Flavor food with sweet, savory spices of fall
The calendar tells us that fall has arrived, even though the mercury can’t make up its mind. Starbucks is participating in the change of seasons with a cup of steaming pumpkin spice latte. Einstein Bros. has added pumpkin and cinnamon sugar bagel poppers to its repertoire, and our friends at Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors are scooping up Apple Pie a la Mode, Pumpkin Pie and Quarterback Crunch.
My kitchen is awash with the perfume of autumn herbs and spices that stir up nostalgic childhood memories. Cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and ginger, along with Simon and Garfunkel’s parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, are teasing my olfactory senses.
Here’s a primer on the sweet and savory spices of fall to dial-up your dishes and boost your immune system as flu season looms.
Cinnamon, an ancient spice used as a cologne and love potion for affluent Romans, comes from the bark of the tropical evergreen. Its aromatic scent makes it a good ploy for real estate agents — heat a pan of cinnamon water in an oven to perfume the kitchen during open houses. Along with selling houses, cinnamon is diabetic-friendly as it desensitizes the liver lowering blood sugar levels, induces sweating to detox with the flu and colds, and jazzes up everything from oatmeal and baked apples to stews and lasagna.
Cardamom, one of the world’s priciest spices behind saffron and vanilla, is a first cousin to ginger. A native to India, these dried aromatic seeds perk up a cup of joe, curry and chili dishes, burgers and pie crusts. Cardamom is also a great digestive aid in case you’ve OD’ed on those curry and chili dishes. A pinch is plenty, as this spice is quite potent.
When Chris Columbus was on one of his expeditions to the East Indies, he went hunting for precious nutmeg. The evergreen nutmeg tree produces dual spices — nutmeg from the seed kernel and mace from the lacy covering of the dried fruit. Nutmeg’s bipolar flavors of spicy and sweet make it a versatile spice that enhances pumpkin pies and breads along with chicken and veggie dishes.
Now for the savories, pepper, nothing to sneeze at (forgive me) is an attention grabber especially when sprinkled on such surprising foods as hot cocoa or eggnog, while hiking up the robust flavors of roasts and chicken with a pepper-garlic rub or marinade. The world’s most popular spice (salt is a mineral) was once so valuable it was used as currency. Black, green, white and pink peppercorns are unripe berries that grow in clusters on the plant. An irritant, it opens the sinuses with a head cold like homeopathic Dristan.
Cayenne or red pepper from assorted tropical chiles originating in French Guyana packs a powerful punch in stews, soups, chilis and Italian dishes, while serving up a side of antioxidant. One word of warning — handle with kid gloves, as this spice can burn your bare hands.
Thyme from the Mediterranean regions was used by the ancient Greeks as a cure-all for epilepsy to melancholy. Its antiseptic properties make it a good gargle for laryngitis, while brewed as a tea with honey or agave syrup it soothes bronchitis and gastrointestinal woes. The salt and pepper of French cuisine, thyme adds a minty-lemon flavor to vegetables, chicken, fish, soups and cream sauces.
Finally, sage, a member of the mint family and close cousin to basil, oregano and marjoram, is a Mediterranean herb revered for centuries for its healing powers. If your throat is feeling a little scratchy, crush some leaves in a cup of warm water and gargle away. In cooking, sage adds a mildly spicy boost to cheeses, beans, salads, fruit dishes and holiday stuffings.
Cinnamon Ginger Rice Pudding
- 1 8-ounce can of evaporated milk
- 8 ounces of water
- 1 cup of cooked short grain rice
- 1/3 cup of tightly packed brown sugar
- I teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup of raisins
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
- Dots of butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a large pan of water in the oven. Grease with butter a 2-quart Pyrex or ovenproof casserole bowl. Add milk, water, rice, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to the casserole.
In a small bowl, combine eggs, sugar and vanilla and beat well. Add to the milk mixture. Stir in the raisins. Put butter dots on the top. Place in the water pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Take a sharp knife and mix the pudding. Sprinkle cinnamon on top, lower temperature to 325 degrees, and continue to bake until set.
For comments or culinary crises,
e-mail kitchenshrink@san.rr.com. Also, check out the healthful eating blog at www.FreeRangeClub.com.
Related posts:
- Harvesting the herbs and spices of fall
- Everything and the Kitchen Shrink: Autumnal spices invade coffee drinks
- Kitchen Sink: Celebrate Black History Month with soul food
- Jack-o’-lantern is a squash of all trades
- Kitchen Shrink: Some defensive food maneuvers for Memorial Day
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