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Herbs or spices you could live 'without'...
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Utopian Girl
29-09-2014
...for me it has to be Bay leaves - I pride myself on herbs/ spices but I've tried ( grown even) Bay leaves and wouldn't miss them in a dish.

As a flavour, I could also do without parsley - I only use it for decorative purposes, dried.

I'm sure I'll recall more...
Shrike
29-09-2014
I use parsley a lot, and would certainly miss it - love parsley sauce with fish, especially cod roe. Flat leaved parsley I use instead of coriander, so I could easily do without coriander leaf, but do use the seeds a lot.
I think though I might nominate mint as I've got several varieties in the garden, but almost never use it.
Utopian Girl
29-09-2014
Originally Posted by Shrike:
“I use parsley a lot, and would certainly miss it - love parsley sauce with fish, especially cod roe.
I think I might nominate mint as I've got several varieties in the garden, but almost never use it.”

Like you - I do use parsley for decorative purposes - I grow various mints but I find I only use 'dried'. I use I mostly in yoghurt dips/sauces. But I could forgo the parsley.
Now, I adore coriander!
Teddybleads
29-09-2014
I'm not mad on cloves. Always remind me of the dentist. Fenugreek is another one i have but I don't think I've ever used. I suppose I must have done or else I wouldn't have purchased some but goodness knows when.

Personally I love parsley but only use it occasionally as Mrs. Bleads is not a fan. Rosemary has it's place but I find it very strong and use sparingly.
Scatty-Scot
29-09-2014
Parsley and dill, I could happily live without both of them.
Utopian Girl
29-09-2014
Originally Posted by Teddybleads:
“I'm not mad on cloves. Always remind me of the dentist. Fenugreek is another one i have but I don't think I've ever used. I suppose I must have done or else I wouldn't have purchased some but goodness knows when.

Personally I love parsley but only use it occasionally as Mrs. Bleads is not a fan. Rosemary has it's place but I find it very strong and use sparingly.”

I agree on the cloves Teddy - I bought a catering bag a while back as they were cheap - why? I really do wonder my motive at the time! the same as you mention ' feneuugreek

Dill - I don't mind but has it's limited place imo.
I grow vast amounts if Rosemary but find it really has to be used under toasted veg: meat etc not as an edible herb in big doses but very sparingly.

Fenugreek - well, I'm with you on this - have lots if sachets but wonder - why?
kimindex
29-09-2014
I don't use thyme or sage very often. I use basil sparingly because I find it tends to over power but I do like it. I do like parsley and coriander and use those a lot, and oregano when I can get it (I know I should grow it!). Dill and tarragon have their place, too, and I use them sometimes.
Utopian Girl
29-09-2014
Originally Posted by kimindex:
“I don't use thyme or sage very often. I use basil sparingly because I find it tends to over power but I do like it. I do like parsley and coriander and use those a lot, and oregano when I can get it (I know I should grow it!). Dill and tarragon have their place, too, and I use them sometimes.”

Like you I use Dill & Tarragon in their place - I grow, successfully various sages. My ghost chilli is growing weird btw?
Thrasymachus
29-09-2014
Saffron

I just don't get the fuss over it.
kimindex
29-09-2014
Originally Posted by Utopian Girl:
“Like you I use Dill & Tarragon in their place - I grow, successfully various sages. My ghost chilli is growing weird btw?”

I didn't know what one was but I've looked it up and it says it's the world's 3rd hottest chilli! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhut_Jolokia

What will you use it for? What's happening to yours?
Utopian Girl
29-09-2014
Originally Posted by Thrasymachus:
“Saffron

I just don't get the fuss over it.”

Even as a herb/spice lover it's up there with Bayleaves for me. I just don't get them.


Anyone tasted 'truffles'? I'd love to but don't know if they're far fetched.
orangebird
29-09-2014
Originally Posted by Thrasymachus:
“Saffron

I just don't get the fuss over it.”

Me neither...

I could go without dill too
kimindex
29-09-2014
Originally Posted by Utopian Girl:
“Even as a herb/spice lover it's up there with Bayleaves for me. I just don't get them.


Anyone tasted 'truffles'? I'd love to but don't know if they're far fetched.”

Only truffle oil and I had pasta in a truffle sauce in Italy once (wasn't that expensive so it may have just been oil in it again). I've yet to acquire the taste for it, if that's representative of the taste!

I do like saffron, though, in rice dishes and tagines.
Teddybleads
29-09-2014
Originally Posted by Utopian Girl:
“Even as a herb/spice lover it's up there with Bayleaves for me. I just don't get them.


