Mid week Wednesday is here to stay!  I hope everyone is doing well.  You know in the past I have asked people about what their favorite herbs and spices are as well as I had posted about sweet vs salty.

Both were fun and created a lot of buzz so I thought I would go out on a limb and find out “What is your favorite seasoning?”.

According to Wikipedia, seasoning can be defined as…

Seasoning is the process of imparting or improving flavor of food.[1] Seasonings include herbs, spices, and all other condiments, which are themselves frequently referred to as “seasonings”. However, Larousse Gastronomique states that “to season and to flavor are not the same thing“, insisting that seasoning includes a large or small amount of salt being added to a preparation.[2] Salt may be used to draw out water, or to magnify a natural flavor of a food making it richer or more delicate, depending on the dish. This type of procedure is akin to curing. For instance, kosher salt (a coarser-grained salt) is rubbed into chicken, lamb, and beef to tenderize the meat and improve flavor. Other seasonings like black pepper and basil transfer some of their flavor to the food. A well designed dish may combine seasonings that complement each other.

Now with that being said -the choice of herbs and seasoning and the timing of when flavors are added will affect the food that is being prepared.  The rule of thumb seems to be if you are using anything fresh whether it is herbs or spices - they should go at the end of the cooking process where dried would go at the beginning and develop a flavor throughout the cooking process.

In some cases, you often see the sauce/flavor added at the very end of the process.  A variety of seasoning techniques exist in various cultures.  For me it is hard to say what my favorite seasoning is… I bounce around a lot

Let’s not go the standard Salt or Pepper route – what do you love to use to add flavor and season to your favorite dishes!  I would love to hear if ketchup is someone’s favorite seasoning.

When I write the word ketchup – I almost can hear zesty-in-laws cringe at the thought.  Do you remember when I whipped up a quick leftover dinner with potatoes and eggs and of course I threw some ketchup on top… well let’s just say I got dragged over the coals for that one.

So really here it is….. Tell me your favorite seasoning or seasonings! I know it will be hard to pick just one but try your best.  I can’t wait to hear them all.

Around the Blogsphere

In my spare minutes earlier today check out some great recipes I have found that may peek your interest.

• Aggie’s Kitchen whipped a pretty stellar  Asian Couscous Salad.  This looks amazing.  great photography.
• Kath Eats pulls a great slow cooker recipe that I am dying to try.  I think I have all the ingredients.
• Jenny really goes and kicks it up a notch and features… Peanut Butter and Jam Lattice Pies. Can you believe that?

Alright so do not forget to leave your seasoning with me and have a great Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

We made it!  Friday is upon us and ummm.. lets just say it has been somewhat of a crazy week.  So crazy that I have something to confess to you.  This week has thrown some curve balls that I was not ready for.  As a result, the breakfast for 50 had to be outsourced to my favorite bakery.  I know I am somewhat disappointed but some things are out of my control.  The selection from the bakery was a combination of all homemade baked goods both sweet and savory.  I also used a lot of your suggestions when choosing the platters.

What I thought would be fun today is to go over the difference between a herb and a spice and some storage tips.  Let me know what you think.

What is a herb and what is a spice?

Anything with a leaf and a mild flavor that’s grown in a temperate climate is an herb. Everything else (including seeds, bark, berries and underground roots and shoots) that has a stronger flavor and grows in tropical climates is considered a spice.

HERBS

Storing Herbs
Store dried herbs in small glass jars with airtight seals or screw tops in a cool, dark cupboard away from the heat of the stove.

Store fresh herbs in the refrigerator. Don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them because they quickly go bad. If herbs are wet, shake off excess moisture, then wrap in paper towels or keep at room temperature until the leaves dry.

To dry fresh herbs for longer storage, several methods can be used:  (I never do this as I just buy them already dried or fresh but I have seen this done and seems to work effectively)

• Air – Remove all soil and roots, then wash and gently dry. Hang in bunches upside down in a paper bag with air holes in a well-ventilated area.

• Microwave – This is the best way to preserve an herb’s colour. Spread between layers of paper towel and heat on high (100%) for about 2 minutes, checking every 30 seconds and removing herbs as they dry. Leave on counter to cool and dry completely before storing.

• Oven – Spread herbs in a thin layer on baking sheet with sides. Bake at lowest heat in oven, without stirring, until leaves are dry and crispy. Do not over dry.

Freezing Fresh Herbs
For this I like to just wash and chop the herbs and place into plastic ice cube trays. Fill trays with water and freeze. Remove cubes and store in freezer bags for up to 6 months. Drop a cube, as needed, into your latest culinary concoction.

SPICES

Storing Spices
Keep freshly ground spices chilled rather than storing them at room temperature. To keep them fresh longer, grind and make them into a paste by adding just a bit of olive oil. Store in small sealed containers or freeze for up to 6 months.

Keep ground spices in small glass jars with airtight seals in a cool, dark cupboard.

I think the biggest thing with spices as we take for granted that they do expire and lose their pungency and flavor.  A rule of thumb for me is rotate your spices at least every six months to ensure quality and freshness.  I apply the same rule usually for dried herbs as well.

That was kind of fun…

I hope you have a great weekend – I am somewhat excited as it is supposed to be sunny and somewhat warm here this weekend.  Outside and fresh air here I come!  Talk to you on Monday.

Take care

zesty