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Spice Up Your Life (literally)

Saturday, January 14, 2012

It’s a perfect time for fresh beginnings inside and out, a time for jazzing things up.  My resolution for 2012 is to do at least one new thing every day, stretching my prior way of thinking, being and doing onto a new canvas.  As a flavor fanatic, this includes broadening my use and knowledge of culinary and medicinal herbs and spices.

We are lucky to have several sources for bulk herbs and spices in Old Town Fort Collins.  The Food Cooperative on East Mountain has the deepest roots in our community and offers a wide selection for both cooking and healing.  Savory Spice Shop and Old Town Spice Shop add to the choices we have for expanding our sense of taste.

The best thing about buying these products in bulk is that you can purchase just what you need for six months use, which is as long as you would want to have them in your pantry for optimal freshness.   This also lets you sample a wider variety of different types of the same spice or blend, such as pepper, cinnamon or curry.  It will expand your own borders to learn about the origins and medicinal benefits of the various herbs and spices and plan meals around their use.

For the best flavor, keep your spices away from heat and light.  Whole fruits have longer storage life, so consider getting a grater for nutmeg seed and a peppermill for the nuance of spiciness of colorful red, white, green and black peppercorns.

To make the distinction, herbs are obtained from the leaves of herbaceous, non-woody plants. Many have origins in the temperate climates of European countries, although we can grow a number of those herbs here.   Annuals such as basil, dill and cilantro grow foliage, flower and go to seed in one season.  Rosemary is considered an annual for our region unless you can provide sufficient winter protection for it indoors or in a cold frame or greenhouse.

Longer lived perennial herbs include oregano and winter savory.  English thyme only lasts a few years in my garden.

Spices are obtained from roots, flowers, fruits, seeds or bark.  They are native to warm tropical climates and can be woody or herbaceous plants.

Some plants are both herbs and spices.  The leaves of cilantro, coriandrum sativum, a key ingredient of most salsas are an herb, while the seeds, known as coriander are classified as a spice. 

For the enthusiastic cook and gardener, experimenting with growing some of the unusual herbs and spices can be both fun and rewarding.  Grown as an annual on the Front Range, lemon grass is wonderful in Asian dishes.  Epazote is indispensible in cooking black beans.  Ginger can be grown as an indoor plant although it may take several years before you are able to harvest the root.

Beyond the herbs that we can grow locally, there is a wide world of flavor waiting for us.   Even if your travel plans don’t include such destinations as the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Mediterranean or Latin America countries, you can still experience their culture with recipes that let you get a taste of their regional fare.