Just a quick news update on our newest vegetable asparagus powder now available in our store and packed fresh to order! We are excited to be approaching 1500 natural and organic products in our Florida Herb House. See us online at http://www.sharpweblabs.com/ and http://www.floridaherbhouse.com/! Our asparagus powder is loved by many and is of superior grade and quality. We put this powder to the test the other night using it in one of our favorite recipes and it was a 10! Below is the recipe we used and its a must try!
Tilapia, a relatively plentiful fish, has the unfortunate reputation of being dull. All it needs is a spice rub, a familiar barbecuing technique that works just as well indoors. You could also use this rub on chicken breasts or toss it with lightly oiled shrimp before cooking.
4 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
2 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon asparagus powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic, powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 pound tilapia, Pacific sole or other firm white fish fillets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put asparagus in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, spreading out to cool.
Combine chili powder, garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a plate. Dredge fillets in the spice mixture to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until just opaque in the center, gently turning halfway, 5 to 7 minutes total. Divide among 4 plates. Immediately add lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and asparagus to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the asparagus is coated and heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve the asparagus with the fish. ENJOY!!!
http://www.floridaherbhouse.com/
http://www.sharpweblabs.com/
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, November 2, 2009
Difference Saffron Stigmas And Saffron Flowers
We are proud to offer some of the finest Saffron products on the market today but some are a bit confused on our saffron products. Whenever Saffron is mentioned around cooking lingo the item being mentioned is our Saffron stigmas. Also here at http://www.sharpweblabs.com/ and http://www.floridaherbhouse.com/ we sell Saffron flowers. The flowers also have used such as fabric dying and medicinal uses as well. Remember Saffron stigmas are the tiny thread like fibers in the center of the flower. These thread like stigmas of the Crocus sativus is a part of the Saffron flower. Saffron is the reddish-orange stigmas of a particular variety of crocus. The process of this spice is remarkable. About 200,000 dried stigmas from about 70,000 flowers are needed to produce just one pound.Saffron is mainly bought for culinary purposes, a small pinch goes a long way, but today folks are coming back to it for herbal medicinal reasons. Saffron milk is becoming quite popular and can be bought in some local groceries today. The saffron milk is a flavorful, soothing drink that can be helpful in relieving cardia problems. To make it yourself, bring one cup of milk just to a boil, add a pinch of saffron, reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for two minutes. sweeten it with honey to taste and drink it once a day.
Be careful when purchasing saffron. It is sometimes adulterated with other spices. true saffron is expensive and has a deep orange to brownish red color. The redder the strands, the better the quality. Yellow saffron has no curative properties. Choose whole saffron threads over powder saffron. The threads have a better flavor and the curative qualities are higher. When you store saffron, store in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. Don't let it get damp or you will end up losing it all together. Don't add saffron threads directly to foods, the flavor is better distributed when the spice is first allowed to soften in a little warm water. Wait until the water takes on a yellow color and then add it to your dish. Plus use it sparingly. Adding too much can produce a bitter taste and it has been known a large dosage can make a person feel ill, and more than 1/3 oz. can be fatal.
Have A Great Day!
Try The World's Best Saffron Today!
http://www.sharpweblabs.com/
http://www.floridaherbhouse.com/
Monday, September 14, 2009
Organic Garlic Spice - You Can Taste The Difference!
One taste of our organic certified fresh dried garlic spices and we guarantee you too will smell and taste the difference than that of supermarket variety choices. Here at www.FloridaHerbHouse.com and www.SharpWebLabs.com you will find nothing but the best of the best for all your top chef herbs and culinary spices. We stock over 700 herbs and spices in our climate controlled and light controlled rooms for your cooking and diet pleasures. Take the taste challenge today! We offer several choices of organic certified and all natural garlic such as minced garlic, granulated garlic, garlic fine powder, and toasted garlic!
Garlic not only tastes great to most, it's very good for your body too. It is one of Mother Nature's most precious gift to cooks of all levels of expertise. yet it is actually a member of the lily family and a cousin to onionss, chivess, and shallotss. The edible bulb or head of garlic is composed of smaller cloves. It is a root crop, with the bulb growing underground. Garlic crops are harvested in mid-July and hung in sheds to dry before reaching their prime in late-July/early-August. There are over 300 varieties of garlic grown worldwide. American garlic, with its white, papery skin and strong flavor is one of the most common varieties. Italian and Mexican garlic, both of which have pink- to purple-colored skins, are slightly milder-flavored varieties. Elephant garlic (allium scorodoprasum), which has very large, extremely mild-flavored cloves, is not a true garlic, but a closer relative to the leek.
