Previous Poll Results:

 

Real vanilla extracts, rather than artificial flavorings, are making a comeback in commercial baking. What's going on in your kitchen? I have always used the real stuff:  76% I recently switched from imitation to real vanilla:  12% I'll be sticking with the imitation flavoring:  12% I never buy either one:  0% Note: Wow! No other question has been so one-sided. Find out more on our favorite flavoring at "All About Vanilla." Keep up on trends in herbs and spices with our monthly newsletter.	Will you be growing any edible flowers in your garden this year? I always do:  44% I might try one or two:  17% No:  11% How do I know which flowers are edible?  28% Note: Edible flowers are as nice in the garden as they are on the table. Consider please "Take Time to Stop and Eat the Flowers," "All About Nasturtiums" and "All About Lavender."
How important is it to you that herbs and spices are organically grown? Wouldn't use anything else:  14% It's nice if I can find them but not mandatory:  59% Don't care at all:  23% Is that even an option?  5% Note: Organic seasonings are on the horizon. Meanwhile, consider growing your own organic herbs this season! For inspiration read "The Simple, Essential Herb Garden."	How do you usually prepare garlic for cooking? I'm really into the microplane grater lately:  10% Couldn't live without my garlic press:  24% My knife works just fine:  67% Who needs fresh garlic when there's garlic powder?:  0% Note: Good on all of you for using fresh garlic! If you are interested in microplane zesters and other fun cook's tools, check out our "Nifty Herb and Spice Gadgets" page.
Did you try any of the top ten flavor pairings for 2007 last year? Clove and Green Apple:  0% Thyme and Tangerine:  0% Tellicherry Black Pepper and Berry:  0% Sea Salt and Smoked Tea:  0% Lavender and Honey:  100% Crystallized Ginger and Salted Pistachio:  0% Cumin and Apricot:  0% Toasted Mustard and Fennel Seeds:  0% Wasabi and Maple:  0% Caramelized Garlic and Riesling Vinegar:  0% Note: Curious about these combinations? Read the original article "2007 Flavor Forecast."	McCormick and Company has released their 2008 flavor pairings forecast. Which combination appeals the most to you? Oregano and Heirloom Beans:  6% Vanilla Bean and Cardamom:  38% Chile and Cocoa:  6% Coriander and Coconut Water:  0% Lemon Grass and Lychee:  6% Red Curry and Masa:  6% Orange Peel and Natural Wood:  13% Allspice and Exotic Meats:  0% Poppy Seed and Rose:  6% Rubbed Sage and Rye Whiskey:  19%
How many new herbs and spices did you sample this year? 1 or 2:  33% 3 to 5:  33% 6 to 10:  17% Zero:  17% Note: Maybe it's time to try something new! Have you considered sumac or epazote or mace?  See the list of all articles.	Do you eat anything in particular for luck on New Year's Day? Yes, black eyed peas:  29% Yes, cotechino con lenticchie (pork sausage served over lentils): 0% Yes, twelve grapes at midnight:  0% Yes, Vasilopita (a cake baked with a coin inside):  29% Yes, soba noodles:  0% Yes, collard greens:  0% Yes, sauerkraut:  29% Yes, pork:  0% Yes, but it's not listed here:  0% No, nothing special:  14%
The recipe calls for peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes. Do you bother peeling and seeding? Every time:  4% Sometimes:  39% Never:  35% I would but don't know how to do it:  22% Note: To peel tomatoes (and peaches, too) drop them into pot of boiling water for about 45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Another 45 seconds and the skins should slip right off. To make it even easier, lightly slice a cross into the stem end.	Do you ever give gifts of food that you have made yourself? Every chance I get:  50% Only at the holidays:  17% I do occasionally all year long:  33% No way:  0% Note: Don't miss the article "The Gift of Food" for ideas about fun ways to share your culinary creations.
	Winter is coming. Will you grow herbs indoors this year? I always do:  29% Maybe I'll give it a try:  29% No, I stick with dried:  29% I don't have the space and/or light:  14% Note: Whether you grow them or not, winter is a great time to curl up with your computer and read about herbs and spices. Take a look at our list of articles to find something new.
