South Pacific Health Service.)

Making Use Of Herbs

And Condiments

(Extracts from talk broadcast from ZJV by the Nutrition Section of the

South Pacific Health Service.)

O PICES were first brought by the Phoenician traders to Europe, where they were greatly prized for their flavour and aroma. Later the Crusaders brought many different kinds of spice back to England, and every large household began to consider spice an essential ingredient of the richer foods.

Herbs were widely used in those times and the herb garden was an important part of every plot or estate. In the larger houses the position of the still room maid was of great consequence.

This highly skilled, highly superstitious woman was expected to make, trom the herb garden, medicines, healing ointment, salves, syrups and conserves, aromatic vinegar and home-made wines. She pre served the candied fruit and berries, made violet tarts, vine leaf fritters and rose leaf jam. She was also the family beauty specialist and supplied the ladies of the household with perfumes, sweetened water for washing, creams and lotions.

Spices and herbs had other practical uses in the preservation and flavouring of foods. Before refrigeration and can ning, all foods were preserved by drying,

salting and spicing. These processes were not always efficient and to make food edible, putrid flavours often had to be masked with peppers, cinnamon, allspice and herbs.

To-day, herbs and spices are mainly used as condiments. In the words of the Oxford Dictionary, a condiment is any-

Recipe Comer On page 84

thing of pronounced flavour used as a relish to stimulate the appetite When used in moderation, herbs and spices fulfill this important function in the m « dern d * et ; . .

Unfortunately, the art of seasoning is neglected by many cooks to-day. There is a tendency to associate spices and herbs with the expensive recipes of the last century This is a mistake or t small quantities of these ingredients re ,ulred flavour the average family mea make little difference to e of the dish, and if used correctly they help to convert the cheaper types of food into attractive dishes with an “expensive flavour.

The following spices are all readily o tainable and the herbs can be grown in any good garden soil. (A number of the spices are. in fact, grown experiment ally in some Islands agricultural expen mental stations.)

ALLSPICE, which is also called pimento and Jamaica pepper, is the dried, unripe fruit of a West Indian evergreen. It was given the name “Allspice” because its perfume and flavour resembled a mixture of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.

Allspice is used in sweet dishes, cakes and pickles and is delicious with braised meat.

CHILLIES. All varieties of chillies be long to the capsicum family. The large green or red frui ts which are not hot are sometimes kno wn as sweet capsicums, varietjes of this family are commonly called chillies. The hottest are the “ b i rd ’ s e ye” chillies—they so ca lled because the birds like peck ing the shrubs. Capsicums and chillies haye many uges in flavouring curries, gt fish pickles and chutney. Hot red hilH are dried and groU nd to a powder Cayenne pepper . This may be used in nlace of fresh chillies to flavour savo ury dishes. An entirely to <ulterfnl species of capsicum Is ground to nroduce t he mild red pepper, paprika, " makes an attractive finish to dishes and is often used for stu ffing olives. Fresh chillies are one of the richest known sources of vitamin A

• ket

Capsicums are easily grown. A packet usually o 0 P s . Th should be planted seed ■ d eep and, when they are big enough

handle, planted out like tomato plants in rows 24 inches apart, and the plants should be 15 inches apart. Plant in » warm, moist, sunny position and they will need plenty of water and a well manured soil.

A BOUQUET GARNI is a little bunch of herbs used to flavour stocks, soups and stews and the herbs are usually tied together in a muslin bag so that they can be easily removed after cooking. Any selection of herbs can be used, a sprig of thyme, a bay leaf, two or three sprigs of parsley or broken parsley stalks and celery leaves.

CINNAMON is ground from the dry bark of a tree indigenous to Ceylon. Its characteristic flavour is due to the presence of cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil which is extracted from the cinnamon and used for medicinal purposes.

Cinnamon is used to flavour cakes and biscuits, chutneys and pickles. A delicious spread can be made by mixing butter (or margarine), sugar and a pinch of cinnamon together and spreading on hot toast.

CLOVES are the dried, unopened flower buds of the clove tree. A pinch of ground cloves is excellent in meat dishes, stews and meat rolls and in many sweet dishes, puddings, cakes and biscuits. Whole cloves are used in pickles and chutneys.

One or two give a good flavour to baked or stewed anples. mangoes, pineapples, baked hams and stuffings.

MACE is the husk of nutmeg which has been finely ground. Use a little in a ‘‘bouquet garni” or include in sauces served with fish. It is also delicious in cheese dishes, souos, pickles, spinach, local “greens and stuffings and it can be used sprinkled over puddings instead of nutmegs.

NUTMEGS are the seed of the nutmeg tree (myristica fragrans) and can be grated and sprinkled over puddings, added to pudding and cake mixtures and also to stews and fish kedgeree.

SAGE, which is also called salvia means health, and from time immemorial, sage has been praised for its health giving properties. It is used in stuffing for duck, pork and goose, and it is also used in sausages, added to meat rolls and minces and soups, especially lentil or haricot bean.

Every kitchen should have a good selection of herbs and spices. To pre vent loss of flavour they must be kept in screw-topped jars or closed tins. Their value may be proved by adding a little to old familiar dishes. One word of warning, always under, rather than over, season as too much of any of these condiments can ruin a food. One way of extending meat, fish or fowl and at the same time improving the flavour is to cook with a stuffing. This may also be baked separately and served as a separate seasoning.

Bread Stuffing

3 cups soft breadcrumbs.

Dash pepper. i/ 2 medium sized onion chopped.

Pinch salt. *4 teaspoon thyme.

3 tablespoons melted butter, or mar garine or dripping.

Cook onion and seasonings in fat for about 10 minutes, add bread and cook until lightly browned, stir constantly to brown evenly and mix well. This will be enough for one bird or a medium sized fish.

Raisin Nut Stuffing

2 cups breadcrumbs.

Vi cup chopped raisins.

Salt, pepper. 3 tablespoons melted butter or mar garine. tfc cup chopped walnuts or peanuts.

Vt teaspoon dried sage.

Mix all the ingredients together. This stuffing goes particularly well with fowl or ham. If pressed into a tin and baked in a moderate oven it may be served as seasoning with beef, veal or game. These quantities give %Vi cups of stuffing.

During the early hours of March 10, a fire started which completely destroyed the Administration joinery workshops on the foreshore at Samarai, Papua. The estimated cost of the damage is £3,000. Mem bers of the PNGVR Platoon, which happened to be on the spot, formed a bucket brigade and lead by Cor poral Davis, did valuable work to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings until the arrival of the mobile fire pump.