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Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

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<strong>Food</strong> <strong>Service</strong> <strong>Manual</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Care</strong> <strong>Institutions</strong><br />

660<br />

Spices are divided into three categories:<br />

• Aromatic: anise, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, ginger, mace, nutmeg<br />

• Stimulants: mustard, pepper, turmeric<br />

• Sweet herbs: basil, marjoram, oregano, sage, savory, thyme<br />

Cooking with herbs and spices is an ancient and universal art. When used well, these are<br />

the ingredients that distinguish a master chef from a mundane cook.<br />

When cooking with herbs and spices, the eye and the nose are almost as important as the<br />

tongue when it comes to judging the relative age and quality of a dried herb or spice. The<br />

greener the herb (such as parsley) or the redder the spice (such as paprika), the more likely it<br />

has kept its best flavor traits.<br />

The freshness and quality of spices may be tested by briskly rubbing a small amount<br />

between the palms, then smelling. Experiment with cinnamon first and leave cayenne until later.<br />

Store dried herbs in covered glass jars or tightly closed containers. Keep the jars and containers<br />

away from heat or steam. Purchase in small quantities that can be used within a year.<br />

Spices and herbs depend on certain oils <strong>for</strong>med during growth <strong>for</strong> their flavor. Improper storage<br />

will damage these natural oils.<br />

Herbs<br />

Herbs are plants that do not have permanent woody tissue and dry down at the end of the<br />

growing season, although a plant may have a biennial or perennial life span. The whole plant<br />

or plant parts are used medicinally or <strong>for</strong> their flavor or aroma in food preparation. The following<br />

are tips <strong>for</strong> using herbs and spices:<br />

• Dried herbs are far more potent than fresh; 1 ⁄4 teaspoon of dried herb is about as strong<br />

as 1 teaspoon of fresh herb.<br />

• There are no set rules <strong>for</strong> using herbs and spices. To experiment, one could start with 1 ⁄4<br />

teaspoon dried herbs in a recipe to serve four.<br />

• Use a light hand. The goal should be just enough flavor to complement a dish, but not<br />

enough to crowd out the flavor of the food. To season with herbs and spices, the cook must<br />

taste frequently.<br />

• Blends should be so subtle that only the cook, or perhaps an expert, can tell what herbs<br />

have been used.<br />

• If fresh herbs are used, they should be chopped finely. The more finely they are chopped,<br />

the more the herb oils can escape. The flavor of the herb depends on the presence of these oils.<br />

• Blending or heating with butter, oleo, or salad oil is the best way to draw out and extend<br />

the flavor of herbs.<br />

• Dried herbs should be soaked in a teaspoon of water, lime juice, or both <strong>for</strong> 15 minutes<br />

be<strong>for</strong>e using.<br />

• For soups, sauces, or vegetable juice cocktails, sprigs of fresh herbs should be tied in<br />

bouquets or dried herbs put in a small cloth “bag” and added. They should be removed from<br />

soups or other hot dishes after 15 minutes and after 1 hour from chilled juices.<br />

• Leaving herbs in any dish too long will cause strong flavors to develop.<br />

• For casseroles or à la king dishes, finely chopped fresh or dried herbs should be added<br />

directly to the mixture, with the admonition that a little does a lot!<br />

Spices<br />

Spices are vegetable substances with a distinctive flavor and aroma, such as cloves and pepper,<br />

used in food preparation to add zest, piquancy, or interest to any food. Unlike herbs, which are<br />

frequently used fresh, spices are usually dried.

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