by Darin Sehnert

Created on: August 13, 2008

Age A Matter of Taste

Just like a fine wine many of you have probably grown better with age. That can be said for many things in the culinary worldcheeses, vinegar, cured meats, stews As each of these items age they develop deeper and more intense flavors that wouldn't be nearly as flavorful if not for the passage of time.

Herbs & spices on the other hand do not age gracefully. Potent and full of flavor one day that pungent pixie dust often turns into a dusty reminder of its former self by the time you use the last of it. What is a flavor seeking foodie to do?

Herbs are the edible leafy-green portion of a plant. Spices are the edible seed-pod, bark or root of a plant. Dried herbs and spices look like they will last forever. How could they go bad? They have no moisture to help promote the growth of molds or other bacteria.

They share common enemies: light, heat, moisture, and oxygen. UV rays tend to break down flavor compounds and diminish the resulting flavor. Heat is one of the most commonly found enemies. Ironically the most popular place for a spice rack is also the worstYES!, I'm talking about a rack just above the stove or right beside it. In either of these places those spices will absorb reflective heat from your cooking surface which will break down and diminish the oils responsible for flavor. Moisture can be a problem as it can contribute to a musty flavor or possibly even mold growth. Finally, exposure to air helps to promote evaporation of aromatic compounds that are responsible for much of what we perceive as taste. Store dried herbs & spices near the stove, not over it.

Flavor Facelift:
Give your food a flavor "facelift" by buying herbs and spices in smaller quantities and use them quickly. Herbs & spices should not be among your bulk food club purchases. Those silly little jars of dill weed ARE a lot more expensive in the grocery store than the bulk buying clubs but ask yourself this.just how much dried dill do you really use? Unless you're planning to use the extra for a topiary craft project you should focus on maximizing flavor rather than purchase volume.

*Some herbs are simply better freshdried chives, parsley and chervil are three that are about as flavorful as sawdust from your garage that has been tinted green with food color.

*Keep track of how long those have been on your shelf by marking the label with the month and year you added the item to your flavor arsenal.

*Buy spices in stores where there is a large turnover. If that jar is dusty or the label is faded or looks a bit haggard you're better to opt for a different venue.

Now add a little spice to your life with this recipe for a German spice blend I created for roast pork.

German Pork Roast Seasoning

1/4 cup whole caraway seed
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Place caraway seed and black peppercorns in a small saut pan over high heat. Toast until spice become fragrant, shaking pan frequently. Remove from heat and place in a spice grinder or mortar & pestle along with thyme, salt and lemon zest. Process or grind until finely ground.

To use: Brush pork loin roast with vegetable oil and then rub or roll meat in seasoning until well coated. Drape smoked bacon over the top of the roast and place in preheated 375 degree oven and roast until internal temperature reaches 145.

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