STORING GARLIC - Commercially, garlic is stored near 32 degrees F. However, most home refrigerators are too warm for ideal long-term storage of garlic. Instead, store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place in well-ventilated containers such as mesh bags. Storage life is 3 to 5 months under cool (60 degree F) dry, dark conditions.
PEELING GARLIC CLOVESPeeling whole cloves requires that the papery skin be removed without cutting into the clove. If the garlic is going to be chopped or sliced., the skin can be removed by pressing the clove with the flat side of a knife until the clove and skin crack. The skin can then be easily removed.
ROASTING GARLICRoasted garlic, which has become popular in recent years, is sweet to the taste and is delicious on bread or crackers as an appetizer or served as a vegetable side dish. To prepare roasted garlic, leave the head whole and cut off the tip of the head, exposing the cloves. Allow one-half to one head per person. Put the head (or heads) in a baking dish or wrap them in aluminum foil, sprinkle with olive oil or pat with butter, and season with a little salt and pepper and some fresh or dried thyme if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F until very soft and tender (about 45 minutes to 1 hour). The roasted garlic cloves can be easily squeezed from their skins and spread with a knife.
FREEZING GARLICGarlic can be frozen in a number of ways.1. Chop the garlic, wrap it tightly in a plastic freezer bag or in plastic wrap, and freeze. To use, grate or break off the amount needed.2. Freeze the garlic unpeeled and remove cloves as needed.3. Peel the cloves and puree them with oil in a blender or food processor using 2 parts oil to 1 part garlic. The puree will stay soft enough in the freezer to scrape out parts to use in sautéing. Freeze this mixture immediately - do not store it at room temperature. The combination of the low-acid garlic, the exclusion of air (by mixing with oil), and room-temperature storage can support the growth of Clostridium botulinum.
DRYING GARLIC - Dry only fresh, firm garlic cloves with no bruises. To prepare, separate and peel the cloves. Cut in half lengthwise. No additional predrying treatment is necessary. Dry at 140 degrees for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 130 degrees until completely dry or crisp. If desired, garlic salt may be made from dried garlic. Powder dried garlic by processing in a blender or food processor until fine. Add 4 parts salt to 1 part garlic powder and blend 1 to 2 seconds. If blended longer, the salt will become too fine and cake together in clumps.
STORING GARLIC IN WINE OR VINEGAR - Peeled cloves may be submerged in wine or vinegar and stored in the refrigerator. A dry white or red wine is suggested; white or wine vinegars also work well. The garlic/liquid should be kept for about 4 months in the refrigerator. Discard both the cloves and the liquid if there are signs of mold or yeast growth on the surface of the wine or vinegar. The garlic-flavored liquid and the garlic cloves may be used to flavor dishes. Do not store the garlic/liquid mixture at room temperature because it will rapidly develop mold growth.
STORING GARLIC IN OIL - Extreme care must be taken when preparing flavored oils with garlic or when storing garlic in oil. Peeled garlic cloves may be submerged in oil and stored in the freezer for several months. Do not store garlic in oil at room temperature. Garlic-in-oil mixtures stored at room temperature provide perfect conditions for producing botulism toxin (low acidity, no free oxygen in the oil, and warm temperatures). The same hazard exists for roasted garlic stored in oil. At least three outbreaks of botulism associated with garlic-in-oil mixtures have been reported in North America.
By law, commercially prepared garlic in oil has been prepared using strict guidelines and must contain citric or phosphoric acid to increase the acidity. Unfortunately, there is no easy or reliable method to acidify garlic in the home. Acidifying garlic in vinegar is a lengthy and highly variable process; a whole clove of garlic covered with vinegar can take from 3 days to more than 1 week to sufficiently acidify. As an alternative, properly dried garlic cloves may be safely added to flavor oils.
Our favorite simple to make garlic chicken recipe! A great quickie meal! Some garlic chicken recipes involve roasting a whole chicken. That's great - if you've got both the time and enough people to eat the chicken! This simple garlic chicken recipe uses chicken breast and serves two. It makes a quick and easy garlic chicken supper.
1/2 oz (15gm) Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
As always, adjust garlic according to taste
2 Chicken Breasts
1/2 Pint (280 ml) Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper
Handful fresh Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp Natural Yoghurt
Trim the chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Melt the butter in a pan, add the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and cook gently until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.