It's the end of the growing season (for most of us). How did your herb garden turn out this summer? Better than I expected:  25% Just fine:  25% I had a few problems with bugs and disease:  0% Not very well:  17% I never did get around to it:  33% Note: Find out how to snip and clip your herbs with the article "Herb Harvest How-To." Keep that fresh flavor going all winter with the "A Bounty of Basil: How to Preserve the Harvest" and "Look What I Made: An Herb Drying Rack."	Do you take herbal supplements to enhance your health or appearance? Every day:  36% Occasionally:  7% Never thought about it:  21% No way:  36% Note: Interesting mix. Here at aPinchOf.com we only deal with herbs for cooking. If you do take herbal supplements, be sure to learn all you can about them first and tell your doctor what you're taking.
Do you grind your own spices? Yep, have a coffee grinder just for that:  26% Sometimes, I use a mortar and pestle:  17% Mostly just pepper with the peppermill:  26% No, I wouldn't know how:  22% No way, too much work:  9% Note: Freshly ground spices offer far more flavor than those versions on the supermarket shelf. A coffee grinder makes grinding spices a snap. See our favorite featured on page 2 of the aPinchOf...Mini-Mall. Another advantage to grinding your own is that whole spices last a long, long time.	How many types of salt do you have? One or two:  50% Three:  29% Four or more:  21% There's more than one kind?:  0% Note: So many different salts are available these days, it is fun to experiment. A great way to sample salt is by sprinkling it on our recipe for Steamed Edamame Pods. Or make your own blended salt, see "All About Flavored Salts."
How often do you visit a farm stand or go to the farmer's market? Two or three times a week:  0% Once each week:  33% A couple of times each month:  33% Hardly ever:  33% Never:  0% Note: Support your local farmers! August 5-11, 2007 is National Farmers Market Week. Click here to find a market in your area.	Which type of vanilla do you use the most? The whole bean:  0% Pure vanilla extract:  77% Artificial vanilla flavoring:  23%   Note: Good on you, 77% readers! Find out why you may not want to eat artificial vanilla flavoring at "All About Vanilla."
What form of garlic do you use the most? raw and fresh:  27% fresh but cooked:  45% chopped from a jar:  0% powdered or as garlic salt:  27% never touch the stuff:  0% Note: Good for us! Fresh is always best. Read more about garlic at "All About Garlic," "Herb of the Year 2004: Good Old Garlic," "The Great Garlic Roasting Experiment," and "The Garlic Q&A Page."
Are you familiar with lemongrass? Sure, I grow it:  0% I buy it to cook with frequently:  18% I've tried it a couple of times:  55% Have seen it but never used it:  27% Lemongrass, what's that?  0% Note: Watch for All About Lemongrass coming soon. Meanwhile, find out more about another lemony herb in "All About Lemon Balm" or whip up a Shrimp and Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing.	Aside from cooking with fresh herbs, what's your favorite way to use them? I like to add the leaves to bouquets of flowers:  42% It's fun to dry the leaves for tea:  17% I've got a big collection of flavored vinegars  0% I use them in crafts like pressed flowers or herbal wreaths:  0% I stick to just eating them:  42%
How do you store your spices? Neatly organized in a spice rack:  23% I have devoted a drawer or cabinet to my collection of jars and bottles and tins and bags:  46% On the counter where I can reach them easily:  15% In different parts of the kitchen and dining room according to use:  0% I don't really have any spices to speak of:  15% Note: Find out how best to keep your seasonings with the article "Storing Dried Herbs and Spices." See solutions to particular storage problems at the "Storage Questions and Answers Page."	How do you react to recent medical studies that indicate certain spices may improve your health? I have changed my diet to include more of the spices:  50% I don't pay attention; they always change things later:  10% What medical studies?   40% Note: Learn more about the health benefits of your favorite spices by doing a search of the World's Healthiest Foods website. Keep up on late breaking news about herbs and spices with our monthly newsletter.
Where do you get your fresh herbs? From my garden:  43% At the supermarket:  29% The farmer's market when I can:  29% I never bother with fresh herbs:   0% Note: To get the most out of your garden be sure to see the articles "Herb Harvest How-To" and "A Bounty of Basil: How to Preserve the Harvest."	Which spicy celebrity chef would you most like to have prepare your dinner? Rick Bayless:  12% Emeril Lagasse:  29% Mark Miller:   18% Mario Batali:  29% Bobby Flay:   12%
Do you "eat local?" Absolutely:  0% As much as possible:  57% I don't pay any attention:  17% What does that mean?  25% Note: Eating local means consuming foods that are grown and produced in the region where you live. Some folks set it up in a radius of 100 or 150 miles. Find out more about the concept at The 100 Mile Diet webpage.	How many types of cooking oils are in your pantry? 1-2:  22% 3-5:  50% 6-8:  11% even more than that!:  17% Note: Did you know that the number of different cooking oils in the average American home has increased 14 percent during the past 6 years?
