Herbs

 Herbs are, more or less, essential to good cooking. They are used in many capacities and in many applications. To my mind there are two types: those you cook and those you use raw. The cooking herbs are useful for building flavors. They will typically contribute a depth of savor to a preparation that will round out and complete a profile. Most cooking herbs are simmered in a liquid medium for a relatively long period of time and the initial assertion of their taste will mellow to a warm background note. Another hallmark of these types of herbs is their propensity for drying. A lot is said of the inferiority of dried herbs but they have their place. I would never, say, finish a salad with a pinch of dried thyme, but I wouldn't hesitate to flavor a stew with the same. The herbs that dry the best are composed, in large part, of oils that are concentrated when they are dried. This means that the flavor is largely preserved and indeed, amplified. The flavor will fade however and the commercially available dried herbs lining the supermarket shelves have the potential to be quite vapid. The best solution is to dry one's own herbs on the branch. This easily done: simply tie up the branch in some kitchen string and hang it in a well-ventilated area for a week or so till fully dessicated then strip the leaves and store in an airtight jar. The herbs that can be dried include thyme, oregano (which actually tastes better dried than fresh), savory, marjoram (though the fresh plant has an exquisite flavor that the dried seems to lack even if it is a valuable flavoring agent), rosemary (however the prickly roughness of the dried needles means they must be dealt with with caution) and bay leaves. Sage has the oily makeup to theoretically be dried but the musty favor of dried sage seems to discourage such a process.
  On a different tack, fresh herbs are absolutely wonderful and practically indidpensible. I believe that the note they add to dish, on the finish, cannot be replaced. The herbs that should absolutely be used fresh include parsley, chives, tarragon, basil and chervil. Marjoram, an herb for which I have a particular fondness, is magnificent fresh and merely acceptable dried. The purpose of fresh herbs is -- just as often as adding flavor -- to add a freshness and finishing touch to a preparation. A long-cooked stew, soup or braise will acquire new life when a dose of freshly chopped green herbs are terminally incorporated. This inclusion completes a "spectrum" of flavors, starting with base notes from things such as aromatic vegetables and dark green herbs, continuing with the main savor in a dish (chicken for a chicken soup, beef in a pot roast, et cetera, et cetera) and concluding with the brightness of fresh herbs. This method of flavoring assures the most complete tasting food.

Here are some thoughts on three of my favorites:

Parsley- Its greeness flatters any conceivable dish; there is nothing that clashes with parsley's genial taste. It is as fundamental to fine cooking as is salt and pepper and about as omnipresent. It is available is every grocery store and should be thought of as a staple of the nature of olive oil and vinegar rather than an item of produce. To preserve its lifespan it is smart to keep it, stems submerged, in a glass of water in the refrigerator. My favorite way to chop parsley is to roll it very tightly into a bundle and slice across as thinly as I can. This produces feathery whisps that in true parlance is called chiffonade. Parsley also marries with garlic to form a single savor. This mixture, called persillade, is excellent when tossed at the last minute into a sauteed preparation or when used as a flavoring agent in a stuffing or the like. The inclusion of this melange will often denote the designation "á la provencal" to a dish, notably to frogs' legs and mushrooms. Parsley is the most useful herb to have on hand and its availability is a boon to all cooks.

Thyme- Thyme is similar to parsley in its scope of utility. It is more than acceptable as a finishing touch but truly is in its element as a background note, gently melting to form aromatic support to a dish. In this capacity it is often combined with other herbs, each of them combining with long-applied heat to a flavorful total greater than the sum of its parts. The classic bouquet garni is thyme, bay leaf and parsley. The beauty of a bundle of herbs, tied up in kitchen string is as exciting to the eye as the palate. Thyme is usable in both its fresh and dried states and it is possible to obtain flavorful dried thyme at a market that moves larges quantities of herbs and thus has fresh stock often. I like the Spice Corner in the Italian Market on Ninth Street (it is, appropriately enough, on the corner of Salter Street). It has a wealth of herbs and spices as well as such savories as nuts, dried mushrooms, coffees, teas and a host of curiosities, not to mention exceptionally honest prices.

Marjoram- This beautiful herb seems to becoming more and more popular and is thus easier to find. It is related to oregano and, in a sort of basic way, resembles it. It is totally different in flavor and aroma. It may be difficult to find but is absolutely worth seeking out. It is sweet and aromatic with a particular clean flavor which will flatter a great variety of foods. It can be used dried as a cooking herb but really finds itself when used fresh. The finely chopped leaves will add an ineffable dimension to whatever they ennoble with their presence. I love it with lamb, zucchini, garlic, beef and just about everything else. I have had the most consistent luck finding it at Iovine Bros. in Reading Terminal Market. There it is sold for a reasonable price rather than in those infernal plastic contraptions in grocery stores for insulting amounts of money. Use marjoram!

These are some of my favorites and I hope to expand upon this list in the near future, there is much to be said about many herbs. I only implore you to try them and broaden your cooking. It can do nothing but bring you pleasure, both in the acquisition of knowledge about an ancient and natural practice and the due to the obvious gustatory benefits. Herbs are wonderful and once you start using them it is difficult to stop, but no worries there.