminative,
sedative and sudorific.

THE ECHALOTTES

Shallots have a combination of flavors, a mixture of onions

and garlic. It is the essential ingredient in French cuisine.

Whole shallots are treated like vegetables, although

they are more frequently chopped to be used raw in
vinaigrettes and marinades, or cooked in various dishes
and sauces.

Unlike onions, shallots should never be allowed to

brown as they become bitter.
 CHERVIL

Chives are primarily garden plants. They are close

relatives of celery.

The usable part of chives are their tubular leaves,

although the purplish flowers can be used as edible
decoration for salads.

Chives can be grown indoors for year-round use.

With a more delicate flavor than the rest of the alliums,
chives can be used raw or simply added to a dish at the
end of cooking.

To avoid burning when cutting, do it with scissors

or cut them with a knife, instead of chopping them. If blanched, they can be
used to tie small bouquets of vegetables.

Cut chives can be used to decorate cream soups and can be incorporated
into salads, omelettes, cream cheese, fish dishes and potato-based dishes.

Chinese chives are used like common chives. Its leaves are flat and have
a mild garlic flavor. In Chinese cuisine, the flowers are fried and the leaves are
blanched.
SPICES:
Pepper ( Pepe Piper nigrum)

Pepper travels along the spice route that started from

Asia, for many centuries a trade controlled by the
Islamic Arabs. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire,
Venice was the only agent for the distribution of
pepper and other spices in Europe and the point where
the gold that was sent to the East as payment was
collected. Today India is in first place in the world in
pepper production followed by Indonesia, Malaysia,
Madagascar and Brazil.

Description, Collection and Conservation

Belonging to the Piperaceae family, the pepper plant is
a tropical and climbing plant that grows and is
cultivated reaching a height of 4 m. It has dark green leaves and clusters of
berries that are green if they are unripe and red if they are ripe.
The berries, once they have been collected, must be dried; these vary
according to size and quality. They must be the same size and color, they must
be hard and free of dust. Peppercorns are preserved for very long periods in
containers with airtight lids.

Pepper varieties
Black pepper -The berries are immature and are dried for 7-10 days in the sun
until they turn black. They can be found whole or in powder.
White pepper -The reddish, almost ripe berries are placed in water until they
lose their outer membrane, before being dried; They are smaller than the black
one and have a less strong flavor. They are found whole or in powder.
Green pepper -The green, unripe berries are preserved in brine or vinegar,
they are easily reduced into a paste, they have a fresh flavor, not very spicy,
but aromatic.
Pink pepper - These are the almost ripe berries of a South American tree,
which are put in brine or dried. They have an aromatic and resinous flavor. If
consumed in large quantities they can be toxic.
Long pepper - They are small black fruits of a conical shape, about 1.5 cm
long; They have an intense taste, but quite sweet. Its use is rare in the West,
however, it is common in India and the Far East.
Pepper mignonette -It is a mixture of white and black berries, coarsely ground.
It is common in France as a table condiment.
Use in kitchen
It is used throughout the world as a table condiment and to flavor all types of
savory dishes; Whole grains are used in broths, brine mixes, and some salamis
and sausages. White pepper replaces black pepper in white sauces, but only
for aesthetic reasons; Ground green peppercorns, on the other hand, are
added to butter, cream sauces for fish, duck, chicken and meat fillets (beef,
beef).
It is advisable to buy peppercorns and grind them at the time of use: ground
pepper quickly loses its aroma and flavor.

Green pepper : the berries that are not allowed to ripen and are put in brine.
Red pepper : These are the ripe berries of the piper nigrum.

PINK PEPPER

The soft, almost ripe pink berries of a South American tree

are known as pink peppercorns, although it is not really a
pepper, but they have a similar aroma, flavor and size to
that of this spice.
The culinary value is mainly visual, since mixed with real
peppers (black, white or green) they make its presentation
attractive. It can be toxic in large quantities, so it is best to
use it sparingly, limiting yourself to a maximum of 12-15
grains per plate. Its most widespread use is in fish dishes.

Saffron
The use of saffron has spread, above all, in the
presence of an aristocratic society, able to withstand
the heavy work of cultivation. The Romans used it to
cover roads creating a golden carpet for Princes or
Emperors.

Description and Collection

Crocus sativum is part of the Iridaceae family; The
plant, which grows up to 15 cm, produces a violet
flower that blooms for a short period of two weeks in
autumn. Each flower has only three yellow stamens
that must be cultivated by hand at dawn, before the
sun is very high. The flowers are discarded, while
the stamens are dried. In this process, 80% of the
weight is lost, but the flavor is noticeably intensified. The result is that
200,000-400,000 stamens are necessary to obtain 1 kg of saffron.

Conservation
Saffron can be found in powder, in small sachets or also in whole stamens. It
is advisable to buy the filiform stamens and put them in a bath, a little in warm
water, to develop the color and aroma before adding them to foods, in the final
phase of cooking. It is stored in containers with tight lids away from light.

