Herbs

Sometimes, you need to make do with what you have.

Sometimes, what you have is dried parsley flakes.

There's no use crying about it. The parsley in your refrigerator went bad a couple of days ago. You didn't manage to preserve it. You don't have time to run out and get more. Your eyes turn to your spice rack. There's a jar there that's labeled Parsley. You're not sure you believe it. You don't believe everything you read.

You open the jar. You smell it. It smells a bit like parsley, but the aroma is fainter than you are fully comfortable with. At least it hasn't gone musty.

In a flash of inspiration, you put a tablespoon or so into a ramekin with some water and swirl it around. You watch as the dried leaves smooth out and their color brightens. You take a deep breath. The aroma of parsley has intensified. You smile.

Image by Julian BurgessI've been thinking about smoked food lately. This might be because I have several pounds of beef back ribs in my freezer. I was wondering what sort of wood to use to smoke them with... when I asked myself, why does it have to be wood?

Wood certainly isn't the only thing that burns and gives off smoke. Right? Some things will burn and give off nasty smoke, but I'm sure that there are some sorts of non-woodsmoke out there that would result in perfectly tasty food.

What about woody herbs like rosemary? What about spices? Cinnamon sticks, cracked nutmeg, and whole seeds (cumin? mustard?) seem like possibilities. What about dried fruits or vegetables? Nuts? Dried flowers? Tea? Herbal teas?

I don't know what the results would be, but I am curious.

Is this a technique that is used?

Image by Shawn AllenFresh herbs are wonderful, but you can't always use them before they go bad. Luckily, you have some alternatives.

Image by tina vallèsThere's a certain simple beauty that can be attained by taking things that would otherwise be wasted and turning them into something delicious.

I have a middling-sized air-tight plastic container that I keep in the freezer. I toss scraps and ends of vegetables in it. When it starts to get full, I make vegetable stock.

Do you have commercially-packaged dried herbs or spices still in their original containers? Manufacturers including Durkee, McCormick, and Spice Island have online resources that allow you to find out just how old your herbs and spices are.