Cooking With Herbs

by Alden Smith

Every since the Middle Ages, when Crusaders brought back herbs from their travels, herbs have been used for cooking. Food in the Middle Ages left a great deal to be desired, and was barely fit to eat, especially meats. There was no real good way to store meat, so it was generally salted to preserve it. because people then knew little about the art of preservation, the meat was usually bad tasting with a foul smell. Herbs cured much of that.

Throughout the ages, great chefs have used herbs. each herb has a huge following in different parts of the world, such as garlic and oregano in Italy, the heavy use of chilies in Mexico, and caraway seeds, used in the dark breads of Germany. It is in the United States, however, that we see a real mix when it comes to culinary herbs. Because America is the melting pot of the world, almost every section of the country has areas where specific herbs are dominant in cooking. Here, we will focus on culinary herbs in the United States. we will discuss herbs typical of certain areas of the country, and how they are used in cooking and seasoning.

Cooking With Herbs

almost every meal can be identified with some particular herb. If you go to Louisiana, for example, the food is of a very specific flavor and flair. Many people think that Cajun food is very hot, but this just isn't so. Although they use such hot spices as cayenne pepper in their foods, it is brought to table not spicy and hot, but in such a fashion that whoever is eating can choose their own particular brand of hot spices from containers set on table. The Cajuns, who are mostly French, originally came from Canada, so they brought a rich heritage of foods and spices with them, including the love of hot foods.

The United States has pockets of people from many nations, and no where is this more evident than in the large cities, such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Nothing expresses this more than New York, where over 36% of its population is foreign born. Originally in New York, the Italians were predominant, and the Irish, with one in fifty person being of Irish extraction.

With them came the culinary traditions of Italy and Ireland. Italy, long known for its great food, brought to the United States oregano, tomato sauces of many types and the all time favorite, pizza. The Irish brought to the New World soups and stews and used bay leaves, onions and leeks in much of their cooking. Who can forget corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day?

Across The Nation

Looking across the nation we see pockets of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and many oriental ethnic groups. They have brought to the United States their own unique brand of cooking, heavy in spices and flavor. Even in china, the geographical locations have particular likes and dislikes for types of foods, and this shows up in the US. We see Chinese five spice powder, rich in cinnamon, ginger, anise, cloves and star anise. Oriental cooking can be heavy on hot chilies and different sauces, such as soy and teriyaki.

You cannot look at ethnic groups in America without considering the heavy influence of Indian and Muslim foods. India has brought us the rich flavors of that country, with their emphasis on health benefits from foods. Many Indians are vegetarian, and they bring us such things as cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and curry. Hindu and Muslim people have brought us curries, cardamom, paprika and cloves.

American Cooking

Cooking in America is as diverse as the entire populations of the world. Every state, it seems, has its own brand of foods, spiced in different ways and textures. From the pasties of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with its heavy influence of Cornwall, England and filled with potatoes and onions, to the tacos of the south west, each part of the Untied States offers a specialty that is common to the region and the ethnic group that is predominant there. Who hasn't heard of the Philly Cheese Steak, that is a big part of Philadelphia tradition? Smothered in onions and peppers, heavy on cheese, it is a culinary delight.

You only need to go to Grandma's house on thanksgiving to know how important spices are in the US. From the smell of sage and nutmeg, to the aroma of fresh baked pumpkin pies with all the spices, culinary herbs are a big part of our culture. Without spices, our meals would be bland and tasteless. Learning to cook with them is another thing. Not using them is almost a sin.