An excellent, accurate blog! May I add another spice that is frequently confused as an herb? Lavender. As you point out in your article, herbs are the leafy part of a plant (e.g. basil, parsley, bay leaf, etc). Any other plant part (bark, seeds, flowers, etc) is a spice. With lavender, the part of the plant which is used as a seasoning are the flowers -- either fresh or (more commonly) dried flower buds. If kept whole and in a dry, dark place away from sunlight, dried lavender buds will be palatable for about two years. So add lavender to your list of spices -- excellent when added to brewed tea or used as a seasoning for oven-roasted vegetables (esp. potatoes). --Dave from Seafoam Lavender Farm
An excellent, accurate blog! May I add another spice that is frequently confused as an herb? Lavender. As you point out in your article, herbs are the leafy part of a plant (e.g. basil, parsley, bay leaf, etc). Any other plant part (bark, seeds, flowers, etc) is a spice. With lavender, the part of the plant which is used as a seasoning are the flowers -- either fresh or (more commonly) dried flower buds. If kept whole and in a dry, dark place away from sunlight, dried lavender buds will be palatable for about two years. So add lavender to your list of spices -- excellent when added to brewed tea or used as a seasoning for oven-roasted vegetables (esp. potatoes). --Dave from Seafoam Lavender Farm