Add the chicken pieces to the onion and garlic mixture and brown on all sides.
Add the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the chopped parsley. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down to minimum and leave gently cooking - uncovered - for about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces and keep warm. Turn up the heat and reduce the liquid by about half. Remove from the heat and stir in the yoghurt.
Serve the garlic chicken with mashed potato, your favourite veg and the garlicky sauce.
ENJOY!!
Thanks to all who contributed to this article!
Stephen C. Sharp
www.FloridaHerbHouse.com
www.SharpWebLabs.com
Garlic not only tastes great to most, it's very good for your body too. It is one of Mother Nature's most precious gift to cooks of all levels of expertise. yet it is actually a member of the lily family and a cousin to onionss, chivess, and shallotss. The edible bulb or head of garlic is composed of smaller cloves. It is a root crop, with the bulb growing underground. Garlic crops are harvested in mid-July and hung in sheds to dry before reaching their prime in late-July/early-August. There are over 300 varieties of garlic grown worldwide. American garlic, with its white, papery skin and strong flavor is one of the most common varieties. Italian and Mexican garlic, both of which have pink- to purple-colored skins, are slightly milder-flavored varieties. Elephant garlic (allium scorodoprasum), which has very large, extremely mild-flavored cloves, is not a true garlic, but a closer relative to the leek.
STORING GARLIC - Commercially, garlic is stored near 32 degrees F. However, most home refrigerators are too warm for ideal long-term storage of garlic. Instead, store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place in well-ventilated containers such as mesh bags. Storage life is 3 to 5 months under cool (60 degree F) dry, dark conditions.
PEELING GARLIC CLOVESPeeling whole cloves requires that the papery skin be removed without cutting into the clove. If the garlic is going to be chopped or sliced., the skin can be removed by pressing the clove with the flat side of a knife until the clove and skin crack. The skin can then be easily removed.
ROASTING GARLICRoasted garlic, which has become popular in recent years, is sweet to the taste and is delicious on bread or crackers as an appetizer or served as a vegetable side dish. To prepare roasted garlic, leave the head whole and cut off the tip of the head, exposing the cloves. Allow one-half to one head per person. Put the head (or heads) in a baking dish or wrap them in aluminum foil, sprinkle with olive oil or pat with butter, and season with a little salt and pepper and some fresh or dried thyme if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F until very soft and tender (about 45 minutes to 1 hour). The roasted garlic cloves can be easily squeezed from their skins and spread with a knife.
FREEZING GARLICGarlic can be frozen in a number of ways.1. Chop the garlic, wrap it tightly in a plastic freezer bag or in plastic wrap, and freeze. To use, grate or break off the amount needed.2. Freeze the garlic unpeeled and remove cloves as needed.3. Peel the cloves and puree them with oil in a blender or food processor using 2 parts oil to 1 part garlic. The puree will stay soft enough in the freezer to scrape out parts to use in sautéing. Freeze this mixture immediately - do not store it at room temperature. The combination of the low-acid garlic, the exclusion of air (by mixing with oil), and room-temperature storage can support the growth of Clostridium botulinum.
DRYING GARLIC - Dry only fresh, firm garlic cloves with no bruises. To prepare, separate and peel the cloves. Cut in half lengthwise. No additional predrying treatment is necessary. Dry at 140 degrees for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 130 degrees until completely dry or crisp. If desired, garlic salt may be made from dried garlic. Powder dried garlic by processing in a blender or food processor until fine. Add 4 parts salt to 1 part garlic powder and blend 1 to 2 seconds. If blended longer, the salt will become too fine and cake together in clumps.
STORING GARLIC IN WINE OR VINEGAR - Peeled cloves may be submerged in wine or vinegar and stored in the refrigerator. A dry white or red wine is suggested; white or wine vinegars also work well. The garlic/liquid should be kept for about 4 months in the refrigerator. Discard both the cloves and the liquid if there are signs of mold or yeast growth on the surface of the wine or vinegar. The garlic-flavored liquid and the garlic cloves may be used to flavor dishes. Do not store the garlic/liquid mixture at room temperature because it will rapidly develop mold growth.
