• Storing Spices
• How Long to Keep Spices
• Substituting Dried Herbs for Fresh Herbs

Morton Gothelf, founder of Morton & Bassett Spices, contributes his expertise about cooking and spices in a bi-weekly column in The San Francisco Examiner.

• "Nuts for Nutmeg"
• "Spice Up Your Holiday"
• "The Whole Bean"
• "Not Just Another Herb"
• "Spice Up Your Life"
• "Seeing Red"
• "A Blend of the Best"

The enemies of fresh spice flavor and color are heat, light, air and moisture. Keep all your spices away from heat…that means don't store them on top of your stove, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator or oven! Also, keep them out of the light. This will help them retain their color and flavor. The best place to store them is in a cupboard or drawer. Note that our jars have names on top of their lids for easy organization in a drawer! If you use an open spice rack, be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight. As for air, our jars and lids are perfect for an airtight seal. Moisture is the last culprit. Our jars will keep the moisture out in most circumstances, but for those of you who like to store spices in your refrigerator, just be careful about leaving a cold jar open on the counter top. Moisture can form on the jar.

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Once spices are ground, their delicate flavor components begin to degrade. Some people say you should replace your spices every 6 months while the government's guideline for freshness dating is 2 years. A good rule of thumb is one year for ground spices and two years for whole spices.

A good, simple test is to open the jar and smell the spice. If it smells strong and spicy, then go ahead and use it. If not, then toss it. Old spices will not go bad, but they won't accomplish their purpose of adding great flavor. A fun way to throw out old spices is to pour them on your grill when cooking. This releases the remaining oils and adds flavor to your grilled food.

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For most spices, you should use one-third the amount of a dried herb as you would fresh. For example, if your recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of fresh oregano, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of dried oregano. Basil is the main exception; use half as much dried basil as compared to fresh basil.

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From The San Francisco Examiner
S.F. Eats! 11/27/2002

Swirl it into eggnog, sprinkle it on custard, shake it over squash. 'Tis the season for nutmeg.

First identified by the Portuguese when they arrived in the Spice Islands in 1512, the spice became so popular in the 18th century that some nutmeg-lovers toted tiny silver graters in their pockets for their food or drink.

Good thinking. This spice is one of the most versatile on your rack, adding a rich, warm flavor to sweet or savory dishes.

Whether in mashed potatoes, squash, vegetable purée, or an egg or cheese dish, nutmeg tastes best when it is freshly ground, and the aroma is enough to make your taste buds break out in song.

The best nutmeg has a smooth finish and dark brown color. To cull the spice, the nutmeg shell is opened, and then dried for six to eight weeks. The nutmeg kernel is surrounded by a red, netlike covering which, when dried, is the spice mace -- very similar to nutmeg, but more mild and subtle.

Remember to keep all of your spices in a cabinet or drawer for a longer shelf life. And to keep your grater handy ... you never know when you'll have the need for nutmeg.

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From The San Francisco Examiner
S.F. Eats! 12/11/2002

There is nothing better than a Christmas cookie sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.

Ground cinnamon is perfect for sweet comfort foods, baked goods and, of course, hot candies. But cinnamon is not just for the sweet stuff.

One teaspoon can add a sweet spiciness to meat and poultry dishes, or renew interest in carrots and cooked squash with a pinch just before serving. It is also a key ingredient in curry, Chinese Five Spice and garam masala.

Cinnamon is native to Southeast Asia and grows on a small evergreen tree that has shiny leaves and yellowish-white flowers. The bark is peeled from thin branches and dried in the sun, which causes it to curl up to become cinnamon quills. The best quills are almost as thin as paper and light brown in color. These make a great swizzle stick for coffee, tea and chocolate drinks. Cinnamon sticks also can be used in poaching liquids for fruit compotes and jellies.

The health properties of cinnamon are touted in aromatherapy, with the oil of the cinnamon bark used to combat colds and flu. Recent studies suggest that cinnamon may help balance blood sugar levels, making it useful for diabetics and those who are hypoglycemic.

When it comes to taste, one of my favorite delights is a cup of tea with a cinnamon stick and cinnamon toast. It's easy: just add butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to a slice of bread and place under the broiler; watch carefully and in a couple of minutes you have the best treat ever.

But for the holidays, try these great cookies. And be generous with your cinnamon!

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From The San Francisco Examiner
S.F. Eats! 12/25/2002

It's not surprising that the vanilla bean, or pod, grows on a climbing orchid plant native to Mexico, which can reach more than 40 feet tall and flaunts spectacular flowers. From its dark skin to its sultry smell, this spice is pure beauty.

The word vanilla comes from the Spanish word vaina, meaning pod, and the pods themselves are from 3 to 8 inches long and are picked before they ripen. Still green, the pods are fermented and a beautiful perfume begins to develop. What we look for in a good vanilla bean is a dark brown color, a narrow, thin body and somewhat wrinkled skin.

To split the bean, take a sharp knife and cut lengthwise. You'll find numerous tiny black seeds that are rooted with aromatic vanilla oil. As soon as you slice in, the scent of vanilla bean will infuse your entire kitchen. The aroma should be a rich, tobacco-like fragrance that is mellow and sweet.

