Herbs

October 05, 2023

With the end of the growing season fast approaching it has me again thinking about what to plant in next year’s container garden.  When I looked on a harvest chart for Arkansas, I noticed herbs were one of the few types of plants that could be grown and harvested throughout the spring (April) to fall (October).  A large part of the logic for my garden is to become more self-sustainable.  I grew cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) for my Pico the first two years but did not get the plant in the ground this year.  My difficulty has been I did not cut back and use the cilantro on a regular basis, and it went to seed.  While the ground seeds (coriander) are used in cooking, the leaves (cilantro) are altered as the plant seeds and lose much of their taste.  I had dried the cilantro the first two years and was able to use it throughout the season.  Since I dabbled in preserving this year, I began to wonder what herbs I could grow and use in my cooking.  I could use them fresh and then dry the rest for use throughout the winter.

When I looked online, I found herbs are a great way to turn ordinary meals into extraordinary meals without adding extra salt, sugar, or fat.  Researchers believe many culinary herbs have antioxidants that may help protect against diseases such as heart disease and cancer.  The use of herbs and spices has a long culinary history that dates back more than 2,000 years.  They were known to be traded throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East and Oriental spices were the motivation for Columbus’ trips across the Atlantic Ocean.  While many use “spice” and “herb” interchangeably, there is a difference.  Spices come from the bark, buds, fruit, roots, seeds, or stems of plants and trees and are usually dried (except garlic and gingerroot) while herbs are the fragrant leaves of plants.  Plants like coriander provide both herbs and spices.  The seeds of the plant are combined with others to make curry powder, while the leaves of the same plant are called cilantro. 

If you want optimum flavor, ground spices should not be stored longer than 3 years, and seeds no longer than 4 years, although poppy seeds and sesame seeds only last 2 years.  Seasoning blends or mixes are good for 1 to 2 years.  Extracts are best used within 4 years, except vanilla extract which has unlimited shelf life.  The freshness of spices and herbs can be maintained longer if they are stored in airtight containers and kept away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight.  Air and the elements hasten the loss of flavor and aroma of spices and herbs.  That means you should avoid storing herbs and spices over the stove (heat), dishwasher or sink (moisture), or near a window (light).  Each time you use the herbs, make sure the lid is tightly closed (air).  Spices should not be stored in the freezer as this does not extend the shelf life of regularly used dried spices and herbs.  If they are stored in the freezer, and repeatedly removed for use, condensation will form in the bottles and accelerate the loss of flavor and aroma.  I should clean out most of my spice rack and only keep (and grow?) the herbs and spices I intend to use.

Thoughts:  I have frequently been lured in by the low prices of large containers of herbs and spices at the big box store.  These 20+ ounce (5.7+ kg) plastic bottles of spices are usually not too much more expensive than the 2 ounce (.06 kg) bottles in the grocery store.  I have gotten so I refrain from buying large bottles of herbs I seldom use.  While big containers of black pepper, salt, and taco seasoning may be a good buy for me, there is not much else that I use consistently.  Just because something is a “good buy”, it defeats the purpose if the herb losses its flavor or you end up throwing most of it out.  The world wastes 2.5 billion tons of food each year, and the US leads the way at 60 billion tons or nearly US$218 billion.  This is the equivalent of 130 billion meals.  The adage is, “take what you want, eat what you take”.  It is still good advice.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.