Anyone tasted 'truffles'? I'd love to but don't know if they're far fetched.:confused:”

I love truffle but I wouldn't bother with the ones you can buy in the supermarket here. There's a fantastic Swiss soft cheese (I forget the name) with a layer of black truffle running though it that is really something. I buy a whole wheel when I go home. I'd love you to try it but I doubt it's Veggie-friendly.
JulesF
29-09-2014
I agree with a few of you about saffron. I don't really like it and never use it. I'm not mad about cloves either, but they are a must on the Christmas ham. I never use them for anything else though. I'm not all that keen on parsley, but I do use it occasionally. The only herbs I really hate are chives. Can't stand that raw onion flavour.

I do like most other herbs and spices though. I have lots of spices in the cupboard and we grow bay, sage, rosemary, a couple of varieties of thyme and mint in the garden, as well as chillies and basil in the summer.
Espresso
29-09-2014
Never bought saffron or truffles or parsley so no doubt I certainly can live without them.
I only use cloves in hot whiskeys, which I make at Christmas when my Dad visits, he likes them in his hot toddies.

Couldn't imagine cooking without bay leaves or coriander. I use lots of both of those.
Saigo
29-09-2014
All of them.
postit
29-09-2014
Coriander - ugh
bluefb
29-09-2014
I like bay leaf. It's never the centrepiece of a dish, but it's very versatile and adds another dimension.

Black cardamom - Unlike green cardamom, not very nice.
Szechuan pepper - Bought some and barely ever used it, mostly because I don't know how, besides 5 spice. Has a weird acid/chemical/burning flavour. Last time I checked, some of it had gone mouldy.
Lovage - Having never tasted it, I've managed fine so far.
walterwhite
30-09-2014
Originally Posted by Utopian Girl:
“Even as a herb/spice lover it's up there with Bayleaves for me. I just don't get them.


Anyone tasted 'truffles'? I'd love to but don't know if they're far fetched.”

Yes. Had a ludicrously expensive risotto with shaved truffles in. Very nice, but they are extremely expensive.
Toby LaRhone
30-09-2014
Originally Posted by Utopian Girl:
“Even as a herb/spice lover it's (saffron) up there with Bayleaves for me. I just don't get them.”

I could have written that.
My thoughts exactly - and I have very a wide range of herbs and spices in my cupboard.
ChoccyCarole
30-09-2014
Coriander
I am not a fan - as it tastes soapy to me
Badcat
30-09-2014
Parsley and coriander.... kill them with fire.
Utopian Girl
01-10-2014
Originally Posted by kimindex:
“I didn't know what one was but I've looked it up and it says it's the world's 3rd hottest chilli! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhut_Jolokia

What will you use it for? What's happening to yours?”

Hi Kimi - I don't know what I'd use it for - some veggie curry or stew - having said that it's producing flowers and buds but no chilies?
I bought a bunch ( more like a bouquet that I would have walked down the aisle with) of bird's eye chillies in our market in Turkey - 30p! you're supposed to take them home & dry them but hubby took the chillies off the bunch as we had my daughters wedding present to bring home & besides I should be on ' nothing to declare'.
30p for a kilo of beef tomatoes or red pointed peppers, cucumbers, delicious green beans etc! I love the markets and as we're not in a touristic area we get local prices - my heart aches to leave stuff behind.

They tend to use only parsley & dill out there and quite often purple basil - the small Greek style basil ( as we call it) they use for deterring flies etc! they're horrified when I wash it & put it in pasta!
kimindex
01-10-2014
Originally Posted by Utopian Girl:
“Hi Kimi - I don't know what I'd use it for - some veggie curry or stew - having said that it's producing flowers and buds but no chilies?
I bought a bunch ( more like a bouquet that I would have walked down the aisle with) of bird's eye chillies in our market in Turkey - 30p! you're supposed to take them home & dry them but hubby took the chillies off the bunch as we had my daughters wedding present to bring home & besides I should be on ' nothing to declare'.
30p for a kilo of beef tomatoes or red pointed peppers, cucumbers, delicious green beans etc! I love the markets and as we're not in a touristic area we get local prices - my heart aches to leave stuff behind.

They tend to use only parsley & dill out there and quite often purple basil - the small Greek style basil ( as we call it) they use for deterring flies etc! they're horrified when I wash it & put it in pasta!”

I saw an Ottolenghi programme which featured a market in Istanbul and that looked glorious! I can be a bit wary of markets abroad, in case of caged animals or birds etc, but that looked fine, the part he was in, anyway.

There are no proper markets here so I envy you the Turkish one! I used to love them (and I worked on Portobello Road and Greenwich market for a short time a long time ago - not selling fruit and veg, though!). I even miss the Cypriot shop in Crystal Palace (but Cornwall has a lot going for it, too, of course!).
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