Spices and Herbs: Did You Know?

Something interesting about learning how to cook is that it is totally possible to make delicious meals without knowing the identity of your ingredients. You can taste things as you go, or follow recipes with precision, or emulate someone more skilled than you—but you still might not know very much about the ingredients being used. For instance, from where come hearts of palm? Or how is creamed coconut different from coconut butter? And why do terms like curry and chai get thrown around without people knowing what they mean?

Cooks and cookbooks often do not tell the behind-the-scenes information since, after all, you might be trying to prepare a meal {right now!} and don’t have time for lectures and education while doing so. I find that storing away bits of information that I learn from other cooks, as well as reading culinary reference books at times other than mealtime, has helped me greatly on my way to knowing more about food.

These are a few tidbits of data about spices and herbs that can be useful to know:

Cinnamon: Ceylon or Cassia?

Ceylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka is called “true cinnamon” as it comes from only one species of plant. Cassia cinnamon {also known as Indonesian Korintje, Vietnamese Saigon, or Chinese cinnamon} comes from a variety of cinnamomum plants. What is the difference? Ceylon has a lighter color, papery bark, and mellow flavor. Cassia/Korintje/Saigon.Chinese has a darker color, woody bark, and spicy flavor. Cinnamon of any type has been shown to lower blood sugar, and as such is a helpful addition to sweet bakery treats that are likely to increase your blood sugar upon consumption.

However, the biggest difference lies in the fact that all types of Cassia cinnamon contain a high level, 1%, of a harmful compound, coumarin, which thins the blood and damages the liver. Ceylon cinnamon contains a negligible amount of coumarin, .0004%—not believed to be an issue in normal kitchen use. Ceylon cinnamon is the primary type used in Europe—for reasons that in Europe there are regulations about acceptable levels of coumarin in foods {roughly, 1 teaspoon per serving being too much}, because cassia is marketed more honestly as cassia there, and because Europe has been using Ceylon ever since the British had control of Sri Lanka. Cassia cinnamon, unfortunately, is what is mainly marketed to the United States. It is not wise to use quantities of Cassia cinnamon in your cooking.

Most Cassia cinnamon is grown in China and is sold cheaply and in large quantities. Ceylon cinnamon is harder to find in stores in the United States and is more expensive. Due to the lesser coumarin content, Ceylon is about 250 times healthier for you than is Cassia. Any store dedicated to quality spices will carry Ceylon cinnamon. Your neighborhood grocery store—it depends. It is totally worth finding somewhere to buy Ceylon cinnamon if you use, or intend to use, cinnamon in your cooking.

Marjoram or Oregano?

Simply speaking, marjoram and oregano both come from the mint family of herbs and are quite closely related. Some people classify marjoram as a sub-type of oregano; some sources think the two herbs are more like sister species.

For more detailed purposes, there are several dozen species of oregano and dozens of varieties; the possibilities are endless!

For very basic purposes, marjoram and oregano are so similar that they are fairly interchangeable in recipes and in your cupboard; it is anyone’s guess which one is called for in a recipe or labeled on your spice rack.

For more delicate culinary purposes, think of the following classifications. Greek oregano is commonly used in Mediterranean dishes and is the most popular type sold, often called merely “oregano”. Mexican oregano is less minty and goes amazingly with other Latin American flavors. Italian oregano is spicier, with thicker leaves than Greek oregano, and is technically said to be a cross between oregano and marjoram. If you don’t have Italian oregano, easily use Greek/regular oregano, or marjoram, in your recipe; either one goes beautifully with Italian cuisine. Marjoram is technically indigenous to France, has a pleasant sweetness with a slight stronger undertone, and goes well with French-style dishes.

In my own cupboard, I like to stock only marjoram and Mexican oregano. I find that the two of those give a range of options covering the need of just about any food preparation—and I use them frequently. I like the more French-style marjoram {no surprise} since it has a lighter flavor and complements the French-style foods that I most like to make. And almost any North American or Latin American-style food can benefit from a garnish of Mexican oregano. Play with the flavors that suit you the best.

Coriander or Cilantro?

Cilantro is the Spanish word for coriander, an herb which is also called Chinese or Mexican Parsley. In America, cilantro is the term generally used for the fresh or dried green leaves of the plant, while coriander is the term used for the whole or ground dried seed pods of the cilantro/coriander plant. In Europe and Asia, the word coriander is used to describe both the fresh and dried versions of the plant—both the leaves and the seeds. In America, we most commonly use and find fresh cilantro leaves in the produce section of the grocery store—and dried {ground} coriander seeds in the spice section of the grocery store. However, one can find or use dried cilantro leaves {the flavor is not all that fresh-tasting or versatile}; and, especially if you have your own cilantro/coriander plants in a garden, you can use the whole, green coriander seeds from cilantro that has gone to seed {these taste amazing, such as in taco salad}.

This herb/spice, similar to parsley, is versatile to blend with dozens of different flavors. {Like parsley, cilantro/coriander is a member of the carrot family.} While we might typically associate cilantro with Mexican food and coriander with Indian food, each of them taste well with any number of foods. For instance, coriander is very nice in chili {I usually replace much of the cumin with coriander instead}. Cilantro is very nice with any kind of Japanese soba noodles, Thai rice noodles, or Indian basmati rice. Some people think cilantro and coriander are too strong, but with the right flavors, they blend in and do not necessarily need to stand out and dissuade people from their use. They are nutritious, delicious, and add color and seasoning to many types of meals.

