The Gourmet Cupboard

By Jocelyn Atkinson

As one of the constant battles of being a mom, fixing pleasing meals the whole family will enjoy is a biggie. One weapon you can weld in this war is a well-stocked spice cabinet. Filling that cabinet with several basic but handy seasonings and spices, you’ll definitely be ready when it comes to dealing with that nightly challenge with ease.

1. Salt and Pepper- Pleasing the palates of all members of your family can be next to impossible. Try allowing family members to spice up their food to their liking with some simple and basic salt and paper. With these table-side spices and seasonings, a bland meal can be seasoned to any family member’s liking, no matter how different their tastes may be.

2. Cinnamon – Whether sprinkled atop oatmeal or added to cookies, cinnamon gives any dish a warm and homemade taste. This spice can be used in a variety of ways and is available inexpensively, making it a staple for any busy mom’s spice pantry.

3. Garlic – With garlic you can do anything from whipping up a simple and filling loaf of garlic bread to seasoning your favorite Italian-style treat. Available in a variety of forms ranging from whole clovers to garlic salt this spice is one that all moms should keep on hand and, because it is so inexpensive, you can do so without breaking the bank.

4. Oregano – Another staple of Italian cooking, oregano can spice up simple tomato sauces of add a punch to a baked Italian dish. Though available fresh, this spice is also tasty dried, making it an easy addition to the family spice cabinet. By sprinkling the green oregano leaves over the top of a completed dish, you can even add some aesthetic appeal as well.

5. Onion Powder – Add some flavor to your next casserole with the addition of some onion powder. If you or your family members don’t find chunks of onion to be to their liking, you can use onion powder instead without affecting the flavor. One major advantage of onion powder is the fact you can leave onions out of a dish altogether if family members don’t like the taste and those who do like it can add the seasoning to their individual portions instead.

6. Vanilla Bean – For those children who love sweet tasting treats, using vanilla beans is a great flavor addition. With this naturally sweet seasoning you can produce the palate pleasing sweetness you desire in versions of pudding, cakes or cookies that aren’t as heavy in sugar as others.

Start with a few spices and seasonings and become more proficient in using them, then expand your range by adding more choices to your rack and learn how to take advantage of them. Eventually, you will become a master spice-user, able to season any dish to perfection with just the supplies in your seasonings and spices cabinet and some know-how.

Being the avid cook that she is, Jocelyn Atkinson has figured out which herbs and spices every kitchen should have To help you be successful in the kitchen, Savory Spice Shop offers all the organic spices and herbs you need.

Turmeric is a plant in the family of ginger and is found in the warm areas of South Asia. Turmeric can be used in a number of ways either fresh or even in powder form. You can use turmeric in making curry and as a home remedy. In Europe, it’s known as Indian saffron since it appears like the more expensive spice.

The interest in health benefits of turmeric continues to be rising recently. Alzheimer?s disease, diabetes, cancer and also other illnesses have been demonstrated to react to turmeric. Fortunately for us, there are several scientific studies carried out on the health benefits of turmeric both using animal test subjects and research conducted on humans. Final results are extremely good.

Turmeric may turn out to be a very valuable natural medicine. It has curcumin which authorities say has many potential medical uses. Curcumin works well in pain relief and its effect may be compared to the impact of ibuprofen. For more than a thousand years, Ayurvedic medicine in India has used turmeric.

We have seen experiments carried out to examine the power of curcumin against Alzheimer?s disease. It will also help prevent the deterioration of nerves in the brain. Curcumin can also guard the brain from damage brought on by oxidation. Curcumin can also be powerful in fighting inflammation. One particular investigation done at Harvard demonstrates curcumin can shrink plaques. The elderly who ate curry having turmeric are seen to have much better mental capabilities than those who do not consume turmeric flavored curry. These are excellent conclusions and the impacts of turmeric on Alzheimer?s disease deserve further exploration.

Liver disease is likewise another thing that turmeric is apparently great at as seen on tests on rodents. It works by inhibiting the production of proteins that cause inflammation. Although the usefulness of turmeric versus liver disease in humans hasn?t been evaluated yet, the results definitely justify further studies.

Inflammation is linked to cancer. Because curcumin is seen to fight inflammation, research workers examined how it may help fight against cancer. The studies show that curcumin can help prevent cancer and at the same time, it can also help cure it. Delaying the development of tumor is another job that turmeric can perform. The investigators declare that it can help fight against breast cancer.

Know that curcumin also has a couple of unwanted effects. A lot of turmeric could cause moderate nausea and also diarrhea. You will encounter no negative effects from turmeric provided that you only eat the recommended quantities. Pregnant women can safely eat turmeric. It is listed by the Food and Drug Administration as ?generally recognized as safe? (GRAS).

