Jolly useful hints and tips
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Storing herbs and spices
Substituting dried herbs for fresh
Allergy to herbs and spices – advice to cooks
STORING HERBS AND SPICES
Heat, light and age are the three enemies of herbs and spices so dont store them in glass jars out on display in your kitchen. Consider dedicating a small cupboard or drawer to them instead, keeping them as cool and dark as possible. Spices such as turmeric, curry powders, ground cloves and paprika should always be stored in glass or metal containers as there is a danger they will erode their original packaging over time. Ideally, all herbs and spices should be transferred to airtight containers once opened (a paperclip over the packet top doesn’t count).
Some people suggest you replace your spices every six months or so. In fact individual herbs and spices have widely varying keeping times. A badly cared for Vanilla Pod probably has the shortest shelf life and seeds, like sesame and poppy, don’t keep as long as spices. When green herbs lose their colour and scent, they are not exactly bad but have lost their power and they should go. Keep a note of the use-by date when you transfer herbs and spices to other containers by writing it in pencil on the label, so it can be rubbed out and re-written when you refill. It might sound obvious, but never top up partly used containers with new stock, and always wash and thoroughly dry containers before refilling.
The best way to avoid waste (and save money) is to buy SMALL packets of the herbs and spices you rarely use. See our Mini-Bag range for inspiration.
SUBSTITUTING DRIED HERBS FOR FRESH
In the UK it is not always possible to grow everything you need all year round, and not everyone has the facilities anyway. Neither does everyone have access to the fresh herbs that are now available from the larger food stores; so keeping some essential dried herbs in store will extend the range of recipes you can create.
Dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh herbs, so you need to use less. The recommended conversion is to substitute teaspoons for tablespoons. So two teaspoons of dried oregano would equals two tablespoons of fresh. (you will just have to use your imagination to convert if the recipe calls for `a handful’).
Sometimes dried herbs and spices can’t be substituted. (For example you probably wouldn’t want to use dried herbs to make pesto) Generally, the more that fresh herbs are a central component of the dish the less successful dried herbs will be.
Remember this too, ground ginger cannot be used as a substitute for root ginger; the flavours are completely different.
Sometimes however, dried herbs can be just as good as fresh. For example in a salad dressing, or in any dish where the dried herbs become saturated. Sauces, stews and casseroles can be very successfully flavoured with dried herbs and indeed Bay Leaves are almost never used fresh. Bread making is another area where using dried herbs can be more successful than fresh.
ALLERGY TO HERBS AND SPICES - ADVICE For COOKS
Allergy to herbs and spices is rare, with only 2% of all food allergy cases linked to their consumption. However three spices have been identified by the EU as requiring specific labelling. These are:Celery SeedMustardSesame Seed
Reactions can be severe (as severe as for peanuts) so cooks are advised to prepare foods containing these carefully to avoid accidental contamination. This means separate cooking dishes, separate stirring and serving utensils and hand-washing after handling the ingredient. It would be helpful to routinely point out the inclusion of these ingredients in dishes to your guests. If young children are present it may be sensible to avoid serving these particular ingredients to them, unless you have checked with their parents first.
A sufferer from spice and herb allergies may also have to take into account the botanical relationships between products, and each person (or their parent) will develop their own avoidance list of herbs and spices. A cook can best help by listening carefully and taking a matter-of-fact and practical approach. One of the main problems allergy sufferers face is disbelief and the attitude that `a little bit wont harm them’. Actually, it could be very harmful.
If the allergy sufferer is a relative, and you are likely to be cooking for them regularly, it is well worth understanding their problem so that they feel your house is a safe haven. Remember too that that allergies are not static and children particularly can grow out of some of them, so a strict regime of avoidance may gradually be relaxed as foods are carefully re-introduced under controlled conditions – this does NOT mean that they were never allergic to the food in the first place! In summary:
Please be kind. Life for an allergy sufferer is difficult enough without cooks appearing cross about the extra effort it takes to feed them.
Double check about ingredients you are not sure about; they wont mind how often you ask.
Everyone else can eat what they like - but its important to avoid cross-contamination between their food and that destined for the allergy sufferer.
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