Spice it Up!

This week is going to be very busy.  The High School production of "Grease" will be opening on Friday night.     I need to be ready.   Today was spent chopping, dicing, and  defrosting.  The house is cleaned (sort of) and I put up enough holiday decorations to start enjoying  the festive season.

It made me start thinking of how the people that are in our lives are really the "spice" that makes day to day living not quite so bland.  Think about it.  What would it be like if we were all the same?  We would be bland and boring.  Think about  food without spices. Can you imagine gingerbread without ginger?  Chili without chili powder?  Pesto without basil?  They would be seriously lacking and dull.   Family, friends, coworkers all add the flavor to our every day dealings.  Sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, and sometimes exciting. 

Spices are not always what they seem on the outside.  I remember very clearly when my Mom was making cookies and had put vanilla into the cookie dough.  Oh!  The smell!  Warm, sweet, and slightly syrupy.  Mom warned me....she told me it was bitter. I was warned but  I didn't believe it.  Anything that smelled THAT amazing had to be sweet.  So, true to form, in went my finger!  I popped it in my mouth and "OH MY GOSH!" It was so bitter!   Respect the spice!

  Spices have been so important through out history.  Kingdoms and countries have been won and lost for spices. There are the common spices: salt, pepper, cinnamon, mint, vanilla, and parsley.  There are those spices that are exotic and worldly:  cardamom, cumin, saffron, white pepper, fenugreek seeds, and pink sea salt.

My favorite spices are rosemary, nutmeg,  and basil.   Now don't be confused, I don't use them all at once.  But if I can use them in a dish, they are my "go to" spices.

Dried spices are less  pungent than fresh so you need to use more , but you should always rub them in your hands to release the oils and fragrance that flavor your food.

 Rosemary-A perennial herb that has long woody stems with evergreen like needles.   The Latin name rosmarinus which is from "dew" (ros) and "sea" (marinus) translating to "Dew of the Sea" because in many Mediterannian countries it needs no other water than the humidity carried by ocean breezes.  I use rosemary in chicken dishes, stew (especially my Guinness Stew), slow cooked meats, roasted meats and vegetables, and can even be used as skewers for K-bobs  as the rosemary can withstand high temperatures without breaking down.

Nutmeg is an exotic spice that hails from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Caribbean.  There are several types of nutmeg trees that produce  nutmeg and mace.  Nutmeg is the seed of the tree, while mace is the white covering of the seed.  It can be used in both savory and sweet dishes.  The seeds are small and hard and are used in powder form.   I often use nutmeg in place of cinnamon.  There is no comparison to freshly grated nutmeg.  If all you have ever used is the spice out of a jar, ready grated, find a box grater, or use a  Microplane because it  works better, and grate some fresh.  You won't regret it.

The third spice is Basil.  Basil is a tender relative to mint and there are several varieties.  Again you can have it fresh, dried, and in powdered forms.  Many cuisines make use of this herb and it can be used in sweet and savory dishes.  I use it in many Mediterranean and Italian inspired dishes.  When used fresh you should add it at the last minute as cooking for long periods of time break it down and turn it black.  I have talked about fresh basil in previous blogs, and fresh pesto is a favorite. 

If you have any of the old red and white spice cans still in your spice cupboard, it's time to toss them and replace.  Spices only keep their flavor for a few months.   Keep your spice rack away from the stove.  Too much heat is damaging to your spices and they will lose their flavor.  Most spices can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer.

Spice it up!  Pull out an old favorite, or try a new spice.  (Curry is my new experimental spice...just how hot can I get it before it's too hot?  Still experimenting!)  Next week we'll talk "Grease!"

***Indicates that the menu can be found in a link at the bottom of the page

Weekly Menu

Sunday

Beef Curry***

Rice

Green Beans

Monday

Chicken Parm with pesto

Spaghetti

Tuesday

Slow Cooked Beef with Sweet Potatos ***

Wednesday

Rotini pasta with Creamy Sausage Sauce***(Sausage and pasta can be cooked ahead, stored in the fridge  and assembled quickly for a 10 min meal!)

Apple slices

Thursday

Linguine with Clam Sauce

Friday

Invited out to dinner!  (Thanks Mrs. Gibb!)

Battenkill Creamery Eggnog and freshly grated nutmeg

***Eggnog recipe from my Mom