Flavor UnwrappedA Basic Spice Primer 

Presented by: K FitzHenry

What Is A Spice?

The leaf of a plant is considered an herb (ex: cilantro)

 The balance of the plant is considered a spice (ex: coriander)    Spices typically come from tropical climates

Herbs are grown all over the world

Spice Comes in Many Forms

►Clove - Bud ► Galangal - Root ► Cinnamon- Tree Bark ► Cumin- Seed ► Saffron- Stigma

Why Most Spices Are Sold Dried

Drying tends to promote a routine schedule and allows for longer term storage                              Harvesting   Curing   Trading     Shipping  Months          1               2/3               4            5/6

Drying and Curing are Essential ProcessesDrying removes water. It leaves the essential oils which allow naturally  occurring enzymes to create flavor. Examples include: Vanilla   Clove  Allspice  Peppercorn

Drying Methods

Drying methods can have a major effect on flavor Sun dried Vanilla tends to be      Fragant Oven dried Vanilla tends to be    Moist Oven dried Paprika tends to be   Sweeter

Buying And Storing

Buy whole spices and store at 55-70 degrees Grinding ruptures the cell walls which extracts essence Grinding also promotes the evaporation of essential oils Ground spices tend to quickly evaporate  For example:Ground nutmeg looses its top notes quickly. 

Herbs

Some herbs present a richer flavor in dried form.  The concentration of oils in Oregano and the mix Bouquet Grani makes them a better choice for slow cooked dishes.

Tip: Finish slow cooked dishes with fresh herbs.                             They will add delicate top notes, color and texture 

How To Think About Flavoring

Spices and Seasonings can be used individually orin combination to create flavor.

Celery Seed brings out other flavors - Cole Slaw Chipotle Chili is a nice accent flavor – Mayonnaise                 

     Click this link for a great grilled piza recipe

                                       

Creating Blends

Spice blending is an art that combines flavors into  Top -  Middle - Base  Notes (much like perfuming)

 Most of the blends I make tend to fall into these categories:Balanced Blend:   Elements mesh to create one key flavor  Cascading Blend: Flavors emerge as you taste                          Accent Blend:      Built around a defining flavor note  

Flavor Groupings

This short list is one way you can organize flavor choices  

Sweet:       Allspice Anise Cassia Cinnamon Nutmeg Vanilla

Tangy:       Amchur Black Lime Caper Kokam Pomegrante Sumac Tamarind

Hot:           Chilies  Horse Radish  Mustard Wasabi White Mustard 

Unifying:    Coriander Fennel Paprika Poppy Seed Sesame Seed Turmeric

Pungent:    Ajowan Asafetida Caraway Cardamom Celery Seed Cloves Cumin Dill See                  Fenugreek Galangal Juniper Berries Nigella Orris Root Star Anise  Umani:       Black Bean Fish Sauce Miso Soy Sauce Grilled Meats

Getting Started

 Now that you have some basic information about spices,try making your own blends. This video will help you get started.        Or get some the additional information on spices and cooking from The Accidental Scientist