Spices

Would you like to add a power packed nutritional punch to your cooking? Using herbs and spices is not only very tasty, but it is also a very smart thing to do. Discover why you should include the...

Salt crystals provide many modern day uses and health benefits, from food flavoring to food preservation, and even cleansing the air and the airways. Salt crystals, used for these purposes are...

Wanting to enhance the flavor of your grilled foods with wood chips, but deciding which wood chips to buy for your grill can be overwhelming. Some of the good ones are alder, hickory and...

While sage may not be a difficult herb to find in the grocery store, not having it in the kitchen once a meal is underway can be a setback. Several substitutes can provide a similar seasoning to...

This taco seasoning is great for any Mexican recipe. I love to use it in my Taco Soup Recipe..

Household sugar is often made from sugar cane, but this is not the only source of sugar. When making sugar at home, it is more sensible to extract it from sugar beets, since these are easier to...

Summer savory spice, made from the leaves of the summer savory herb, is commonly used in recipes that call for thyme and sage. Add a new seasoning to your kitchen arsenal by exploring the unique,...

Salt grinders and mills are used for several types of salt, from coarse sea salt to kosher salt. The grinder and mill, while producing much the same result, are slightly different.

Often, mint is used as a garnish, but it is equally enjoyable when eaten and many varieties are valued for their oils. Each type of mint has its own distinctive flavoring and the plants are...

You can design and assemble your favorite herbs and spices into your own unique blend. Give every dish your signature "Bam", pep it up a bit!

Imitation vanilla extract is made with synthetic vanilla, which is created from the glycoside in the sapwood of conifers or from coal extracts. While it is similar in taste and aroma to pure...

Herbs and spices have been used since antiquity and are found all over the world. Herbs and spices are similar yet have some differences. Both are generally used dried, although a few are also...

Many baking recipes call for the flavorful punch of fruit extracts. Instead of using whole fruit or fruit juice, which can disturb the wet-to-dry ratio of a recipe, fruit extracts provide the same...

Because of the extensive work required to create just 1 lb. of saffron---collecting over 75,000 blossoms of the saffron crocus---this spice has distinguished itself as the most expensive spice in...

Cooks, casual and gourmet alike, often wonder about the shelf life of their herbs and spices. Spices and herbs do not expire, but they do diminish in strength over time. Their shelf life is...

Summer savory, also called Satureja hortensis, has been widely used as a medicinal herb and adds a distinct flavor to meals. It's good for when you're trying to cook healthy recipes and would like...

Pepper grinders need regular maintenance to keep them working at their best. Explore possible problems with your grinder by taking it apart and investigating what part or parts need to be replaced...

Wouldn’t it be nice to have one remedy to cure more than one ailment. Cinnamon can do just that! Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka and has been a popular spice used in everything from beverages,...

Garden herbs can produce rapidly as the growing season brings the plants to maturity. Use your abundant harvest to make a customized gourmet garden herb seasoning mix. The mix can enhance the...

A homemade salt rub will add balanced flavor to your meats and vegetables. Combine some ingredients you may already have in your spice rack to create a new powerful weapon in your seasoning...

Summer savory is an annual herb that can be used fresh or dried year-round. Similar to thyme and oregano, summer savory tastes lightly peppery. It is often used as an ingredient in the bouquet...

The distinctive flavor and unique healing properties of ginger give it a wide array of uses. Ginger's culinary and medical uses make it a handy addition to your spice rack or pantry.

Panko bread crumbs are a Japanese food made from rice or wheat bread without crusts. Panko are often used as a breading for fried foods to give them more crunch than regular bread crumbs. You can...

Allium sativum L., or what is commonly known as garlic, is one of the most widely used vegetables in the United States. Garlic's closest relative is the onion. In its dry or powdered form, garlic...

The ginger plant is distinctive in both appearance and taste. This plant has been in use for centuries, and its flavorful root makes a great addition to any kitchen pantry.

