Know your spices.....

[itzzaangel]

Thyme

Thyme is an essential herb for any herb garden whether you are a beginner or a
pro. It's easy to grow and maintain when placed in full sun, with light dry soil. It's
a Mediterranean plant so it needs a lot of heat to flourish, but yet it can survive
even Zone 5 winters.
Harvest your thyme often, and use it fresh, dried or it can be frozen in ice
cubes or in small bags. I use it along with fresh garlic in my meatballs and
have been told they are "better than Moms". Add thyme to your meatloaf
recipes too. It is a wonderful addition to squash, carrots or dried beans, and can
be added to any Pasta Primavera recipe as well.
A lovely tea can be made with 3 parts thyme and 1 part each rosemary and
spearmint. Brew in a tightly closed teapot using 1 tsp. tea to 1 cup water.
Let steep for 10 minutes and serve hot.
There are many varieties of Thyme; over 400 have been cataloged over the
centuries. For culinary purposes three seem to be the most popular; garden
(Thymus vulgaris), lemon (Thymus citriodorus) and caraway-scented
(Thymus herba-barona). Try them all if you have room in your herb garden.

[itzzaangel]

Turmeric

Used in cooking since 600 b.c., turmeric is the root of a
tropical plant related to ginger. Though native to the
Orient, this spice is now also cultivated in India and the
Caribbean. It has a bitter, pungent flavor and an intense
yellow-orange color. In Biblical times, turmeric was
often used to make perfume, a comment on its rather
exotic fragrance. Today it's used mainly to add both
flavor and color to food. Turmeric is very popular in
East Indian cooking and is almost always used in curry
preparations. It's also a primary ingredient in mustard
and is what gives American-style prepared mustard its
bright yellow color. Powdered turmeric is widely available
in supermarkets. As with all spices, it should bestored in
a cool, dark place for no more than 6 months.