shaker logoaPinchOf.com logo
 

Make the most of culinary herbs and spices.

Home
Articles
Questions and Answers
Links
Weekly Poll
Send us mail
Free update
About us
Media mentions
Recipe Index
Reference Desk
Books We Like
Poster Store

Our Mini Mall




Help make this site more useful and fun! Write with your ideas or comments.

 

 

 

Building better Web sites through better information. Click here and take our poll!

 

 

 

 

 advertise on this site

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   
 
Articles:

see all articles...

All About Shiso

by Sandra Bowens

Shiso, perilla, beefsteak plant--by any name it's a tasty herb that's lovely to look at as well. If shiso is new to you, keep reading. We tell you all about it, how to grow it and provide links to recipes that show how to put it to work in your kitchen. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. 

An Herb Garden Takes Root

by Sandra Bowens

Herbs have been used throughout history to flavor the cookpot, enhance health and provide beauty to the environment. Follow along as the Herbs in History demonstration plot is conceived and planted. Don't miss the detailed descriptions of twenty-five herbs that you might like to grow in your own garden.


 

Spice Buyer's Journal: Nutmeg Field Report

by Al Goetze

Follow along as McCormick & Company's chief spice buyer Al Goetze visits the nutmeg groves of Indonesia. We'll learn a few tricks of the trade while we get a taste of the exotic islands that are home to this aromatic spice. 


photo courtesy of McCormick & Company

All About Poppy Seeds
by Sandra Bowens


The familiar black specks in your baked goods go a long way toward flavoring savory dishes, too. Taste their nutty flavor right now by whipping up a batch of Almond Poppy Seed Muffins.

Another article from the archives updated and expanded to include growing information.
 

oven graphic

All About Curry Powder
by Sandra Bowens


Ever wonder what makes up your favorite curry powder? Hard to tell. Find out why you may never know. Just enjoy it and try this special fish recipe.

This article from the archives has been updated and expanded.
 

cartoon fish graphic

A Book Review: The United States of Arugula by David Kamp
by Sandra Bowens

If you think the American food scene is changing quickly, read this exciting accelerated version of just how fast it has gone from decidedly Francophile to passions that encompass the globe.

Reader Recipe Exchange

by Everybody

Anyone who cooks has created recipes. We want to see your best. This column features special creations from around the world. The latest contribution is McCormick's famous and now discontinued Salad Herbs recipe.  

 

  Have you seen it?  Check out the  Reference Desk

A Pinch Of... has been around for seven years now.  The site has nearly 175 pages so we created this area to help you find your way around.  Find quick links to the pages in which you are most interested along with our favorite stuff, where to buy herbs, metric conversions and more!  

stack of books graphic

 

 
   
   
 
 
 
 

See results from previous polls (plus a few nuggets of information).

  

We have answered so many questions over the years that the list below has grown quite long. Now you can browse the Q&A by the category or subject that interests you the most today.
 The general Q&A bank is below and here
or click to Question Quick Find to see the categories.

Ask a Question                           Click here to see all questions.

New questions are posted each Monday.