Use in kitchen
Used in Mediterranean regions to flavor any type of food, based on rice and
fish, such as bouillabaisse, paella, Milanese risotto. In the Middle Eastern
regions it is also used in rice puddings and sweets, in the pilau of Mongolian
cuisine; In Great Britain it is used to prepare traditional saffron cakes and
bagels
 Juniper

Juniper berry is a fragrant spice native to Nordic

climates. It can be used both fresh and dried. It is used
to make gin. It is used to flavor deer meat and some
vegetables.

The flavor of fresh berries is milder than dried

ones and they are usually used whole. These berries are
said to be used to stimulate appetite; but juniper ,
especially fresh, is a diuretic and should therefore be
used with care.

Caraway

It is an ingredient widely used in Germany and Austria

for the preparation of cakes and breads, where the seeds
provide a contrasting texture as well as a particular
flavor. It is also used in dishes with meat and
vegetables; especially in the preparation of sauerkraut.
The seeds need a long cooking time to soften and
release their flavor.

Poppy

The only variety of poppy that is used as a spice is the one from which opium
is extracted. You must know that the seed DOES NOT CONTAIN OPium ,
since it is extracted from the pod. The most common seed is the grayish one,
although you can also find yellowish seeds from India where it is used to soften
the flavor of curry. In Europe they are used to sweeten cakes and pastries.

Jaimacan pepper
The flavor of the allspice berry (the only spice other
than chillies to come from America), was considered by
Columbus to be a mixture of cloves, cinnamon and
nutmeg (hence its name).

The berry is picked green, aged and then dried to

its reddish brown color; It is sold whole or ground.
Most come from Jamaica, hence their nickname. This
berry is beginning to adapt to European cuisine, being
used in meat mixtures or stews, as well as as a
preservative and in pastries. It is frequently used with
cinnamon and cloves.

Sesame

Sesame is valued for its oil. It is the spice that has a nutty
flavor. Whole sesame seeds are used to sprinkle on breads
and cookies where they brown when cooked. Black sesame
seeds are sometimes used, but their flavor is inferior.

Cinnamon

It is the only bark used in cooking.

The sweet, nutty flavor of cinnamon is

distinguished when ground and mixed with other
spices. Ground is used to bake pastries. Whole it is
used in infusions that will later be used to sweeten
sauces and spicy drinks.

It also appears in the preparation of pickles and

chutneys. The crusts are removed before serving the
dish.

cardamom
It is used in Scandinavian cuisine to add flavor to pastries.

It is also added to pickles and the Turks use it to flavor their well-known
coffee.

Ginger

It is perhaps one of the most versatile spices

since its rhizome-type root can be used fresh,
dried, ground, in pickles or caramelized. This
allows its use in both savory and sweet dishes,
drinks, etc.

Mustard

Used around the world, prepared mustard comes

from three varieties of trees. Black mustard is the
best and was used before World War II as a base for
preparing all mustards, whether ground or prepared.
It is the spiciest of all. It was no longer used due to
its collection method, by hand, and was replaced by
another variety, the brown variety. The remaining
variety, the yellow or white. It has a much lower
degree than the previous ones and is the one used in
almost all the preparations made in America.

It must be taken into account that if the seeds

are cooked, they should not be boiled as they
become bitter.

sweet paprika
This condiment is based on a sweet species of copsicum that is native to
Europe. It is recognized in the dishes since it gives them a characteristic
coloration.

It should be used in moderation since on the one hand it burns easily;

while on the other it becomes bitter.

CAPERS

Belonging to the Caparidaceae family, capers are the

closed cocoons of a shrub native to the Mediterranean
region. They have to be picked by hand, which makes it
a laborious job and makes the product more expensive.
The capers are washed and dried in the sun, then
placed in jars with vinegar, brine, olive oil or salt. Its
flavor is salty and sour.
They are involved in the preparation of many sauces,
such as tartar, rémoulade, ravigote, tomato, etc. It is
also used with salmon, lamb and cold beef.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is an annual herbaceous plant that does

not reach more than 50 cm. Tall. It has whitish
flowers and a pod-shaped fruit that contains
between 10 and 20 seeds. The entire plant gives off
a characteristic odor.
It is raised in farmland and uncultivated places
throughout the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. It
is a forage plant, very little cultivated in Europe
currently. It is apparently native to southwest Asia -
where it is still planted in large areas, as well as in
much of North Africa.

Asafoetida
It is an umbellifera that is cultivated in Iran and Afghanistan. First only a
rosette of large leaves is formed, which in the 5th year of development
produces a stem 3 m high and 10 cm. thick, with pinnate leaves and double
umbel inflorescences.
The resin from the roots is used as a spice and one of its properties is against
constipation.

MACE

They are the rings that cover the nutmeg, an

intense red color when fresh, turning orange when
dried. It can be used whole or in powder form.
In sauces such as béchamel, with minced meat, in
chutneys, soups and sauces for fish and seafood
dishes, puddings, cheese and lemon cakes.