Janet wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> In article >,
> says...
> > Subject: Have Your Tastes in Food Changed?
> > From: Cindy Hamilton >
> > Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
> >
> > On Thursday, June 22, 2017 at 6:19:33 AM UTC-4, Ophelia wrote:
> > > [quoted text muted]
> > >
> > > I do
I don't understand the desperation to cover up the
> > > flavour of whatever people are cooking.
> > >
> > > I use herbs and seasoning and that is fine for us
> >
> > It's not about covering up. It's about enjoying the flavor of the
> > spices. I enjoy plain chicken. I enjoy curried chicken. It's
> > all good.
> >
> You can also use some spices to enhance the natural flavour
> of food, so subtly that the spice used can't be tasted let alone
> identified. Cumin has that effect in amny stews and soups; a grate of
> nutmeg into frying mushrooms makes tham taste more mushroomy; cardamom
> invisibly enhances many cakes and milk puddings. A clove or two
> infused in the milk used for bread sauce.
>
> I'm sometimes struck in rfc by Americans using the word"spice" for
> ingredients I'd classify as a herb. In UK English herbs and spices
> are two distinct groups, the terms are not interchangeable.
>
> Janet UK
>
> Janet.
Hi Janet UK,
I think we know, but for us 'spices' also in a sort of generic way
covers herbs. I'd not say 'add the following 3 herbs (listing them and
amount) then the followng 3 spices (listing them and amount) but say
'add the following 6 spices' (and list the herbs and spices with
amounts). I guess it's a bit lazy but really common to do.
My mind says a leaf is an herb, and a seed, pollen or bark is a spice.
Not sure where flowers or garlic bulbs might classify but I'd lean to
herb for a flower and spice for a bulb.