| The CRYPT Mag |
We will never know exactly when or where people started cooking with herbs, but researchers agree that the custom is widespread and ancient - probably as ancient as cooking itself. There have been various theories put forth as to why man started using aromatic plants to season his food: to disguise the foul odour and taste of less than fresh food, to aid digestion, to stimulate appetite and on down the line.
All these theories are quite academic and joyless. Ask any six- year-old why he likes "Fruity Mint Punch" and chunks of "Herb Tea Loaf" dipped in chocolate fondue and he will simply and joyfully say, "It tastes great and makes me feel good!" What would dill pickle be without the dill? Turkey and dressing without the sage? Spaghetti without the basil? We use herbs in our cooking because it makes it taste better. All that other stuff about aiding digestion is just a bonus.
Many novice cooks fret about how much herbs to add to a recipe, when to add, and what herbs go with what foods. There is only one rule to remember when cooking with herbs and that is THERE ARE NO RULES! The rewards and joys of using herbs to liven up your recipes is in the experimenting. Experiment by adding a small amount of an herb or combinations of herbs to a dish and then taste. Add more if the flavor doesn't suit you.
Add the herbs during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. Certainly this cannot be done for those recipes that require the herbs to be mixed in with the batter, dressing, etc.; but for stews, vegetables and other recipes the subtle flavour is diminished if the herbs are added at the beginning of the cooking process.
Cooks have so many options to use herbs that the only problem is deciding where to start. Use herbs to flavour:
Fresh herbs pack the most flavour. During the warm months, gardeners can grow their own herbs and then preserve their harvest by either freezing or drying. Most Supermarkets carry fresh cut herbs in the produce section partially year round. Windowbox gardens and fluorescent lights can extend the gardener's herb harvest into the winter months. You may not have every fresh herb that you want during the winter months, but you'll have enough for culinary inspiration. Dried herbs can be found at any grocery store.
NOTE: When substituting dried herbs in recipes that call for fresh herbs, DECREASE THE AMOUNT BY HALF. For example, if the recipe calls for a cup of fresh basil, substitute with one-half cup of dried basil.
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