STORING GARLIC IN OIL - Extreme care must be taken when preparing flavored oils with garlic or when storing garlic in oil. Peeled garlic cloves may be submerged in oil and stored in the freezer for several months. Do not store garlic in oil at room temperature. Garlic-in-oil mixtures stored at room temperature provide perfect conditions for producing botulism toxin (low acidity, no free oxygen in the oil, and warm temperatures). The same hazard exists for roasted garlic stored in oil. At least three outbreaks of botulism associated with garlic-in-oil mixtures have been reported in North America.
By law, commercially prepared garlic in oil has been prepared using strict guidelines and must contain citric or phosphoric acid to increase the acidity. Unfortunately, there is no easy or reliable method to acidify garlic in the home. Acidifying garlic in vinegar is a lengthy and highly variable process; a whole clove of garlic covered with vinegar can take from 3 days to more than 1 week to sufficiently acidify. As an alternative, properly dried garlic cloves may be safely added to flavor oils.
Our favorite simple to make garlic chicken recipe! A great quickie meal! Some garlic chicken recipes involve roasting a whole chicken. That's great - if you've got both the time and enough people to eat the chicken! This simple garlic chicken recipe uses chicken breast and serves two. It makes a quick and easy garlic chicken supper.
1/2 oz (15gm) Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
As always, adjust garlic according to taste
2 Chicken Breasts
1/2 Pint (280 ml) Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper
Handful fresh Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp Natural Yoghurt
Trim the chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Melt the butter in a pan, add the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and cook gently until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.
Add the chicken pieces to the onion and garlic mixture and brown on all sides.
Add the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the chopped parsley. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down to minimum and leave gently cooking - uncovered - for about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces and keep warm. Turn up the heat and reduce the liquid by about half. Remove from the heat and stir in the yoghurt.
Serve the garlic chicken with mashed potato, your favourite veg and the garlicky sauce.
ENJOY!!
Thanks to all who contributed to this article!
Stephen C. Sharp
www.FloridaHerbHouse.com
www.SharpWebLabs.com
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Cumin Herb - Member Of The Carrot Family!
Happy Tuesday from our Florida Herb House!
It is a cloudy humid day with chance of rain all day here in Daytona Beach, Fl. Today we have picked Cumin as a blog topic for our spice of the month. One of our top selling herbs for the month of July is our Cumin seeds and powder. We have moved about 39 Lbs of cumin this month and climbing. We think summer brings a higher acquisition rate for cumin than in other seasons.
Cumin has been compared to that of Turmeric and Caraway for its aromatic and flavor qualities. The similarity ends there. Cumin seed is handpicked & dried before use, it grows on a delicate plant, similar to fennel. Tumeric on the other hand is a dried rhizome. The plant bears a similarity to ginger. Tumeric is boiled to intensify the yellow colour , then it is dried and powdered. Cumin is a relative of fennel and caraway but has a slightly bitter taste, and is often seen in curries and Mexican dishes, but also in some cheeses and as an herb in some digestive schnapps.
Our organic certified cumin seeds and cumin powder comes direct from premium growers in Turkey. The technical name for Cumin is Cuminum cyminum. Cuminum cyminum, Should not be confused with black cumin, the Chinese medicinal herb, or sweet cumin, better known as fennel, or caraway. Cumin is the seed of a small plant in the carrot family. Pungent, sharp, and slightly sweet, the greenish brown powder of this herb is an essential ingredient in Mexican cuisine.
Cumin is a great source for iron! Cumin seeds have traditionally been noted also as beneficial to the digestive system, and scientific research is beginning to bear out cumin's age-old reputation. Research has shown that cumin may stimulate the secretion of pancreatic enzymes, compounds necessary for proper digestion and nutrient assimilation.
Ground cumin should be kept in an air-tight container. Add to cooking in moderation; the pungency of cumin can overwhelm other flavors in a dish. Be forewarned that cumin stimulates the appetite and may increase lactation in nursing mothers.
All in all when using cumin from www.FloridaHerbHouse.com and www.SharpWebLabs.com remember that our herbs are pure and natural and when noted "Certified Organic" which means you get the best unrefined herbs ever. Cumin should be used in small amounts as when used excessively can overpower other herbs. Enjoy a cup of cumin and honey tea today! Below is our favorite cumin chili recipe that must be tried with our organic cumin!
AWARD WINNING CUMIN CHILI:
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
3 1/3 cups canned whole tomatoes with their juice (one 28-ounce can), broken up
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 1/3 cups drained and rinsed canned pinto or kidney beans (one 15-ounce can)
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to moderate. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Add the beans and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender and the chili thickened, about 5 minutes longer.
