My Favourite Things: Monday

Today's topic is spices/herbs. 

I enjoy cooking, but am far from being a gourmet.  I've been cooking since I was in jr. high, but it was only after I got married that I discovered there were spices and herbs that had the power to bring new life to boring recipes!  Some of my favorites include garlic, rosemary, and cumin (oh, how I love cumin!).  But there is one herb that stands out amongst the rest:  cilantro!

Since I fell in love with cilantro, I've discovered that's it's one of those love-it-or-hate-it flavors.  It amuses me how many people have described it to me as tasting like "dishwater," because that begs the question...  "Have you *really* tasted dishwater??"  They are, of course, wrong.  :o)  Because cilantro is simply fabulous!

At home I've pretty much only used it when making fresh salsa or quesadillas, but I've enjoyed it in a variety dishes when dining out.  It tastes amazing in salads, Chinese food, Vietnamese spring rolls, on sandwiches, and of course, in anything Mexican.

Oh, and the dried stuff simply won't do.  Fresh is the only way to go!  I would love to try growing my own sometime, but for now I just buy it in the produce section at the grocery store.  And just so you know...  if you're not going to use it right away, the best way to store fresh cilantro is in a glass of water in your refrigerator.  If your store sell it in huge bunches that you can't use in one recipe, chop it up and freeze it (I just throw mine in a ziploc bag)!  It loses a bit of its flavor from freezing, but it's still tons better than the dried stuff.

So what's your favorite spices/herbs?