My herb containers are in the peak of condition right now and throwing a sprig or two of sage or thyme into the cooking pot is more or less a daily habit for Mary, my wife, an excellent and imaginative cook. There is no mistaking the aroma released as the leaves are gently bruised prior to cooking. I probably have between eight to ten every-day fresh herbs for using at this time of the year.
Admiring my bountiful collection of herbs led me to wonder how many herbs are commonly recognized in Canada. We are lucky here in Toronto to have such a multi-cultural community that demands many herb and spice plants be made available, not just at garden nurseries, but also at local grocery stores and at many restaurants offering international cuisine.
Common herbs today, that were not so easy to find only 10 years ago include Angelica, Anise, Borage, Caraway, Coriander, Cumin, Dill, Echinacea, Feverfew, Ginseng, Mint, Stevia, St. John’s Wort and Yarrow – and these can all be grown in your garden at home. Although these are the main herbs used commercially, many others are available for personal use.
There is a difference between herbs and spices. The term spice refers to a seasoning made from the dried seeds or bark of a plant. The expression herb is taken from the latin word ‘herba’ meaning grass, green stalks, or blades. Technically herbs are defined as non-woody plants. However, they are more commonly referred to as aromatic plants, used especially in medicine or as a seasoning. They differ from spices in that the part of the plant that is used is the leaf, root or flower, but rarely the seed. It might surprise you that the banana is classified as a herb.
Before the advent of world travel, herbs and spices were restricted to continents where ideal conditions existed for their prosperity. Traders and explorers throughout the 16th and 17th century, as well as soldiers returning from battles, brought home plants offering new flavours. In to-day’s world of supersonic travel there are few boundaries regarding the international exchange of bounty from countries far from home.
In Britain before the invasion of the Romans, herbs included nettles, plantains and dock leaves. Herbs from the onion family followed, including chives and wild leeks, as well as wild mint, and lovage. Bay, garden mint, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme, all thought to be typically British, were introduced by the Romans. One of the most invasive herbs, (after mint) is horseradish. The wonderful pungent and hot tasting roots, were grated and made into a sauce to become the famous accompaniment to roast beef. However, horseradish also tastes great with other meats and adds a terrific zing to vegetarian meals.
Traveling to the Orient opened up vast areas of new aromatic tastes as well as styles of cooking. The use of lemon grass, ginger, garlic, coriander and cumin combined with chilies and star anise, a star-shaped fruit of a small evergreen tree, is a popular local combination to make curry paste sauce for fish dishes. Sesame seed is used to coat Chinese meat and poultry and in Japan the seeds are toasted and ground with sea salt. Aromatic basil is frequently used in Thai cooking, both as a spice on vegetables as well as infused as a tea.
Mediterranean cuisine includes parsley, thyme, basil, garlic and oregano, often combined in a tomato sauce complemented with ground coriander seed and black pepper. Parsley, of the flat leaf variety, is one of the most basic herb flavourings and you will find it sold in large bundles at most market stalls in Southern Europe. Combine it with thyme and bay leaf and you have the recipe for bouquet garni, the famous trio used to flavour many a famous soup and stew. Basil, of course, is another favourite herb and an essential ingredient for creating pesto, a popular addition to fresh pasta and vegetable soups.
To create an authentic Indian meal you will need black pepper corns, cumin, coriander as well as cloves and bay leaves. Saffron, taken fro
