Spices and Herbs 101

I have always used the terms herbs and spices interchangeably, not realizing there is actually a difference in between the two.

Herbs come from the leaves of non-woody plants (think of basil). They are primarily used for savory dishes and are typically used in larger amounts than spices would be.

Spices, on the other hand, are obtained from roots, flowers, fruits, seeds or bark. Spices are usually more potent and are used in smaller portions than herbs.

Interestingly, an herb and a spice can come from the same plant. Cilantro comes from the leaves of the plant, but coriander actually comes from the seeds of the same plant!

Storing and Organizing

Your freezer is a great place to store your seasonings, but not usually very practical. You do want to avoid steam and moisture if possible. Most people prefer close to the stove. If you store in a cabinet, consider next to the stove and not directly above it.

I have most of mine stored in a drawer, similar to this one:

I came across some other cool options while looking on Amazon. Check out these 2 below:

I don’t have ________, what can I use instead?

Have you ever wondered what you could substitute when you DON’T have something you need? I can cook a little, but I am not super confident about switching seasonings around. Check out the substitution charts below:

Herb Substitutions
Basil	Oregano or thyme
Chervil	Tarragon or parsley
Chives	Green onions (scallions); onion; or leek
Cilantro	Parsley
Italian Seasoning	Blend of any of these: basil, oregano, rosemary, and ground red pepper
Marjoram	Basil; thyme; or savory
Mint	Basil; marjoram; or rosemary
Oregano	Thyme or basil
Parsley	Chervil or cilantro
Poultry Seasoning	Sage plus a blend of any of these: thyme, marjoram, savory, black pepper, and rosemary
Red Pepper Flakes (dried chiles)	Dash bottled hot pepper sauce or black pepper
Rosemary	Thyme; tarragon; or savory
Sage	Poultry seasoning; savory; marjoram; or rosemary
Savory	Thyme; marjoram; or sage
Tarragon	Chervil; dash fennel seed; or dash aniseed
Thyme	Basil; marjoram; oregano; or savory

And then you have your spices…

Spice Substitutions
Allspice	Cinnamon; cassia; dash of nutmeg or mace; or dash of cloves
Aniseed	Fennel seed or a few drops anise extract
Cardamom	Ginger
Chili Powder	Dash bottled hot pepper sauce plus a combination of oregano and cumin
Cinnamon	Nutmeg or allspice (use only 1/4 of the amount)
Cloves	Allspice; cinnamon; or nutmeg
Cumin	Chili powder
Ginger	Allspice; cinnamon; mace; or nutmeg
Mace	Allspice; cinnamon; ginger; or nutmeg
Mustard (dry or ground)	Wasabi powder (1/4 to 1/2 as much since it is hotter); horseradish powder; 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder = 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
Nutmeg	Cinnamon; ginger; or mace
Saffron	Dash turmeric or annato powder (for color)
Turmeric	Dash saffron (for color) plus ground mustard powder (one to one ratio); annato powder