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How do herbs and other plants make the food taste and smell better?
I'm a young cook trying to learn and get a better understanding of herbs and spices
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Howard’s Answer
Taste is subjective. That means that one dish can taste different to different people. Seasoning is typically salt and pepper. You use seasoning to enhance the flavor of a dish. In other words make it taste better. Herbs and flavorings can change the taste of a dish. If you add a lot of pepper it is hot. Add a lot of garlic it taste like garlic. Add vanilla to baked items it changes the taste. You have to learn to Ballance flavors to make each dish unique in its taste.
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Howard’s Answer
In cooking, there are two things to learn. Flavorings and seasonings. Flavorings can change the taste of an item or dish. Seasonings enhance the taste of a dish. So be careful and do not overdo either of these things. Seasonings are typically salts, seeds, and roots. Flavorings are herbs, leaves, flowers, bark and other plant items. A dish should be a blend of textures and flavors. When cooked makes a unique taste for that dish. They should all be in harmony and not overpower the dish. Unless it is garlic sauce then it should be garlic.
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Poonam’s Answer
Herbs and spices are like magic ingredients in cooking. They enhance the taste and aroma of food by adding various flavors and scents. Here's how they work:
Flavor Enhancement: Herbs and spices contain essential oils, compounds, and chemicals that provide unique flavors. For example, basil offers a fresh, slightly sweet flavor, while cayenne pepper provides heat and a slightly smoky taste. When you use these ingredients, they infuse your dish with their distinct flavors, making the food more interesting and flavorful.
Aromatics: Herbs and spices contribute aromatic compounds that add enticing scents to your dishes. Fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme have earthy, woody aromas, while spices like cinnamon and cardamom offer sweet and warm scents. These fragrances make food more appealing even before you take the first bite.
Balancing Flavors: Herbs and spices help balance and enhance other flavors in a dish. For example, the acidity of citrus can be complemented by the freshness of herbs like parsley or cilantro. Cumin can enhance the nutty flavors of roasted vegetables. These ingredients work together to create a harmonious taste profile.
Variety: Using herbs and spices allows you to experiment and create a wide range of flavor profiles. This variety keeps your cooking exciting and can cater to different preferences.
Visual Appeal: Fresh herbs and ground spices can add vibrant colors to your dishes, making them visually appealing and appetizing.
To learn more about herbs and spices, experiment in your kitchen. Taste them individually, understand their unique qualities, and try incorporating them into your recipes. Don't be afraid to be creative, and you'll develop a deeper understanding of how these ingredients can make your food taste and smell better.
Flavor Enhancement: Herbs and spices contain essential oils, compounds, and chemicals that provide unique flavors. For example, basil offers a fresh, slightly sweet flavor, while cayenne pepper provides heat and a slightly smoky taste. When you use these ingredients, they infuse your dish with their distinct flavors, making the food more interesting and flavorful.
Aromatics: Herbs and spices contribute aromatic compounds that add enticing scents to your dishes. Fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme have earthy, woody aromas, while spices like cinnamon and cardamom offer sweet and warm scents. These fragrances make food more appealing even before you take the first bite.
Balancing Flavors: Herbs and spices help balance and enhance other flavors in a dish. For example, the acidity of citrus can be complemented by the freshness of herbs like parsley or cilantro. Cumin can enhance the nutty flavors of roasted vegetables. These ingredients work together to create a harmonious taste profile.
Variety: Using herbs and spices allows you to experiment and create a wide range of flavor profiles. This variety keeps your cooking exciting and can cater to different preferences.
Visual Appeal: Fresh herbs and ground spices can add vibrant colors to your dishes, making them visually appealing and appetizing.
To learn more about herbs and spices, experiment in your kitchen. Taste them individually, understand their unique qualities, and try incorporating them into your recipes. Don't be afraid to be creative, and you'll develop a deeper understanding of how these ingredients can make your food taste and smell better.
Updated
Misael (Misha)’s Answer
Hello,
Numerous fragrant herbs like basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme, mint, and sage generate essential oils within their leaves. These oils release distinct scents and tastes, and in some plants, these oil concentrations can be incredibly strong.
It's how you cooked them to be honest it varies.
Numerous fragrant herbs like basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme, mint, and sage generate essential oils within their leaves. These oils release distinct scents and tastes, and in some plants, these oil concentrations can be incredibly strong.
It's how you cooked them to be honest it varies.
Updated
Michel’s Answer
All ingredients add depth of flavor making food more dimensional. The secret is to utilize ingredients that pair well together in amounts that don’t overwhelm the principle ingredient with using so many ingredients that flavors become muddled.
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Joan’s Answer
Hello LaJuan!
Did you know that herbs and spices are your secret weapon in the kitchen? They're a fantastic way to enhance the taste of your meals while cutting down on your salt intake. Herbs, like parsley, rosemary, thyme, dill, basil, mint, and oregano, come from the leafy parts of plants that have non-woody stems.
Spices, on the other hand, are usually sold dried and can be found either whole or ground. They tend to pack a more potent punch than herbs. Spices can come from various parts of plants, both woody and non-woody. For instance, ginger and turmeric come from root-like stems, capers and cloves from flower buds, saffron from flower stigmas, peppercorns and allspice from fruits, cardamom and cumin from seeds, and cinnamon from bark.