When getting turmeric, be sure that you don?t mistake it with curry powder. Curry powder includes turmeric but it’s not pure turmeric. You may utilize it to add taste to your food. You can include coconut oil to help in the absorption of curcumin in the body. It is certainly remarkable how natural foods can help with our health.

A bit of time invested in investigation may help you a lot in determining which foodstuff actually are great for your health. You can savor delicious meals while still gaining better health all at once. You don’t have to add a lot of sodium to make a dish taste good. You are able to stay healthy while at the same time enjoy delightful tasting dishes.

Cooking is much more than simply throwing a protein in a pan and cooking it to the correct internal temperature. Spices help to make the food more interesting to prepare and to enjoy, and it is easy to research and purchase spices online. Beef can be plain, or you can add flavors from around the world and it becomes Mexican, French, Asian, American, Italian or another ethnic cuisine.

Emeril Lagasse helped to make the world more knowledgeable about the importance of cooking spice through his cooking shows. You may have heard popular phrases like “Kick it up a notch!” and “Bam!”, which he regularly excliams when using various additions for spicing up the food because it enhances flavor and produces a better dish.

While Emeril was famous for some of his southern and Cajun dishes, he also knew that it was important that all food was seasoned properly. Few foods in the world can be served after being cooked without any kind of herbs, sauces, seasoning or vegetables being added to the pan or pot to add flavor.

Regardless of whether the food is being rubbed with a cooking spice, injected with a marinade or wrapped in herbs, it needs to have something. Some of the most popular herbs and spices to cook with include: Basil – Cilantro – Black Pepper – Garlic – Cumin – Paprika – Chili Powder

Sometimes it’s not about a single spice, either. Combining them into perfectly formulated mixtures and seasonings can turn an ordinary burger into something more exotic. It can turn a typical prime rib into something to write home about. A culinary dream can be made out of what would have been plain, grilled chicken. Without using something to cook protein with, it will all start to taste the same. Taste buds will become bored with what’s being served for dinner and that’s no way to live!

In the words of Emeril Lagasse, it’s time to “kick it up a notch” and start using more herbs and seasonings when you cook. If you are not sure of what to use on different proteins, there are cookbooks to guide you along the way. You can also try your hand at experimenting with different combinations to pick up a few things that a cookbook won’t tell you about.

Salt and pepper are the basics, but you need to build your flavors in order to help your food come alive on the palate. Spice blends will provide you with a sensational way to boost the taste of your food like never before.

If you’ve ever watched any cooking show, then you should know by now that fresh ingredients can have a huge impact on the quality and taste of your food. Does anyone really prefer the taste of processed meats and cheeses over a fresh product? Kids might and those who have less refined taste buds, but the majority of us will take the latter. If you’ve even eaten homemade pasta, you understand the big difference! Not only do fresh, natural ingredients taste significantly better, they are better for your health.

Think about all the processed foods we eat, especially snack food. We all know how unhealthy they are, we’ve seen the results. Sometimes you feel like you can actually taste the manufactured items. We enjoy it to an extent, but we know buying pre-made meals and junk food is cheaper and easier. Many of us come home late from work and don’t have time to cook. Instead, we pop a frozen dinner in the microwave and call it a day.

But if you took a little extra time out of your day to stop at the supermarket and buy actual spinach instead of a the frozen block, you’d soon realize you’re in for a world of flavor. It’s easier to cook and work with and the meal will bubble over with flavor. Even the pickiest of eaters will feel satisfied with a meal full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats. It’s the reason we love going to four and five star restaurants. We know the cooks received a new shipment of ingredients from the local market that morning. Nothing has been sitting in the refrigerator for weeks on end, unless it’s a cut of meat marinating in secrete homemade rub!

Another way to add flavor to a dish is to use fresh spices as well. Normally we don’t think about spices as being processed, but they too are affected when they’re stuck in those little bottles you find in the spice aisle. That’s why people are always on the hunt for the best pepper grinders because they know the pepper in the shaker just doesn’t compare. Fresh ground pepper from a pepper mill immediately releases a bolder flavor and aroma, making a noticeable difference in your food. Hence why people search for excellent pepper mills. Salt too can be used in pepper grinders, giving a distinctive taste.

The food we ingest is not only important to our overall health, but our senses. The better the food, the better we feel and the happier we are.

PepperMate sells some of the best salt and pepper grinders. Their acclaimed pepper grinders are loved by some of the world’s top chefs. They make a wonderful addition to any kitchen, as well as the perfect gift for cooking enthusiasts.

Most individuals are discouraged by the strong smell of garlic. Actually garlic is among the most beneficial natural remedy that’s readily available through your local grocery store. It’s been used for thousands of years as food and also medicine in different parts of the planet. Garlic has antifungal as well as antibacterial benefits. Allicin, the organic substance which makes garlic smell, is actually touted as the world’s most potent antioxidant. We don’t know precisely why garlic is that good for us but it is.