ENJOY!
Stephen C. Sharp
www.SharpWebLabs.com
www.FloridaHerbHouse.com
It is a cloudy humid day with chance of rain all day here in Daytona Beach, Fl. Today we have picked Cumin as a blog topic for our spice of the month. One of our top selling herbs for the month of July is our Cumin seeds and powder. We have moved about 39 Lbs of cumin this month and climbing. We think summer brings a higher acquisition rate for cumin than in other seasons.
Cumin has been compared to that of Turmeric and Caraway for its aromatic and flavor qualities. The similarity ends there. Cumin seed is handpicked & dried before use, it grows on a delicate plant, similar to fennel. Tumeric on the other hand is a dried rhizome. The plant bears a similarity to ginger. Tumeric is boiled to intensify the yellow colour , then it is dried and powdered. Cumin is a relative of fennel and caraway but has a slightly bitter taste, and is often seen in curries and Mexican dishes, but also in some cheeses and as an herb in some digestive schnapps.
Our organic certified cumin seeds and cumin powder comes direct from premium growers in Turkey. The technical name for Cumin is Cuminum cyminum. Cuminum cyminum, Should not be confused with black cumin, the Chinese medicinal herb, or sweet cumin, better known as fennel, or caraway. Cumin is the seed of a small plant in the carrot family. Pungent, sharp, and slightly sweet, the greenish brown powder of this herb is an essential ingredient in Mexican cuisine.
Cumin is a great source for iron! Cumin seeds have traditionally been noted also as beneficial to the digestive system, and scientific research is beginning to bear out cumin's age-old reputation. Research has shown that cumin may stimulate the secretion of pancreatic enzymes, compounds necessary for proper digestion and nutrient assimilation.
Ground cumin should be kept in an air-tight container. Add to cooking in moderation; the pungency of cumin can overwhelm other flavors in a dish. Be forewarned that cumin stimulates the appetite and may increase lactation in nursing mothers.
All in all when using cumin from www.FloridaHerbHouse.com and www.SharpWebLabs.com remember that our herbs are pure and natural and when noted "Certified Organic" which means you get the best unrefined herbs ever. Cumin should be used in small amounts as when used excessively can overpower other herbs. Enjoy a cup of cumin and honey tea today! Below is our favorite cumin chili recipe that must be tried with our organic cumin!
AWARD WINNING CUMIN CHILI:
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
3 1/3 cups canned whole tomatoes with their juice (one 28-ounce can), broken up
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 1/3 cups drained and rinsed canned pinto or kidney beans (one 15-ounce can)
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to moderate. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Add the beans and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender and the chili thickened, about 5 minutes longer.
ENJOY!
Stephen C. Sharp
www.SharpWebLabs.com
www.FloridaHerbHouse.com
Monday, May 25, 2009
Oregano - The Minty Spice?
Happy Monday Bloggers!
As many herb experts know that oregano is truly a member of the mint family one can not help to wonder why it tastes nothing like "mint". Oregano is traditionally used in hundreds of recipes especially Italian cuisine as well as a great spice for soups and sauces. You can buy the freshest dried oregano right at our "Florida Herb House" in Port Orange, FL or online at www.FloridaHerbHouse.com or www.SharpWebLabs.com! We would love to see you!
Oregano which comes from about 35 plants is widely cultivated in Europe as a culinary herb. Oregano is an upright perennial herb, growing to about 30 inches but can reach heights of six feet. It has square, red stems, elliptical leaves, and clusters of deep pink flowers. It thrives in chalky soils near the sea, and is gathered when in flower during the summer.
Marjoram is a woody perennial herb native to countries bordering the Mediterranean, but now widely cultivated, especially in Germany. Depending on the area of cultivation, there may be two crops per year. It grows to about twenty inches, having aromatic, light green, oval leaves and pinkish white flowers emerging from the upper leaf axils. The leaves have a mild sage-like flavour.
The oregano plants are well known food seasonings, as well as having a long history as medicinal plants. In China, they have long been used to treat fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Oregano was much used by the ancient Greeks, and had a more significant role in medicine than did marjoram.
The 18th century herbalist, K'Eogh described it as having a "hot, dry nature" considered good for stomach pains and the heart as well as for coughs, pleurisy, and "obstructions of the lungs and womb", and thought to be a "comfort" to the head and nerves.