Do you ever make chai at home? Yes, from my own special recipe:  0% Yes, I found a great mix:   60% No, I don't know how:   0% What's chai?   40% Note: Chai is spiced tea with Indian roots. Take a look at our recipe for Spiced Iced Coffee to find inspiration for making your own mix.	Where do you find most of the recipes that you prepare? My own cookbook library:  23% Newspapers and magazines:  8% Surfing the Internet:  46% I just make them up as I go along:  23% Note: See the Recipe Index for a complete listing of this site's recipes.
Do you agree with the latest city bans on foie gras and trans-fats? Oh, absolutely:  33% No way:  33% Yes to foie gras, no to trans-fats:  0% Yes to trans-fats, no to foie gras:  33%	Do you ever make your own tea from herbs and spices? All the time:  40% Occasionally:  60% Never:  0% Note: Watch for an upcoming article about brewing up your own beverages. Meanwhile, check out "Tea Time."
Yikes! Bugs have infested your basil plant. What do you do first? Quick! Grab the bug spray:  0% Try to pick them off by hand or spray them with a strong stream of water:   0% Identify the pest and then find out how best to deal with it:   77% Nothing, they don't eat much:  23% Note: We talk about bugs among the many other subjects on these Q&A Pages: Basil, Rosemary and Gardening.	Which type of "exotic" cuisine do you prepare at home the most? Indian:  25% Japanese:  0% Thai:  17% Mexican:  33% Italian:  25% Note: To complement your current recipe selection, don't miss our "At Home Mexican Restaurant" Page and the "Basic Italian Flavors" Page.
What spice blend is your favorite? Curry Powder?  41% Cajun Spices?  18% Lemon Pepper? 12% Old Bay Seasoning? 12% Salt and Pepper? 18% Note: Surely you have seen this article about your favorite? "All About Curry"  Pep up your salt and pepper by reading "All About Flavored Salts."	Do you ever go to food festivals or celebrations? I wouldn't miss a garlic festival.  20% I love to go to lavender festivals.  0% I never miss the local food tasting events.   50% I find the food first at every gala.  30% Note: Find the 2004 list of garlic festivals at "Herb of the Year 2004: Good Old Garlic" but watch the website for an updated list of what's happening in 2007.
What's your favorite kind of breakfast? Ham (or bacon) and eggs: 0% Just fruit, please, and maybe a little cereal: 33% A nice steaming bowl of oatmeal: 33% Any kind of baked goods:  33% Note: Don't miss the recipe index for great breakfast ideas and all sorts of baked goods!	Which herb do you reach for the most? Basil?  28% Rosemary?  22% Thyme?  33% Cilantro?  17% Dill?  0% Note: What's wrong with dill? Find out more about this distinctive herb and its seeds at "All About Dill."
Do you have plans for an herb garden this year? I will be tending to an existing garden: 27% I'm putting in a new garden: 27% I grow herbs indoors year around: 27% No way, I have a brown thumb: 18% Note: Find more articles about herb gardening at the Reference Desk.	Do you make your own salad dressings? Always, I can't stand that store-bought stuff:  14% Sometimes, for special salads: 50% I'd like to but wouldn't know where to begin: 14% Why bother? They have a million kinds at the supermarket: 21% Note: Shrimp and Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing is one special salad with a homemade dressing.
Do you know which plant will be The Herb of the Year for 2007? Basil: 21% Garlic: 26% Lemon Balm: 21% Since when is there an herb of the year?: 32% Note: Lemon balm is the 2007 Herb of the Year. Want to know more? Read "All About Lemon Balm."  To learn more about the Herb of the Year awards see "Herb of the Year 2004: Good Old Garlic."	Have you ever cooked with garam masala? Yes, I bought it already mixed: 23% Yup, made it myself: 23% No but I would like to: 15% Now what the heck is that?:  38%   Note: Garam masala is a savory Indian spice mix often used to garnish a finished dish. It usually combines cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, pepper and nutmeg but may have fewer or more ingredients.