This article discusses the numerous health benefits of garlic. Studies show that strokes as well as cardiovascular disease may be effectively stopped by means of garlic. Garlic health supplements are found to lessen blood pressure levels by about 5%. Though this might not seem to be a lot, it’s sufficient to prevent stroke and heart disease.

Garlic is recognized for its antibacterial attributes. You can say that antibiotics that you can acquire from the drugstore are reliable against bacteria. However, the main problem is that with time, bacteria can evolve immunity to these antibiotics. An interesting fact with regards to using garlic is that bacteria can’t develop defenses to it. Some declare that it was in the 19th century when the antibacterial qualities of garlic were discovered.

The power of garlic against various to diseases has been a puzzle among researchers for a long time now. Not right up until very recently when researchers learned that garlic is helpful in increasing the naturally occurring hydrogen sulfide within our bodies. Hydrogen sulfide, in huge levels is actually harmful.

It is important to understand that our bodies in fact make hydrogen sulfide and it functions as an antioxidant. It also tells the blood vessels to loosen up. More blood can flow when the veins are relaxed. Research workers point out that this might be the key reason why garlic is helpful in preventing different kinds of cancers. On a research performed on mice, scientists discovered that hydrogen sulfide is useful in preventing harm to the heart even right after a heart attack.

The thing is most people don’t eat enough amounts of garlic to see its health advantages. In Italy, China and also South Korea, people consume typically a dozen cloves of garlic every day. It is not actually that difficult to raise your daily garlic consumption because you can just use garlic in fixing meals.

There’s a site about natural cures referred to as Natural Health Sherpa that features an important article regarding the many benefits of garlic. The website advises that you make use of garlic along with other spices including peppers as well as onions in fixing meals. When preparing mixed veggies, you may also use garlic to provide flavor.

Remember that a lot of garlic may actually lead to indigestion. But many people are worried about garlic breath. And that’s not all; the garlic smell may even trickle out through your skin even if it is been several hours since you ate it. Some people prefer utilizing garlic capsules in order to avoid smelly breath but if you consume a lot of garlic capsules, you will still get the garlic smell on the skin. Or simply do not eat too much to avoid stinking like garlic.

Cooking food is not as difficult as some might believe. But, what separates a decent, edible meal from an exquisite, delicious one is the flavor. Spices excite our palates; they make us want to eat more than we know we should. The most basic of all the spices is pepper. This does not indicate that pepper is not as good as some of the others you might find on a spice rack. With just the right amount of pepper, you can add flavor to any dish without fear of overpowering its essence.

Pepper’s long history dates back to prehistoric India, which is pepper’s native country. Pepper has been used in Indian cooking since at least 2000 BCE, but it could have easily been used even before then. Peppercorns were widely traded and were considered a form of commodity money, referred to as “black gold.” Peppercorns were actually found in the nostrils of Ramesses II, placed there after his mummification in 1213 BCE. However, no one is quite sure how pepper made it all the way to Egypt or if it was used in actual cooking or other practices. Pepper was also seen in Greece around the 4th century BCE, although many believe it was an expensive commodity that only the rich enjoyed.

After the Roman Empire gained control of Egypt, ocean trading to southern India was quite common; pepper was now a spice found frequently among the Roman cargo, but it was still expensive. Black pepper continued to be a valuable spice throughout Europe and was sometimes used as currency. During the Middle Ages, all black pepper, along with most spices, came solely from the Malabar region of India. Some believe pepper was actually used to conceal the taste of partially rotten meat, but historians believe it is unlikely because only the wealthy could afford pepper and they certainly wouldn’t have rotten meat.

It was not until the 16th century, that pepper was grown in Java, Sunda, Sumatra, Madagascar, Malaysia, and in other parts of Southeast Asia. We can thank the Portuguese for bringing it to the masses and for attempting to find a sea route to India. They could not hold the trade route for long, as other countries smuggled their spice cargo, which made pepper more easily accessible to the rest of Europe. As the pepper supplies increased, its price declined. It quickly became a household seasoning and it now counts for one-fifth of the world’s spice trade.

Today, Vietnam is actually the world’s largest producer and exporter of pepper, accounting for 34%, while India now provides 19% of this spice. It’s interesting to think that pepper was once currency and now pepper and pepper grinders are items found in just about every home.

PepperMate sells some of the best salt and pepper grinders. Their acclaimed pepper grinders are loved by some of the world’s top chefs. They make a wonderful addition to any kitchen, as well as the perfect gift for cooking enthusiasts.

