A Pinch Of Homepage cooking with herbs and spices

Q: I let my dill go to seed, but I'd like to still use and/or preserve it. I brought it in and rubbed the seed off the heads. It appears to be a flat seed. Is that too dried out, or is that what dill seed is? It looks kind of like a husk of something rather than a whole round seed. Maybe it's too far gone? SS

A: Dill seeds are indeed flat. Follow this link to a photo of dill seeds.

Q: Hi; I bought Tumeric organic spice. As a first time user, how do you use it. Is it best on vegetables, rice or meats. How much curcumin should the tumeric powder contain to be at its best? Thank you for your reply. HGS

A: Read everything I know about the subject at "All About Turmeric." Without the power of chemistry I can't imagine how you would find out the curcumin content. I did a little surfing and learned that it is usually between 3 and 4 percent of the dry weight.

Q: Thank you in advance. Recently I discovered black droppings (?) slightly larger than poppy seeds
but just as hard near my "herb garden" on my windowsill in New York City. They're all doing great. I have lavender, basil, rosemary, lemon balm, sage and thyme. Something tells me lemon balm might be somehow the culprit as the seeds always collect near that one, but I'm not sure.
Any hints? Many thanks again for your time. EB

A: Black droppings on plants are often just what they look like. Droppings from some sort of an insect. Since all your plants are doing well and you don't see any damage it's hard to tell what it might be. Just to check on your lemon balm theory, I went out and shook some of my branches that are in full bloom. Nothing resembling seeds or otherwise fell into my waiting hand.

Q: I have growing (in the ground) chocolate mint. There are tiny almost black specks on them that are so small I can't tell if it is a bug or part of the plant. I can scape it off with my fingernail. What do you think? If it is an insect could I use a organic Safer's like spray on the plant? RF

A: My first impulse is to suggest that you have caterpillar or some other insect droppings but it could be any number of things. Before you spray any time for anything is important to evaluate if it's really necessary. Consider these factors: What is the true problem and if it is an insect, is it listed on your insecticide label? Could you remove the pest by hand? Is there any real damage? If so, is it more than fifty percent of the foliage putting the plant in peril? Or is the damage unsightly and you don't like it?

Q: I planted several herbs that I have read need to be baked or dried in a dehydrator. But a friend of ours who is a chef fries his in the oven. All I have
read has said that it loses its flavor. What is the best for drying basil, oregano and parsley? Thank you for your help! Km

A: Please see the articles "Look What I Made: An Herb Drying Rack" and "A Bounty of Basil: How to Preserve the Harvest."

Q: Each year I grow basil in a pot on my deck in Massachusetts. Each year I have great success. I recently harvested some basil for pesto that was wonderful. However, yesterday I harvested healthy looking leaves to cut up for placement on a grilled pizza. I harvested the basil and chopped it immediately after harvest. Approximately 20 minutes later when I went to place it on the pizza it had started to turn a bit black in spots. Do you know why this happened? Thanks, DCM

A: You may have bruised it in the process of chopping or used a carbon-based knife. Basil is like lettuce in this respect. Many people recommend gently tearing the leaves rather than using a knife.

Q: We had a garden in Kansas and raised dill. I have a gallon jar, sealed tightly, with the seed & stalk. It still smells like dill, but it has been 14 years. My husband says use it, but I'm afraid to although it still smells like dill. What would be your suggestion? EJR

A: Fourteen years is a long time. I don't think it would hurt you to eat it but if it makes you uncomfortable, why would you?

Q: I'd picked over two pounds of unblemished basil, put it in the refrigerator for less than 24 hours and it wilted and turned brown. Is it safe to make pesto with it and what should I do to prevent this from happening again? PK

A: Your basil got too cold, most likely. Anything under 50 degrees and it's toast! It is safe to make pesto with although the color may not be as bright. A better way to keep basil is on the counter with the stems in water, as you do for flowers.

Q: For four years my bay leaf plant has been growing in a 6" pot. Lately all the leaves are curling, turning brown and dropping. My plant is a skeleton, yet the branches appear healthy. What are the growing conditions for a bay leave plant? PK

A: Bay laurel likes a basic potting soil mix with good drainage, quite a lot of sunshine and a yearly feeding. It's easy to overwater but you don't want it to dry out completely either. Your plant might enjoy a new, larger pot with some fresh soil. Six inches is pretty small for a four year old plant.

Q: Hi, my husband and I grow chilies. If you happen to get chili in your eyes (from rubbing your fingers mistakenly), rub your hair or someone s hair across
your eye. The oil in hair helps neutralize the burning. We enjoy your site. We will have a site up and running soon. It is called nmoutdoors.com based out of Farmingon, NM. DA

A: Isn't that interesting? I will have to remember that trick! Best of luck with your own site, we'll be watching for it.

Q: My recipe calls for adding dried herbs and simmering for another two hours. But what if I want to add fresh herbs instead? When do I add? At the beginning or when the recipe calls for the dried herbs? MO

A: Actually, you will want to add the fresh herbs during the last ten minutes or so of the final cooking time. If it is a large quantity of herbs, you might consider adding half of them when the recipe calls for the dried and then the remainder in the last ten minutes.

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