In 1597, the herbalist John Gerard made an assessment of marjoram, saying that it was a remedy "against cold diseases of the brain and head" including that of toothaches. It was also thought to lower the sex drive.
www.FloridaHerbHouse.com
As many herb experts know that oregano is truly a member of the mint family one can not help to wonder why it tastes nothing like "mint". Oregano is traditionally used in hundreds of recipes especially Italian cuisine as well as a great spice for soups and sauces. You can buy the freshest dried oregano right at our "Florida Herb House" in Port Orange, FL or online at www.FloridaHerbHouse.com or www.SharpWebLabs.com! We would love to see you!
Oregano which comes from about 35 plants is widely cultivated in Europe as a culinary herb. Oregano is an upright perennial herb, growing to about 30 inches but can reach heights of six feet. It has square, red stems, elliptical leaves, and clusters of deep pink flowers. It thrives in chalky soils near the sea, and is gathered when in flower during the summer.
Marjoram is a woody perennial herb native to countries bordering the Mediterranean, but now widely cultivated, especially in Germany. Depending on the area of cultivation, there may be two crops per year. It grows to about twenty inches, having aromatic, light green, oval leaves and pinkish white flowers emerging from the upper leaf axils. The leaves have a mild sage-like flavour.
The oregano plants are well known food seasonings, as well as having a long history as medicinal plants. In China, they have long been used to treat fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Oregano was much used by the ancient Greeks, and had a more significant role in medicine than did marjoram.
The 18th century herbalist, K'Eogh described it as having a "hot, dry nature" considered good for stomach pains and the heart as well as for coughs, pleurisy, and "obstructions of the lungs and womb", and thought to be a "comfort" to the head and nerves.
In 1597, the herbalist John Gerard made an assessment of marjoram, saying that it was a remedy "against cold diseases of the brain and head" including that of toothaches. It was also thought to lower the sex drive.
www.FloridaHerbHouse.com
Monday, March 30, 2009
All Natural Cilantro And Cilantro Powder For Your Recipes!
Happy Monday Bloggers!
From all your health nuts here at herb and spice headquarters http://www.sharpweblabs.com/ and http://www.floridaherbhouse.com/ we welcome you to our blog. April we hope will bring more spice business in as the spring approaches and the outdoors become active again with picnics, parties, and fun filled festivals! With all these come of course what else.... Food, Food, and more Food. With food comes chefs be it beginners or the most seasoned cook out there (No Pun Intended). With cooking comes new recipes and wit new recipes comes our spices. With now over 600 specialty organic certified and natural herbs and culinary spices we are excited to welcome to our herb house our newest member Cilantro and Cilantro Powder!
We have been unable to get a quality cilantro spice that passes all our quality and taste tests but we have finally found one and expect it on our shelves by mid April 2009. So for those who have little or know real knowledge of this award winning spice lets talk about it!
Our good friend Branford who makes his own line of marinades, hot sauces, and barbecue sauces recently came out with a new cilantro sauce. We must say that is tasted better than it sounded and we wish Branford from BranfordsOrginals web site great success with this new creation!
Cilantro is from the parsley family but has an entirely different taste so we try not to use the two terms together much. Two terms that can be used together are corainder and cilantro. Actually the leaves from the corainder herb plant are called cilantro. The corainder plant that develop more slowly produce the leaves we harvest as cilantro. The plants that are allowed to develop longer have their seeds used as corainder seeds.
Cilantro is very popular in Mexico, Asia, and Italy as a garnish for delicious salsa, sauces for chicken and pork, and other great cuisines. Cilantro is usually added to recipes at the end to preserve its flavor.
Below is our favorite cilantro recipe!
Ingredients:
4 pork chops, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped and divided
1/2 red onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
2 teaspoons chili powder, divided
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Directions:
Heat vegetable oil in large non-stick skillet. Rub pork chops with salt and pepper. Place on hot skillet. Sear each side 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, place half of the chopped cilantro, red onions, half the cumin, half the chili powder, and salt and pepper in bottom of crockpot. Place seared pork chops on top. Place chopped tomatoes, remaining cilantro, remaining cumin, remaining chili powder, and salt and pepper on top of pork chops. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Serve with Spanish flavored rice and steamed broccoli.
Directions:
Heat vegetable oil in large non-stick skillet. Rub pork chops with salt and pepper. Place on hot skillet. Sear each side 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, place half of the chopped cilantro, red onions, half the cumin, half the chili powder, and salt and pepper in bottom of crockpot. Place seared pork chops on top. Place chopped tomatoes, remaining cilantro, remaining cumin, remaining chili powder, and salt and pepper on top of pork chops. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Serve with Spanish flavored rice and steamed broccoli.