By Wrath Warbone

These days the herb Rosemary is mainly used as a culinary aid, but long ago it was thought of as a great cure-all. It was used for its medical powers by Pliny, Dioscordes, by Galen and many early Arab physicians. They were all ground breaking doctors of ancient times. It is also used currently as as an antiseptic, a gentle stimulant to the body, an aromatic, a headache remedy, a folk-medicine hear tonic, and for many other uses. Here are some more of them:

Breath Aid

A mouth wash cheaper than store bought can be made with cheap sherry and Rosemary. Use a pinch of dried Rosemary if you don’t have it fresh. Also put in a pinch each of cloves, cinnamon, anise seed, and a dust or two of mace. Steep, turn and shake the mixture for a week or so, then strain out the herbs. It is delicious, low cost and twice as effective as store bought mouth wash.

Memory

Have you ever heard the saying, “Rosemary, that’s for remembrance?” The ancients thought that Rosemary sharpens the memory. Because they also thought Rosemary promotes fidelity it was always woven int the brides headdress, by the way.

Disease Prevention

The ancients thought Rosemary helps ward off disease. That is why it is part of many very old family recipes that date back from the bubonic plague. In English courts sprigs of Rosemary were placed by the judges in the dock and placed about the court because it was believed to prevent the spread of diseases. A English herbal from 1550 says to drink a tea of rosemary flowers, “for it is much worth against all ‘evyls’ in the body.”

Restorative

Many people from long ago recommend rosemary for morning tea because of its restorative abilities. It has been used for headaches and for fits of nervousness. Rosemary can be used as a tonic in tea form to stimulate and strengthen the system after and illness or when one is very tired. Rosemary leaves added to wine are thought to be good for the heart and for the prevention of swelling of the ankles. It is also a good diuretic. It has been used for congestion of the liver. External Stimulant Rosemary makes for a fine skin stimulant and is also good for the scalp. It an be added to the bath in as strong tea form, to help with sluggish circulation and to lift the mood. When added to rinses and shampoos it prevents dandruff and strengthens hair, especially dark hair.

Headache

For headaches add a pinch of rosemary to any herbal tea. Sage with lavender is a good choice. Combine it with chamomile or peppermint in a tea for stomach spasms. Rosemary has many uses.

Wrath Warbone is a writer with a strong interest in hers and their medicinal properties. Rosemary is available at a low cost HERE

One substance that can add quite a kick to any dish is cardamom. Even today the spice is an expensive one, at least compared to its peers. The delicate flavors of cardamom can add a unique twist to any culinary layout, from wedding catering to BBQ catering. Cardamom pods come from the southern region of India, but the spice can be obtained just about anywhere today. The supply found in North American grocery stores is usually imported from crops in Guatemala.

The sweet and spicy nature of cardamom is derived from the seeds within the pod. Cooks in America usually find cardamom already in its powdered form; this powder is derived from those seeds but does not contain the same delicate balance of flavors that can be found in the original pod form. Once you have bought cardamom in the seed pod form, you will likely never go back to the powdered version. It is difficult to bottle the flavors found in the cardamom pod; once it has been opened and the seeds cracked it is difficult to pin down those flavors for long. If you have purchased a few pods, you will see that the seeds’ flavors would not last long if you leave them lying around instead of using the fresh seeds right away. Unfortunately, the seeds are unable to maintain a high level of fresh flavors. Typically, ground cardamom contains both the ground seeds and the pod. Therefore, the taste of the seeds is made milder by the addition of the ground pods. As you can see, purchasing the pods is really the best option if your recipe calls for cardamom.

Be sure to purchase the freshest possible cardamom pods from your local grocery store or specialty shop. Do not crack them until just before you are ready to use the seeds in your dish. Be sure to use the pods within nine months, this way your stores will always be as fresh as possible, and the flavors will really shine through when you incorporate the seeds into your meals. Store the pods in mason jars will air tight lids, and place the jars in a place where the temperature stays moderate. You do not want to place the pods in a place where they are exposed to too much heat; any exposure to heat may take away from the seeds’ delicate flavors.

To extract the flavor from your precious cardamom seeds, you will need a mortar and pestle. Extract the seeds from each pod and place them in the mortar if you do not have one, you can also use a clean coffee grinder for a similar effect to be ground. Remember to only separate the seeds from the pods when you are ready to use them. Taking the seeds out and saving them for later will only take away from the seeds’ flavor and that is exactly what we are trying to avoid here.

If you happen to be using the seeds to flavor any number of stews, soups or savory dishes, you can actually toss the entire pod in as the dish cooks. You can crush it much like smashing a garlic clove or throw it in whole, depending upon the effect you want to create.

Stewart Wrighter searched the term wedding catering Sacramento to find a caterer for his daughter’s wedding. He hired a Sacramento BBQ catering company to provide food and drinks for the company picnic.