There is nothing like fresh vanilla, and after you compare it to imitation vanilla, you'll never go back. It is worth buying the whole beans as they can be used several times in a sauce -- if they are not stripped. Just wash, dry and store. Remember when cooking, an inch of scraped vanilla bean is equal to one teaspoon of vanilla extract for any substitutions in cooking.

One of my favorite ways to use the vanilla bean is to put one in a jar with sugar and let it stand for a week or so; you'll have fragrant vanilla sugar to sprinkle on fruit or baked goods.

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From The San Francisco Examiner
S.F. Eats! 1/8/2003

It might be found in the herb section of your grocery store, but a bay leaf is not actually an herb. It's a leaf that comes from the laurel tree.

When buying bay leaves, look for a rich, deep green color and similar size leaves that aren't broken or damaged.

To savor the true essence of the bay leaf, tear it in half, crush it in your hand and take in the fragrance. It should smell sweet and pungent, with a touch of nutmeg, lemon and pine.

The bay leaf releases its flavors slowly as it cooks, and just one or two gradually will contribute their background distinctive flavor to a soup, sauce, stew or stock. When cooking with bay leaves, be careful not to add too many leaves or you will create an acidic, unpleasant taste. And remember to remove the bay leaves before serving your dish -- the leaf itself is inedible.

Bay leaves are essential in earthy dishes such as French onion soup, tomato-based sauces and all stock recipes. Seafood benefits from steaming with a leaf or two. But the leaves also are used around the world in teas, and the oil of the bay leaf berry is used in the making of perfume.

An easy way to use bay leaves at home is to stuff them under the skin of chicken or turkey; it's decorative as well as flavorful.

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From The San Francisco Examiner
S.F. Eats! 1/22/2003

Chinese five spice brings five fragrances together: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and salty. The unique mixture combines star anise, cloves, fennel seed, ginger and cinnamon.

The taste of star anise dominates this mixture with a pungent licorice-like taste and a note of sweetness. This beautiful plant grows in China to approximately 26 feet tall and bears small yellow flowers. The flowers turn to fruit, which, upon maturity, opens into a star with eight points. When dried, the fruit turns a ginger-brown color and has a hard, wood-like texture. Used whole or broken, the ground star anise is what is added to the Chinese five spice.

Just 1/2 teaspoon of Chinese five spice brings out the best in any chicken or meat dish. It is most popular in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking and is a major spice in many fragrant Asian-inspired soups.

It's extremely good when added to marinades and goes well as a rub for meats, pork, poultry and fish on the barbeque. Add Chinese five spice to vegetables like leeks and squash to spice them up, or use it in spice cakes, muffins and batters for deep fried foods.

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From The San Francisco Examiner
S.F. Eats! 2/5/2003

Saffron's electrifying yellowish red color imparts a smokey flavor to paellas, bouillabaisse, tomato sauces and risotto.

While saffron has an affinity for seafood, it also goes well with pork and chicken. In Europe, saffron is used with noodles and to spice teacakes, as well.

This exotic spice also has health benefits: It's rich in vitamin B2 and riboflavin and can aid digestion.

The La Mancha area of Spain is known to grow the best saffron, which comes from the pretty violet flower of the saffron crocus plant, where the dark red stigma lies. One plant can produce several flowers, each with three stigmas. Each stigma is hand-picked. It takes 30 to 40 stigmas, or threads, to make a half-teaspoon of saffron; 75,000 flowers yield one pound of saffron.

That's one reason why saffron costs so much -- up to $500 a pound.

When buying saffron, look for threads that are a deep red color, with strands that are approximately one inch long. And before using saffron in a recipe, steep the threads in warm water to enhance their flavor. You only need a few threads to release a flavor and aroma that is earthy and toasty.

One way to try this fragrant spice is to make a simple tea and add honey and lemon. For a fresh salad, try adding saffron to your favorite vinaigrette.

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From The San Francisco Examiner
S.F. Eats! 2/19/2003

The blending of spices is the essence of Indian cooking -- and to be a good Indian cook you must know how to blend your spices. The cook is a masalchi, or spice blender, and the mixture is a masala.

A traditional curry is a combination of turmeric, coriander seeds, fenugreek, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, gingerroot, allspice, fennel seeds and cayenne. To make a really aromatic curry, add ground cinnamon and cloves and reduce the amount of cayenne.

Curry won't just make your food taste good; researchers think it might be good for you. The American Association of Cancer Research recently reported that adding curry to the diet could help tackle cancer. The substance the gives curry its yellow color, turmeric, is the active ingredient containing a molecule that helps kill cancer cells.

Indian folklore suggests turmeric also reduces inflammation, can help heal wounds and could be a protective agent against Alzheimer's.

One teaspoon for chicken and vegetable dishes is an easy way to add curry. Try one tablespoon in the batter for one pound of fried fish or shellfish, or for a subtle exotic touch, add one teaspoon to biscuits and roll mixes. Curry is great in dips for fresh vegetables or chips, and it spices up chicken, shrimp or tuna salad.

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