Taste is a major factor that influences our food choices. Therefore, making healthy food delicious is crucial. The good news is that herbs and spices can help you do just that. They can make nutritious foods like vegetables, whole grains, and fish taste fantastic, while also reducing the amount of salt you use. In fact, studies have shown that when adults were given a low-sodium tomato soup seasoned with herbs and spices, they found it just as salty as the regular, higher-sodium version.
If you're just beginning to explore the world of herbs and spices, here are some tips to help you on your journey:
- Start by adding small amounts of herbs and spices to your dishes.
- Feel free to experiment with different combinations of herbs and spices.
- Whenever possible, opt for fresh herbs.
- Keep your herbs and spices in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
I hope you find this information helpful! Happy cooking!
Did you know that herbs and spices are your secret weapon in the kitchen? They're a fantastic way to enhance the taste of your meals while cutting down on your salt intake. Herbs, like parsley, rosemary, thyme, dill, basil, mint, and oregano, come from the leafy parts of plants that have non-woody stems.
Spices, on the other hand, are usually sold dried and can be found either whole or ground. They tend to pack a more potent punch than herbs. Spices can come from various parts of plants, both woody and non-woody. For instance, ginger and turmeric come from root-like stems, capers and cloves from flower buds, saffron from flower stigmas, peppercorns and allspice from fruits, cardamom and cumin from seeds, and cinnamon from bark.
Taste is a major factor that influences our food choices. Therefore, making healthy food delicious is crucial. The good news is that herbs and spices can help you do just that. They can make nutritious foods like vegetables, whole grains, and fish taste fantastic, while also reducing the amount of salt you use. In fact, studies have shown that when adults were given a low-sodium tomato soup seasoned with herbs and spices, they found it just as salty as the regular, higher-sodium version.
If you're just beginning to explore the world of herbs and spices, here are some tips to help you on your journey:
- Start by adding small amounts of herbs and spices to your dishes.
- Feel free to experiment with different combinations of herbs and spices.
- Whenever possible, opt for fresh herbs.
- Keep your herbs and spices in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
I hope you find this information helpful! Happy cooking!
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity.
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James Constantine’s Answer
Thank you, LaJuan!
While I've been advised not to provide medical suggestions or endorse specific vitamins or minerals, I'm more than happy to follow those guidelines! The good news is, I can still perform my role as a dietitian-nutritionist to the fullest. This involves not only promoting ideal human nutrition, but also managing medical conditions through therapeutic dietetics. We're perfectly permitted to offer advice on dietary matters.
One undeniable fact is that therapies backed by solid evidence are completely defensible. If you're like me, you'll choose to use herbs in a well-informed manner. We're all aware of the dangers of nightshade, which highlights the importance of using herbs responsibly. I recommend researching the herb or spice you're interested in on Google or Bing to understand its effects. Don't forget to consult your doctor before incorporating any new herb or spice into your diet!
How do herbs, spices and essences enhance food tastes and smells? They really stimulate the whole human organism, from the mouth to the small intestine. These gustatory compounds can elicit the letdown, the secretion of digestive juices that are essential to digest nutrients.
Aromas can change moods too, from melancholia to elation! Reading up on naturally-derived essential oils will inform you. There is an area of organic chemistry that specializes in essential oils. Does the name citral, neral or eugenol ring a bell? These are terpenes nature builds up polymers from isoprenoid monomers. The herb or spice often develops these compounds to combat yeasts, molds, fungi and bacteria. This functional gets carried over when flavoring foods! In medieval days spices and herbs stopped food going off through contamination with micro-organisms. These extracts were part of the pharmacopeia in ancient and medieval medicine!
To wrap things up, let's remember that while pharmaceuticals are produced in labs, herbs and spices come from nature itself.
While I've been advised not to provide medical suggestions or endorse specific vitamins or minerals, I'm more than happy to follow those guidelines! The good news is, I can still perform my role as a dietitian-nutritionist to the fullest. This involves not only promoting ideal human nutrition, but also managing medical conditions through therapeutic dietetics. We're perfectly permitted to offer advice on dietary matters.
One undeniable fact is that therapies backed by solid evidence are completely defensible. If you're like me, you'll choose to use herbs in a well-informed manner. We're all aware of the dangers of nightshade, which highlights the importance of using herbs responsibly. I recommend researching the herb or spice you're interested in on Google or Bing to understand its effects. Don't forget to consult your doctor before incorporating any new herb or spice into your diet!
How do herbs, spices and essences enhance food tastes and smells? They really stimulate the whole human organism, from the mouth to the small intestine. These gustatory compounds can elicit the letdown, the secretion of digestive juices that are essential to digest nutrients.
Aromas can change moods too, from melancholia to elation! Reading up on naturally-derived essential oils will inform you. There is an area of organic chemistry that specializes in essential oils. Does the name citral, neral or eugenol ring a bell? These are terpenes nature builds up polymers from isoprenoid monomers. The herb or spice often develops these compounds to combat yeasts, molds, fungi and bacteria. This functional gets carried over when flavoring foods! In medieval days spices and herbs stopped food going off through contamination with micro-organisms. These extracts were part of the pharmacopeia in ancient and medieval medicine!
To wrap things up, let's remember that while pharmaceuticals are produced in labs, herbs and spices come from nature itself.