Have A Spicy Day!
Sincerely,
Stephen C. Sharp
FloridaHerbHouse
SharpWebLabs
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Fenugreek Seed Powder - March Herb Of The Month
Happy Thursday Bloggers!
With this crazy recession and other horrible events occurring real time we pray for all who are suffering during these very hard times. Our sales at our nutrition wholesale discount stores http://www.sharpweblabs.com/, http://www.floridaherbhouse.com/, and http://www.kissmybees.com/ are down but we are working extra hard to weather this nasty economical storm.
For March Fenugreek has won our approval for our best selling herb. We have moves several hundred pound of this fantastic herb off our shelves this month. For those who are focusing their attention on health and well-being as so many are during these troubled times we are here to help you with any question you may have about our 700+ herbs, spices, seaweeds, seasonings, tinctures, and more!
We believe the rise in Fenugreek sales are due in part to many people simply switching to all natural health and healing alternatives. The maple aroma and flavor of fenugreek has led to its use in many baked goods, chutneys, confections, and imitation maple syrup. For culinary purposes, seeds are ground and used in curries. Young seedlings and other portions of fresh plant material are eaten as vegetables. The plant is quite nutritious, being high in proteins, ascorbic acid, niacin, and potassium.
Fenugreek is also used as a livestock feed. Fenugreek is generally recognized as safe for human consumption as a spice or natural seasoning and as a plant extract. Fenugreek also appears to be the herb that is most often used to increase milk supply. It is an excellent galactagogue, and has been used as such for centuries. Mothers generally notice an increase in production 24-72 hours after starting the herb, but it can take two weeks for others to see a change. Dosages of 3000mg-4000mg's per day are common. One way to determine if you're taking the correct dosage is to slowly increase the amount of fenugreek until your sweat and urine begin to smell like maple syrup. If you're having problems with any side effects, discontinue use.
Fenugreek can be used either short-term to boost milk supply or long-term to augment supply and/or pumping yields. There are no studies indicating problems with long-term usage. Per Kathleen Huggins "Most mothers have found that the herb can be discontinued once milk production is stimulated to an appropriate level. Adequate production is usually maintained as long as sufficient breast stimulation and emptying continues"
SharpWebLabs.com
With this crazy recession and other horrible events occurring real time we pray for all who are suffering during these very hard times. Our sales at our nutrition wholesale discount stores http://www.sharpweblabs.com/, http://www.floridaherbhouse.com/, and http://www.kissmybees.com/ are down but we are working extra hard to weather this nasty economical storm.
For March Fenugreek has won our approval for our best selling herb. We have moves several hundred pound of this fantastic herb off our shelves this month. For those who are focusing their attention on health and well-being as so many are during these troubled times we are here to help you with any question you may have about our 700+ herbs, spices, seaweeds, seasonings, tinctures, and more!
We believe the rise in Fenugreek sales are due in part to many people simply switching to all natural health and healing alternatives. The maple aroma and flavor of fenugreek has led to its use in many baked goods, chutneys, confections, and imitation maple syrup. For culinary purposes, seeds are ground and used in curries. Young seedlings and other portions of fresh plant material are eaten as vegetables. The plant is quite nutritious, being high in proteins, ascorbic acid, niacin, and potassium.
Fenugreek is also used as a livestock feed. Fenugreek is generally recognized as safe for human consumption as a spice or natural seasoning and as a plant extract. Fenugreek also appears to be the herb that is most often used to increase milk supply. It is an excellent galactagogue, and has been used as such for centuries. Mothers generally notice an increase in production 24-72 hours after starting the herb, but it can take two weeks for others to see a change. Dosages of 3000mg-4000mg's per day are common. One way to determine if you're taking the correct dosage is to slowly increase the amount of fenugreek until your sweat and urine begin to smell like maple syrup. If you're having problems with any side effects, discontinue use.
Fenugreek can be used either short-term to boost milk supply or long-term to augment supply and/or pumping yields. There are no studies indicating problems with long-term usage. Per Kathleen Huggins "Most mothers have found that the herb can be discontinued once milk production is stimulated to an appropriate level. Adequate production is usually maintained as long as sufficient breast stimulation and emptying continues"
SharpWebLabs.com
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