Q: Hi! I was wondering if anyone can tell me if I take cinnamon directly I get irritation in my mouth, if I take small pinches when added to tea it's ok. Shall I continue taking it or internally is it going to harm me? PS
A: This is a question for your doctor or naturopath. I can see, however, how the intense essential oils of cinnamon taken by itself could cause irritation but cinnamon is generally recognized as safe. We are all different so do see a professional about this question.
Q: I was in a Persian market last week and saw dried lemon in the spice section. I have no idea how to use it but I thought it would probably be interesting to try. Please tell me how they use it in their cooking and how can I incorporate it into my every day meals. I am an adventurous cook and love to try new things. This should be fun! Thanks, RM
A: These are new to me as well. After first reading your question I went on an exploration of the preserved lemons common to Moroccan cooking. Then I read the question again and had to start all over. They sound like an interesting ingredient. Sometimes called black lemons, you can use them whole (aka leemo amAnee) or grind them into a powder (aka gard-e leemo amAnee). I found the same recipe for a meat, bean and vegetable stew called Gormeh Sabzi on five different websites. It calls for whole lemons that you poke a hole in before adding to the stew. Seems like they would be welcome in most places where a tangy accent is needed in a dish.
Q: Just wondered how one, like the Food Network Chefs, cook with no recipes. I am sure they don't by now as they have been doing it for years, but how does a mother of 2 with a love of creativity, create dishes? One thing I have looked at was your marinate section and it mentions acid and herbs and flavored oils. Can I do that too with plain cooking? Say I cook up chicken or meat and would like great flavor to pop out of it. Can I put in cooking wine with herbs and flavored oils to cook? Any suggestions? JH
A: I think the most important part of cooking without recipes is knowing what to expect from the ingredients and how they react to different applications. Each time you cook from a recipe, step back and consider what techniques you employed. While you could just add some wine (use drinking wine, never cooking wine from the grocery shelf!) and herbs while you are sauting a chicken breast, you would get far more flavor, and panache, if you make an easy pan sauce. Cook the chicken and then remove if from the pan, add a good splash of wine and scrape up the little bits that are stuck to the pan. Let the wine cook almost completely away, add a bit of chicken stock, some fresh herbs and maybe a dab of butter or that flavored oil. The techniques used here are 1) "deglazing" the pan (when you added the wine) and 2) "reduction" (when you cooked the wine away). You gathered up the flavors by scraping the pan to get the chicken bits into the sauce and also when you intensified the flavor of the wine by reducing it.
Hello, I noticed one of the questions on your site: Where can my wife by caraway seeds on the West Coast by the pound? If they would like to contact our toll free number, 800-735-7198, we at Market Spice sell practically every spice by the pound or by the ounce to retail customers. We are located in the Seattle area and have been in business for 97 years. JD, General Manager
Q: I live in central Alabama and have two rosemary shrubs that grow lavishly but have never produced blooms. I have to trim them every year because they cover our walkway. What am I doing wrong? Thanks! MT
A: You may be trimming away those nice blooms. If you can, leave the plant alone for a year or more and see when, and if, it blooms. Rosemary is known to bloom at different times of year. Also, don't fertilize the plants as this encourages foliar growth rather than flowers.
Q: I've read through most of the of previous questions, but none seems to apply to me, so here goes: I have a basil plant that's in a large window box in full sun with oregano and parsley. When it was about 10 inches, the leaves started loosing their color and just started to look very unhealthy. I noticed what appears to be spores - short white stalk with black tips - on the undersides. I've sprayed with dish soap/water mix and when that did not produce results after two weeks I tried a general anti-fungal for veggies that I had. This also has not helped. The stems of the plants look great and there's even new growth happening where these diseased leaves have fallen off.... I'm so proud that's I've been able to keep all the other herbs I purchased alive, but I'm sad over this pathetic looking specimen. Thanks for your help and for everything else I learned while researching this issue on your site. DM
A: As you can see, it doesn't help very much to treat a problem until you know what it is. The soap and water may be effective on bugs and anti-fungals on fungus but if that's not the cause, they won't do a thing. This sounds rather unusual to me so it would be helpful to see the plant. I suggest you take a few of the affected leaves back to the nursery where you bought it and see if they can help you diagnose the situation.
Q: I just got this Bay Leaf plant last summer. It was growing quite well starting to put out short branches then discovered that half the plant was sticky from scale. I wiped them off with alcohol in February and have not seen any change in terms of growth. Should I do anything special to it? Special type of fertilizer? It has not turned brown. Still green. Is it dormant? Thanks for your help. GS
A: Dormancy would be a good call. Once you notice that it has begun to grow again you might give it a light fertilizer application. Resist the temptation to overwater it--they don't need much.
Q: Hi, I made chile and always use crushed red peppers, too hot for my hubby. What can I do to get some of it out, or to cool off for the hubby? Thanks HP
A: Aside from making another batch without the peppers to combine with the one that is too hot, you might try stirring in a bit of sour cream. One reader suggests a pinch of sugar might tone it down but I haven't tried that one.
Q: Can ground ancho chile powder be used in place of red pepper seeds or flakes? M
A: Like I always say, it's your food, you can do whatever you want. These two chiles have rather different flavors, though, so you will want to consider that. Ancho chiles have a fuller, richer taste and won't be as fiery hot as crushed red pepper.
Q: Hi, looking for a store in Montreal that sells lime leaves? It is for a Thai chick pea recipe. Thanks a lot! RS
A: The only place I could come up with is T&T at the West Edmonton Mall. You might want to check in with your favorite Thai restaurant and see if they would sell you a few.
Q: I am trying to buy Spike food seasoning which is usually sold in an Indian food store. Since new owners took over, I am unable to locate it. I live in Toronto, Ontario. CP
A: Here in the States you can find Spike at most supermarkets and health food stores. I found a board discussion on this topic at Chowhound: they say Loblaws, No Frills, Noah's and the Big Carrot all carry this seasoning blend.
See all Questions           Find questions by subject
 
