Principles of Using Culinary Herbs
 

Herbs and spices have been used to flavour food for thousands of years. It is a practice that is as popular today as it was in ancient Rome.

Most people, however, feel that they lack the necessary experience or knowledge to use herbs on a regular basis. The simple truth is that anybody can create dishes that are delicious and unique.

You do not have to be a gourmet chef. All it takes is a little experimentation. A dish may not always taste as intended, but one can learn a lot through mishaps or even the odd culinary disaster.

The purpose of using fresh herbs is to compliment food and in doing so increase your appreciation of the taste and aroma of the food.

A herb should never overpower a dish. The salt rule applies: you can add more, but if you have added too much, you cannot take some out again. Start with small quantities and add more if you so desire and as your experience develops.

Each herb has its own unique flavour and aroma that compliments certain foods and combines well with certain other herbs. You may find that you are very fond of one herb and that you dislike another.

The only way to find out what works for you is to experiment. Start by adding one herb to a recipe that needs some variation or livening up. As your experience grows, you can start adding combinations of herbs.

Fresh herbs are almost invariably preferable to dried herbs. Herbs’ essential oils evaporate when dried, some of them to the point where the dried herb is tasteless and practically useless. Herbs also loose a lot of their volume when dried, so it is important to increase the quantities should you use fresh herbs when a recipe gives quantities for dried herbs.

Read the short article "Fresh herbs versus dried herbs" for more information on this subject.  [http://www.herb.co.za/cooking/freshvsdried.htm]

By using fresh herbs you can transform the most ordinary meal into an unforgettable one. This is especially true for processed foods. The processes they go through strip them of a lot of flavour and nutritional value. Herbs can restore lost flavour and can go a long way towards more variation in your daily cooking.

In the article "Variety is the spice of life" we explore more reasons for using herbs in your home cuisine.
http://www.herb.co.za/cooking/benefits.htm]