Matching Herbs & Spices to Foods

Foods	Spices {Some, not all that complement specific dishes}
Poultry	Basil, BBQ, Berber'e, Celery, Chili's, Coriander, Curry, Dill, Garlic, Ginger, Lavender, Lemon, Mint, Onion, Paprika, Pesto, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Tarragon, Thyme
Beef	Allspice, Bay, BBQ, Celery Seed/Salt, Cinnamon, Cloves, Chili's, Coffee, Horseradish, Garlic, Marjoram, Onion,  Orange, Oregano, Paprika, Sage, Thyme
Pork	Annatto, Cinnamon, Cumin, Fennel, Ginger, Hickory, Mint, Mustard, Orange, Paprika, Rose, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme
Lamb	Allspice, Annatto, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Cumin, Curry, Garam Masala, Garlic, Ginger, Mint, Mustard, Onion, Satay Seasoning, Shallots
Fish/Seasfood	Coriander, Curry, Dill Weed, Lemon, Mint, Onion, Paprika, Saffron, Savory, Sesame Seed, Tarragon
Venison/Game	Allspice, BBQ, Cinnamon, Coffee, Coriander, Garlic, Juniper, Onion, Orange, Rosemary, Shallots
Vegetables	Basil, Cilantro, Chervil, Coriander, Curry, Dill, Garlic, Lemon Grass, Mint, Parsley, Pesto, Saffron, Savory, Sofrito
Legumes	Chili's, Cilantro, Coriander, Epazote, Fenugreek, Mustard, Nigella, Onion, Oregano, Rosemary, Savory, Sofrito
Pasta	Basil, Bay, Garlic, Marjoram, Onion, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Sofrito, Thyme
Soups	Basil, Bay, Celery Seed, Coriander, Garlic Chips, Irish Moss, Onion, Oregano, Rosemary, Saffron, Savory, Sorrel, Thyme
Eggs	Chervil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fines Herbs, Gremolata, Marjoram, Parsley, Paprika, Rosemary, Savory, Sorrel, Tarragon, Thyme
Cheese	Anise, Basil, Chili's, Curry, Fennel, Garlic, Lavender, Mint, Paprika, Sumac, Thyme, Zahtar
Breads	Anise, Caraway, Garlic, Nigella, Onion, Poppy Rosemary, Seed, Sesame
Desserts/Drinks	Anise, Calendula, Cardomom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Lemon Vebena, Licorice, Mace, Mint, Nutmeg, Pineapple Sage, Vanilla

 

Tips for storing & using herbs and spices from Canandaigua Spice Company

Storage Tips:

• Store in a cool, dark place. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor more quickly. Although the most convenient place for your spice rack may be above your stove, moving your spices to a different location may keep them fresh longer.
• As a general rule, herbs and ground spices will retain their best flavors for a year. Whole spices may last for 3 to 5 years. Proper storage should result in longer freshness times.
• When possible, grind whole spices in a grinder or mortar & pestle just prior to using. Toasting whole spices in a dry skillet over medium heat before grinding will bring out even more flavor. Be careful not to burn them!
• Because the refrigerator is a rather humid environment, storing herbs and spices there is not recommended. To keep larger quantities of spices fresh, store them in the freezer in tightly sealed containers.
• Whenever possible dry or purchase locally grown herbs & spices for the best flavor.

Usage Tips:

• Use a light hand when seasoning with herbs & spices. Your goal is to compliment your dish without crowding out the flavor of the food. Remember, it's usually impossible to "un-spice" a dish!
• For long-cooking dishes, add herbs and spices an hour or less before serving. Cooking spices for too long may result in overly strong flavors.
• Use restraint! In general, ¼ teaspoon of spice is enough for 4 servings.
• Finely crush dried herbs before adding to your dish after measuring.
• Do not use dried herbs in the same quantity as fresh. In most cases, use 1/3 to ¼ the amount in dried as is called for fresh.
• Keep it simple. Unless the recipe specifically calls for it, don't use more than 3 herbs and spices in any one dish. The exception to this rule is Indian cooking, which often calls for 10 or more different spices in one curry dish!
• Black pepper, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper are excellent "after cooking" seasonings. Allow guests to season dishes with these spices at the table.
• Although spice blends are readily available, many cookbooks have recipes for curry powder, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and others. Blend just enough for a few weeks and store your blends in a tightly sealed container.
• Onion, garlic and black pepper are almost universal seasonings. Adding these seasonings can enhance almost any dish.
• If you're feeling adventuresome, try replacing herbs and spices called for in recipes with something different! Marjoram instead of oregano, savory instead of thyme, cilantro instead of parsley, anise seed instead of fennel, etc.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice have a special affinity for sweet dishes.
• Experiment! None of these rules are hard and fast.

Gluten-Free Cooking Tips

Flours

Use gluten free flours to thicken soups, stews, cream sauces, and gravies. My favorite flour to use as a thickener is Amaranth Flour.

Starches

Use gluten free starches to thicken fruit sauces, pies, or custards. I prefer corn starch or tapioca starch [flour]. Use a 2/1 water/starch ratio, I shake these together in a covered mason jar until smooth.

Alternative Thickeners

Potatoes, white beans, starchy vegetable, sassafras [file], arrowroot.

Bean Flour Blends

I prefer these for cookies, yeast breads, dense cakes.

Rice Flour Blends

I prefer these for muffins, sweet breads, angel food cakes.

Specialty Flours

I love Coconut Flour for baking. It is rich and sweet and has a soft texture that adds to the end product.

Spices

Use them to add flavor, making foods taste better helps reduce the celiac's sense of loss.

Bread/Bread Crumbs

Gluten Free breads are being improved upon! Good selections of mixes or vacuum packed breads are available. Try ground rice as a substitute for bread crumbs.

Rubs

Replace risky marinades and condiments by using rubs to flavor meats. Always read the ingredients.

Soy Sauce Replacements

Cider vinegar, herbed [not malt] vinegars, rum, whiskey, wine

Baking Dishes

I use shiny metal pans for baking. Other baking types [glass, stone, Teflon] seem to over bake and brown too quickly/unevenly.

Seasoning food is an art, not a science. Experimenting with herbs and spices can be fun and educational, and while you may occasionally be eating a less than perfect dish, you may also end up creating that recipe that will become a classic in your household.

Happy cooking!

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