Other Foodie Sites: see all links...
Healthy Eating Help
The United States Department of Agriculture can help you find ways to make your diet more healthy. The My Pyramid website offers useful interactive tools like a menu planner, current dietary recommendations and fun games for kids too.
Just Say No
Which side of the cilantro debate are you on? Love it or hate it? If you can't stand the stuff let your voice be heard at I Hate Cilantro.com! Their motto is simple: Cilantro. The most offensive food known to man. 
A Taste of Italy
Mariano Foods is your online Italian market. Surprise your friends with a gift basket or stock your own pantry with the basics like tomatoes and vinegar or splurge on authentic meats and cheeses. 
Stamp Out Toxic Gardening
The one stop shop for all your organic gardening needs. Use the Solution Finder at the Organic-Gardening-Shop website to diagnose your garden problems and then learn how to deal with them.
Table Top Glamour
Salt and pepper need not be served in plain label shakers. William Bounds Limited offers ways to make your everyday seasonings shout good taste. Graters and grinders are available for all your other cooking needs as well.

Spicy Travel

One visit to this Kerala Tourism website will have you amazed at the vistas, drooling over the food and planning your own trip to the place where spices come from. Be sure to click around before you decide on a beach resort, a Houseboat or a homestay.

It's Herbaceous
Herbs are the stars at herbaceous.net, the site with hints, tips and great ideas. Follow their many links to a world of herbal products.
Herb Plants at Your Fingertips
Herbfresh.com covers all your herb plant needs, especially hard-to-find varieties and scented geraniums galore. You will also find good tips for placing plants in the garden and unusual "back to nature" gift ideas.  
 

Back to top

 


 

 

Search this site

 

 

Quote of the Week: 

"I don't even butter my bread; I consider that cooking." --Katherine Cebrian
 


 


 
 




MONTHLY e-mail updates let you know what's new at this site as well as herb and spice news and the latest on the home office garden. Plus a recipe just for subscribers. Click Here to sign up now!

 



Related Items:

see all items...


 

Field Guide to Herbs & Spices: How to Identify, Select, and Use Virtually Every Seasoning at the Market  This pocket-sized treasure is packed with information that is as helpful at the market as it is in the kitchen.


Edible Herb Garden book

The Edible Herb Garden  Illustrations abound in this comprehensive and informative companion for the gardener and the cook.


 

The Lavender Cookbook Learn to cook with lavender year around. From soup to desserts, this collection of 120 recipes will surprise and delight you. 

 
Curry Book The Curry Book  Go around the world eating curry, right from your own kitchen. More than 100 recipes provide variety and excitement.

 Gourmet Mustards book

Gourmet Mustards The subject is covered well in this newly revised and expanded guide to making and cooking with mustards.

 

 
Herbs in Bloom: A Guide to Growing Herbs as Ornamental Plants  Use flowering herbs to punch up landscape design. This guide covers 700 plants from 80 families.
 


 The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation
Follow along as the US learns to love real food. It's not just what we eat today but why.  See aPinchOf.com's review of this book.


 The Contemporary Encyclopedia of Herbs and Spices: Seasonings for the Global Kitchen  Your source for information on spices that have only recently become available as well as new thoughts on old favorites. 
 


How to Cook Meat book

How to Cook Meat Turn to the experts on all matters of meat. From buying the best to cooking with zest, you will find it here.


Artichoke to Za'atar: Modern Middle Eastern Food  Authentic yet modern Middle Eastern cooking at your fingertips and arranged in alphabetical order at that.
 


The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control: A Complete Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden and Yard Healthy Without Chemicals  Our go-to guide for dealing with things that wiggle and squirm or make our plants sick.
 


Backyard Herb Garden book

Your Backyard Herb Garden Learn herb gardening from the ground up, literally, with the help of a knowledgeable teacher and gardener. 

 

Don't miss the aPinchOf... Mini Mall for great gift ideas and gourmet foods we like.

 

 

 

 

 
 

 privacy statement

   
Copyright 1999-2008 A Pinch Of... All rights reserved