"herb" news and stories

It can be difficult to gauge the freshness of dried herbs simply from looking at the bottle on the rack in your spice cabinet. Ideally, you should just periodically replace the herbs in your spice cabinet as just about everything will lose flavor over time. The easiest way to see how fresh things are is to smell them. If, for example, you dried basil or rosemary has little to no scent, it is likely that it is past its prime. It could even impart a slightly musty taste to your food, as you will have to increase the amount you're using if you want to get any flavor into your dish.

The best bet if you are in doubt is to replace the product in question, either with something fresh or a fresh bottle of dried herbs. If you find that you are often replacing full jars of spices, consider switching to fresh herbs for those ingredients. There is no sense in buying a new bottle of dried rosemary/ thyme/tarragon, etc. every year when you only use it for one dish. Buy the fresh herb on that day, get a better flavor in the finished product, and don't worry about it again for another 365 days.

Bartenders don't usually use a whole range of vegetables in their mixing unless they are particularly fond of bloody marys and celery garnishes. More and more often, however, fresh herbs are cropping up in cocktails. The Seattle Times had an interesting look inside a bartender's herb garden this weekend. Herbs can generally be grown indoors and require only a small amount of care relative to maintaining a whole garden. The taste of a fresh herb is unmatched and, if you're going to be using them frequently, they are nice to have at hand without a trip to the store. Their suggested list of herbs and cocktails, which is practical for pros and weekend mixologists alike, includes: 

• Spearmint, for classic mojitos and anything that needs a refreshing touch.
• Basil, can also be included with mint in a mojito
• Thyme, adds a layer of flavor to a peach Bellini.
• Rosemary, add to a gin cosmopolitans.
• Sage, works well with tequila and "will raise your margarita to the next level."

They also recommend cilantro and tarragon, but for me, mint or basil is a better choice for an addition to summer lemonade than cilantro, which the Times suggests. Basil, thyme, rosemary and sage can all be used in cooking, too, though I don't necessarily endorse adding spearmint to, say, a grilled chicken dish. And a word to the novice gardeners: basil grows quickly and aggressively. Fortunately, you can make a killer pesto with the leftovers.

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Compound butter is butter that has a flavor, or additional ingredient(s) added to it. For example, I can think of several restaurants that serve garlic butter with dinner rolls (often barbecue restaurants), which is a compound butter. They are also sometimes simply called "herb butter," though they can be sweet or savory.

Compound butters are very easy to make and can have any number of flavors blended into them. The first step is softening the butter to room temperature. Once it is soft, the desired ingredients can be added . Herbs and spices are the most common because they are the easiest things to use, but just about any ingredient can be added. Lemon zest and dill make a great compound butter to "finish" a fish dish. Grated parmesan cheese, garlic and a bit of parsley make a wonderful spread for dinner rolls. If you choose to use cooked additions, like roasted garlic, make sure it is entirely cooled before mixing in, or the butter will separate. Use savory butters to top steaks, corn on the cob or any other dish you think needs a bit of extra flavor.

For sweet butters, you can add in any combination of spices, too. Pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon butters bake wonderful spreads for toast or waffles. You can also stir in a little bit of jam to make a fruity butter or maple syrup for a deliciously sweet addition to oatmeal. My favorite compound butter is served by Bill Granger in his Sydney restaurants: honeycomb butter, which has bits of smashed honey candies stirred in.

To store, simply return the mixed butter to the fridge to firm it back up. If you prefer to be able to slice your butter, shape it into a log on a piece of wax paper before refrigerating.

Basil is an herb in the mint family. It is often regarded as the "king of herbs" due not only to the fact that its name comes from the Greek word for "king," but due to its versatility. It is thought to have originated in India before being brought to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, where it is a staple in regional cuisine. It is also hugely popular in Thai cooking. Dark green, large leafed plants, known as sweet basil or Italian basil, are among the most widely used, but there are many other types of basil as well. These other varieties can range in color from purple to varying shades of green

It tastes slightly sweet and slightly peppery, with a hint of clove flavor. It pairs well with most meats, eggs and vegetables. A meat stuffing might include basil, as well as stir-fried vegetables. It can also simply be crushed into olive oil for a lovely dip for bread. The plant is highly aromatic, so beyond cooked uses, it can be added to potpourris or to a dish of hot water (even to a bath) to create a soothing, slightly minty aroma.

With the start of tomato season upon us, more and more recipes that rely on the delicious taste of a freshly-picked tomato are appearing on food blogs and in newspaper articles. For anyone who likes to cook (or eat) and doesn't have room for a garden, it can be a somewhat depressing time, since tomatoes will not be at hand quite as much as they could be. Unfortunately, the lack of a green thumb is not the only thing that prevents people from gardening. Apartment and condo dwellers miss out, too. This Upside-Down Tomato Garden from Hammacher Schlemmer can solve both problems. Not only does it allow tomatoes to grow easily and without risk of rotting while resting on moist, shaded earth under the vine, but it can fit almost anywhere - provided that there is enough sunlight to grow the tomatoes. It's a fantastic option for anyone with a sunny apartment, a condo with a small balcony, or if you don't have the room or motivation to maintain a full garden in your yard. The tomatoes grown will be as juicy and fresh as you could hope for. As an added bonus, the top of the "garden" can be used for herbs or other small plants. Basil would be a good idea if you like Italian cooking, but cilantro would be a great choice for salsa fans.

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