Sesame, Sesamum indicum, has been cultivated for thousands of years in Asia and the Middle East. In the United States, growing sesame is limited to Texas and the Southwest, where temperatures are...

Cream of tartar is a crystalline acid that forms inside of wine barrels, then ground to form the powdery substance used in cooking.

Do you know the brilliance of Basil? Have you seen how pretty it is growing on a windowsill? Tasty Basil has many health benefits. From soups to pesto, adding Basil to a dish just makes a lot of...

For thousands of years people have used herbs for medicinal purposes and to enhance the flavor of foods. I have written a brief description of a few herbs and how to use them and how to cut or...

Though the term "red pepper" is often applied to the spicy dried cayenne, the two are in fact very different yet related members of the chili family, each with its own distinct characteristics.

Salt is the only rock we eat. It seasons our food and is essential to our health. Knowing the properties of the different varieties of food salt helps us to know what and when to use a...

Air drying Chinese peppers is the best way to maintain their color. Peppers that are prepared in a dehydrator or dried in a slow oven tend to brown slightly. Air drying allows the seeds to dry out...

Chipotle seasoning adds a zesty, smoky taste to any dish. The main flavor from this spice mixture comes from the smoked, dried jalapeno peppers, known as chipotle. Don't worry about the mixture...

First, they made your eyes water. Now, as if to add insult to injury, your hands stink! Every time you try to scratch your nose... you smell onion. Don't worry, though, there's hope. In fact,...

You can make your own extracts at home! Here's how...

Hickory-flavored sea salt is not just for barbecuing; it can be used for several of your in-house cooking needs as well, adding that just-right flavor to your pork chops or ham. Unfortunately,...

Welcome the crisp days of autumn with a hot, hearty soup of lentils made aromatic and flavorful with herbs. The American Institute for Cancer Research says lentils are one of the healthiest foods...

Turmeric is a bright yellow-orange spice with a long history in China and India. Well-known as an ingredient in curry, turmeric is rich in manganese, iron and vitamin B6, and boasts potential as...

Curry powder refers to a large category of spice mixes often used to make stew-like dishes known as curries. Red curry powder hails from Thailand where cooks mix the spicy concoction with water to...

Cinnamon bark comes from small evergreen trees native to Sri Lanka and southern India. Scientific research and traditional medicine have validated its benefits, which date back nearly five...

Spice Island sells spices, including sea salt, pepper and whole peppercorns, chipotle chiles, cinnamon, rosemary garlic and mesquite seasoning in bottles with a top that includes an adjustable...

Salt seems to be such an important essential ingredient in our daily meals. There are no calories or fat so why is it that we need to curb our salt intake. We have learned that salt can lead to...

Saffron lends its exotic taste and aroma to any meal. That's why it has been such a popular cooking spice for so long. However, there's more to this spice than meets the eye. It's also full of...

Because sugar cane syrup is made from raw sugar cane, it is sweeter than processed white sugar. It adds a pure, sweet taste to anything. Sugar cane is produced in the southern United States in...

Cooking with healthy spices is a wonderful way to turn ordinary dishes into something more flavorful and interesting. These spices can be added to everything from beverages to appetizers, entrees...

Pickling spice blends are easy to make at home in just a few minutes. Make batches of the mix in advance for anytime pickling of meats and vegetables. Added to a sweet or salty brine, pickling...

With 33 percent salt, the Dead Sea ranks as 10 times saltier than the nearby Mediterranean Sea. Currently 400 meters at its lowest point, the it is technically an inland lake, and the lowest point...

Cooks use poultry seasoning, a blend of dried herbs and spices, to flavor chicken or turkey. Poultry seasoning can also be applied to stuffing. You can buy blends in grocery stores or make them at...

The strong, fragrant and sweet qualities of anise make it a perfect addition to many recipes. Often they call for the actual seeds, but it is also possible to use anise oil or extract to impart...

Over time, spices become hard in spice jars. When you need a specific spice for a recipe and you realize that the remaining spice in the jar is hardened in the bottom of the jar, do not despair....