Creating a Nice Rack - of Spices, 01-27-2005

(as published on www.outinamerica.com)

Creating a Nice Rack – of Spices
By: Rodney Smiley
January 27, 2005

Cooking with spices and herbs is like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae: it makes the dish complete. However daunting herbs may seem at first, once you familiarize yourself with the basic kitchen herbs and their uses, you’ll find you hardly prepare a dish without them.

While using recipes that include a spice or herbs is a good way to get started, the excitement comes when the unique flavor of each herb is understood and can be used to create your own special dish. The more you cook with herbs, the more you’ll want to build up a supply to keep on hand. We call this the spice rack.

Sure, you can run to the nearest Williams-Sonoma and pick up a fine selection of herbs, presented in a lovely stainless steel rack that’s been hand hammered by Tuscan masons. But what’s the fun in that? Why let someone else decide what spices you keep on hand?

Keeping in mind that this is not alchemy, and that you can mix and match until you find the right combination for you, I suggest buying a selection of small metal tins and a Sharpie. When arranged in a cabinet or stacked on your counter, it’s as pleasing as anything you’d find at a specialty store. Use the Sharpie to label the tops of your tins. For those of us with a certain flair, Sharpie even makes glitter pens and colors.

When creating your first ever spice rack, there are a few staple spices and herbs to choose, sort of like a starter kit. These are the most widely used and easy to find herbs that you’ll be able to pick up at your neighborhood market.

Below is a list of my own personal favorites – herbs I use year round to cook with. I’ve included some suggested uses for them as well.

Anise: seeds are good for baking – coffee cakes, sweet rolls, cookies
Basil: salads, mild sauces, bread oils
Caraway: used with pork, rye breads
Coriander: perfect for poultry, pork, typically used in making sausages
Cumin: alternative flavors for cheese trays (sprinkle on bland cheese)
Dill: Pickling, salads, soups, fish
Fennel: Used in garnishing fish, flavoring soups
Mint: sauces, adds distinctive flavor to salads
Rosemary: practically everything Italian. Grind finely in a spice grinder and mix with lemonade
Saffron: used basically for coloring – rice, creams, etc
Sage: perfect for poultry, veal, pork and cheeses
Tarragon: salads, poultry, fish
Thyme: stuffings, poultry, pork

As I mentioned before, cooking with herbs is not a science. There are very few constants when it comes to using them. Try and create your own flavorful combinations – your food, and your friends, will thank you for it!