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A well stock herb pantry is a necessity to the seasoned cook. After you enter the world of herbs and spices, plain salt and pepper just won't suffice. One of the first dishes I ever learned to prepare was gumbo. The use of herbs and spices are passed around passed around my large family like bad gossip. My pantry must have the following herbs and spices. My cooking is generally Cajun, southern style and Mexican cooking is popular in my home. I would also like to suggest that if you are serious about expanding your use of herbs and spices. Invest in a moter and pestal. I like to blend all of my herbs and spices in the moter, crushing and blending the properties of each ingredenient with the pestal.

File'- some may ask just what is file'. This herb is so good the dish gumbo just can't be called gumbo, in the south it is gumbo file'. It is the ground leaves of a sassafras tree. Always add this herb after the cooking process. Like file' should be on the table with the salt and pepper. If file' is put into the gumbo to soon it will make the gumbo have a slimy texture. The flavor of file' is a must have to any gumbo critic.
If you have a medicinal herb pantry this would be an excellent diuretic and stimulant. The sassafras tree offers several medicinal qualities as well. Research all of the uses for sassafrasCayenne pepper- The stews, jambalayas and tamales just would not be the same without it. We use this in place of paprika and black pepper in some dishes. Grandpa always told me "If the gumbo file' don't bite you back it ain't got enough pepper' Boy, did his ever bite back'. Despite its slight to extreme burn, cayenne pepper is still less irritating to your stomach. Cayenne is in fact soothing to ones digestive system. Cayenne pepper has many medicinal purposes. This too would be a good addition to your medicinal herb pantry.

Parsley- Parsley just makes everything look nicer. No matter if you sprinkle it liberally over potato salad, or throw a handful into the stew pot. Often, served with your meals in restaurants, that is meant to be chewed after the meal to fresh breath and clear the palette. Parsley is beautiful when made into kitchen wreaths. The ancient Greeks wore crowns of parsley to clear the air of all the orders of the crowds and liquors. If parsley can handle the odors of ancient Greeks, I think that a bad kitchen odor has no chance.
The nutritional values in parsley may surprise you. It contains more calcium, potassium and phosphorus as the same amount

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