Nutmeg or Mace?

I recall finding out about these two things in increments. First, thinking mace was an old word for nutmeg. Then, thinking it was another language’s word for nutmeg. Either way, thinking mace meant the same thing as nutmeg. While I cannot guarantee how it is used, what mace is supposed to mean is the reddish, outside covering of the nutmeg seed. Mace has a more delicate flavor than nutmeg, but is rather rare to find being sold in stores. Nutmeg is generally used as granular powder ground from the dried inner seed pods, and is quite aromatic and flavorful. In recipes, you can substitute nutmeg for mace.

While in America nutmeg is typically used in bakery items such as pumpkin pie, it enjoys much more variety worldwide. In the Kerala region of India, nutmeg rind is used in pickles and chutney. Dried nutmeg is used all over Europe in savory dishes—in green beans and Brussels sprouts in the Netherlands; in the haggis of Scotland; in meat-filled tortellini in Italy; and in eggnog, rice pudding, and mulled wine. In the Caribbean, nutmeg is used in the rum punch of Barbados. My favorite ways to use nutmeg are in spinach and ricotta manicotti filling, in bechamel sauce, and on green beans {Dutch style}. I do not remember ever purchasing mace to use, but I will have to experiment sometime soon.

Anise, Fennel, or Dill?

Being all from the same family, it is easy to get these confused. However, they taste completely different and do look dissimilar. Anise is usually used in the form of dried seeds or flavoring, and goes well with pears, other fruit, and other spices. The regional drink of southern France is pastis, or anise-flavored liquor.

Fennel is used in the form of the fresh bulb, the green fronds {not as common, but if you but a whole bulb with leaves intact, it is nice to incorporate them into what you are making}, and the dried seeds once the top of the plant has “gone to seed”. People describe the flavor as slightly licorice-like. Fennel bulbs are excellent roasted alongside carrots or onions in either a casserole or over a salad. Whole fennel seeds can be smashed in a mortar and pestle and added to ground meat to make homemade sausage patties. Those are some of my favorite ways to use this plant, but fennel is becoming more well-known and widely-found all the time, and there are countless ways to pair it with other ingredients in your meals.

Dill weed is used as an herb {the green leaves} while dill seed is a spice. I find dill seed to be fairly specific and not as versatile as, say, fennel seed or anise seed, but that is definitely a bias and I am sure I need to experiment more. Dill weed tastes wonderful with egg salad, bacon and tomato sandwiches, with mustard in grated carrot salads, and the list goes on. It is also a mild but colorful garnish when your dish or plate needs perking with something vibrantly green.

Miso and shiso?

Miso is a fermented soybean paste used an ingredient in dressings, sauces, and soups, while shiso is an uncommon fresh herb {in America} that can sometimes be found at farmer’s markets or specialty groceries. Shiso is a quite versatile Japanese plant with large leaves that can almost bridge being a salad ingredient—and it is very nutritious. The leaves can either be mixed into to fresh lettuce or lightly stir-fried with a medley of vegetables. Shiso can be a garnish to anything from Asian curries to citrus fruit. I buy it whenever I see it, and never fail to find meals to chop and sprinkle it over. Shiso comes in both purple and green varieties. It is in the mint family and has a flavor somewhat reminiscent of basil, with hints of cumin, cinnamon, or citrus.

Peppermint or spearmint?

The first two web search results say there are 600 varieties of mint…and 7500 varieties of mint. Either way, there are many. Mint has a lively taste and dainty leaves, and it likes to spread its root and establish itself anywhere it is planted. Mint is an herb that lasts quite well in the refrigerator. I also like to put stems in a vase and have them ready in my kitchen for snipping off for garnishes—or just for decoration in a vase of flowers. In America, we usually see peppermint and spearmint paired with sweet items like chocolate, sugar—and of course breath mints. Peppermint has a higher proportion of menthol, giving the strong flavor we associate with peppermint. Thus, peppermint is a good choice whenever the flavor should stand out, such as with chocolate or in tea. Spearmint is a good choice for savory dishes. Worldwide, mint is used more as a savory herb rather than a baking flavoring. Mint {such as a spearmint or any non-peppermint variety} goes exceedingly well with watermelon, strawberries, carrots, basil, balsamic vinaigrette, Moroccan cuisine, Indian cuisine, or Mediterranean cuisine. Just about every time I make a meal, I ask myself what herb will go with it. It is not always mint, of course, but mint has many, many uses.

Some of the many varieties of mint are pineapple mint, chocolate mint, lavender mint, basil mint, licorice mint, and more As far as garnishing plated meals, sprinkling over meats, and adding to salads, I have enjoyed the pineapple mint and lemon mint varieties. Try a few new varieties each year in herb pots on your porch, or look around at a local farmer’s market. You might discover some new favorites. Plus, mint is such a perky, pretty plant to have around even if you don’t cook with the leaves {but you should!}

So, those are some explanations of commonly-misconceived herbs and spices. I hope you are better equipped to use them in your own kitchen. Put a few springs in a glass of water on your windowsill, while you are cooking, and your kitchen will be made more lively at the same time.

Thank you for reading!