Herbs, Spices, & Seasonings

I LOVE, LOVE using herbs & spices. I have a shelf full of herbs & spices, and 2 more spice racks. I love using them to add interest to most dishes! I love using cumin & coriander. Also love rosemary, sage & thyme (especially on roasted potatoes and roasted chicken). I also enjoy using a nice Herbes de Provence. I use Kosher salt and coarse cracked pepper in cooking...it makes a difference. Below I have put a basic Herb & Spice chart for those of you who are not sure how to use these different things in cooking.

Fresh Herbs - Flavor and Uses		Spices - Form, Flavor and Uses
Basil	Sweet, sunny flavor, versatile. Use with green beans, peas potatoes, chicken dishes, tomato sauces, salads. Only add at end of cooking time or on prepared dish	Allspice	Berries, ground. Similar to cloves and cinnamon combo, more complex.  Cakes, cookies, relishes, tomato sauce, stew, chicken, lamb.
Bay Leaves	Pungent, mint like; dried leaves more widely available. Used in sauces, stews, gumbos; many varieties	Celery	Seeds, ground. Stronger then celery flavor.  Salad dressings, potatoes, veggies, soups, beans, pork
Chives	Delicate onion flavor, never overpowering. Use at end of cooking or as final flavor garnish. Chop finely; snip with scissors. Great with eggs, salads, potatoes dishes, poultry, sauces	Chile Peppers	Ground, dried whole, pepper flakes.Made by grinding hot chilies. Countless types from many countries.  Mild to blistering hot.  Soups, stews, beans, sauces, poultry, greens; add to most foods for that extra kick
Cilantro	Fresh, aromatic, distinctive. Predominate in Mexican and Chinese cookery; salsas, chutneys, chicken, pork, salads, tacos	Chile Powder	Ground mixture commonly of chile peppers, paprika, cumin, black pepper. Spicy, hot or mild. Chili, beans, Mexican dishes. Buy high-quality
Dill	Pungent, tangy; dominate, use alone or with parsley.  Seeds also have strong flavor.. Salmon, peas, eggplant, cabbage, cucumber yogurt sauces, salads, pickling; predominate in Mediterranean cooking	Cinnamon	Sticks/bark, ground. Pungent, sweet, hot. Fruit desserts, cakes cookies. Also try on pork, lamb, meat pies, curries
Marjoram	Oregano like but sweeter. Fish stews, stuffing's, carrots, greens, beans, egg dishes	Cloves	Whole or ground. Aromatic, sweet. Fruits, desserts, meats, curry, soups, beans, pork
Mint	Strong; sweet. Teas, desserts, lamb, fish, salads	Cumin	Seeds, ground. Bold, distinctive; can overpower.  Chili, tacos, stews, cabbage, beans. Toast ground or seeds
Oregano	Earthy. Lamb, chicken, pork, seafood, eggplant, tomato sauces; excellent with lemon: Retains good flavor when dried	Curry	Ground. Mixture of numerous spices including cloves and cumin . Buy high-quality.  Base spice for curries; use also in tomato sauces, stews
Parsley	Clean bright flavor. Good with almost any savory food; all seafood, beef, chicken, potatoes, sauces, soups, salads. Fresh is better then dried	Fennel	Seeds, ground.  Licorice-like, stronger then fresh fennel.  Bread, fish, Italian dishes, sausage, tomato sauces. Toast ground or seeds to enhance flavor
Rosemary	Fresh, piney, pungent; easily overpowers.  Chop finely and use lightly. A must with poultry, potatoes, white beans, lamb, breads, fruit salads	Ginger	Fresh root, ground, candied. Pungent, spicy.  Grate, mince to use in chicken, squash, sesame noodles, applesauce, chutneys, marinade. Ground and fresh have much different flavors. Predominate in Asian cooking.
Sage	Almost mint-like, slightly bitter; can overpower other herbs. Use whole stems in soups, stews, remove when done. Chop whole leaves in very thin strips.  Pork, veal, sausages, poultry, stuffing, sauces. Dried herb has much different flavor	Mustard	Seeds, ground. Often hot, pungent. Several varieties available.  Vegetables, stews, relishes, seafood, salad dressings.  Seeds can be toasted to enhance flavor.
Savory	Reminiscent of thyme. Veal, pork, eggplant tomatoes, stuffing	Nutmeg	Whole, ground. Sweet, spicy, fragrant. Cakes, fruit, desserts, beans, sauces, cabbage, spinach.
Tarragon	Licorice, lemon flavor; strong. Use alone or with parsley; veal, chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, tomato dishes, vinaigrettes	Paprika	Ground. Made from red peppers. Can be mild or hot and pungent.  Not just for garnish.  Buy high-quality with fresh peppery aroma.  Seafood, vegetables, eggs; almost anything
Thyme	Earthy, subtle, versatile; use whole sprigs in soups, stews. Pluck leaves and add at all stages of cooking. Excellent in most dishes especially seafood, poultry, pork, veal, tomato, vegetables, breads. Retains good flavor when dried	Pepper	Whole berries, ground.  Most common of all spices. Hot peppers, sweet peppers and peppercorns are from same plant.  Peppercorns are black, white and green--depends on level of maturity.  Pink peppercorns are a distant relative.  Use on everything including sweets and fruits.  Buy a pepper mill and whole peppercorns. You'll be glad you did.