A Pinch Of Homepage cooking with herbs and spices

Q: Please can you tell me the difference between whole caraway seeds and black caraway? AJ

A: Black caraway is not really caraway. Nigella, the seeds of the Nigella sativa plant, are variously called black caraway or black cumin along with many other names. Nigella has a sort of warm, peppery bite. Read more about caraway seeds at "All About Caraway."

Q: I purchased sliced jalapeno peppers with carrots and someof the seeds are in there, but for the most part, not in the peppers.. I opened the can, put it in a lock and lock plastic container, tightly closed in the liquid from the can. How long will it last please? Love them for sandwiches, with eggs, fried potatoes. Definitely still have the "power" as they are hot. Thanks so much. Respectfully, JM

A: I am crazy about these peppers too. Try them on pizza. I've never had them go bad, so to speak, but if kept around too long they might become mushy. The jar I have in the fridge right now has been open for a couple of months and the best by date on it is July 2013.

Q: Are there any spices or herbs that should not be blended when cooking that will either taste really bad or can possibly be harmful? Thank you, MH

A: I'm not aware of any of the culinary seasonings that become harmful when combined. I can think of some combinations that might not taste very good but it really depends on the dish. For instance, the baking spices like allspice and ginger might not go very well with herbs like oregano and thyme in many dishes but they are typical together in a jerk seasoning. That's why it is so much fun to experiment with herbs and spices.

Q: I am making a Berries and Lavender Ice Cream. It calls for 2 drops of lavender oil and 3 drops of orange oil. The oils are rather expensive and I thought I could use extracts or possibly dried ingredients. Do you know what the conversion would be for the oils if I used extracts or dried lavender leaves or powder and possibly a real orange? Thank you for your help. PG

A: Sounds like yummy ice cream. As we've said before, 1 teaspoon of extract is equal to 1/4 teaspoon of oil, although oils are so much more potent than extracts, it is best to start with half that much and add more as you see fit. To substitute lavender flowers, I would start with about a teaspoon of them crushed and taste from there. You have to be careful as too much gives over to a medicinal flavor. For the orange oil, you might use half to a whole orange's zest.

Q: I received some home-made pesto sauce from a friend. When I was heating it it separated and started to look clumpy. I used a little of it on pasta and it didn’t seem to alter the taste but the rest was thrown away. Is there a way I could I have saved it? Should I have heated it at all? Thank you for your help. ED

A: Since pesto is made from oil, cheese and nuts, among other ingredients, it isn't a surprise that it would separate and look clumpy upon heating. You don't really need to heat it as it will sort of melt onto hot pasta. I like to add just a bit of the pasta cooking water to pesto before tossing with the pasta for better distribution. Check out the article "Endless Pesto Possibilities" for more ideas about how to use it.

Q: I have an apple pie recipe that calls for 1/4 tsp of ground "grains of paradise". What in the world is it and where do I get it? Thanks for your help. KF

A: Grains of paradise is the name of an African seed that I always thought of as a spice that doesn't really exist anymore. I've noticed that it is back and seems to be going mainstream just lately. You can find it at San Francisco Herbs, but you will probably have to grind it yourself.

Q: Is Lavender a good moth repellant? SG

A: Turns out it is. I found lots of articles around the web about using the flowers as a satchel or soaking cotton balls in lavender oil.

Q: Where can I find "Cajun Chef" products in Fort Lauderdale? I am looking specifically for their spicy pickled green beans. CB

A: I'm not sure of a location near you, but I did find the beans on the Cajun Grocer website. I've ordered from them in the past and think they do a good job.

Q: When a recipe ingredient mentions half spoon mustard, how do I know which one they mean, the sauce or the powder? NH

A: Generally, when a recipe calls for the powder, they specify "dry mustard."

Q: Hello, I have a question and I can't find an answer anywhere on the web. Is it safe to freeze canned poppyseed? I made a poppyseed cake for the first time and used only half the can of poppyseed. I put the rest in a plastic container and put it in the freezer. That was about a month ago. I heard poppyseed can turn rancid, so I would like to know if it is safe to freeze the canned poppyseed. Thank you so much for your help. JA

A: Seems to me it would be okay to freeze the filling alone since I wouldn't hesitate to freeze a cake or bread that I made with it. Poppy seeds do go rancid quickly sometimes and a good way to prevent that is by keeping them in the freezer.

Q: I am growing sweet basil indoors in buffalo ny
I have a full spectrum t5 bulb with a open ended plastic tent covering it to keep in the heat. I keep the bulb on 16hrs and off 8 hrs.The plants are growing and very sturdy with good color and taste but: the leaves are small and tight together. How can I get the plant taller with bigger leaves? RM

A: I'm thinking maybe you have a variety of globe basil which has small leaves and maintains a low-growing habit.

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