Basil: The Herb Heat Destroys, So Timing Is Everything
Basil is a heat-fragile herb, so add it raw or in the last seconds of cooking, or its sweet aroma turns to dull, bitter…
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Fresh Herbs, and How Late to Add Each One
Fresh herbs are mostly water and volatile oil, so heat is what decides whether they taste of anything by the time the dish reaches the table. These eight profiles cover basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, chives, tarragon, and lemongrass, and each one says how late to add it and which part of the plant to use.
Fresh and dried behave differently. Every entry says which one a recipe means, and what changes when you swap.
In This Collection
In this collection 8 profiles
Chives: The Onion You Never Cook
Chives are the mildest onion in the kitchen and the only allium used raw as a finishing herb. The two decisions that…
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Cilantro: Why It Tastes Like Soap, and How to Use the Whole Plant
Cilantro tastes bright and citrusy to most people and soapy to some, and that split is genetic, not a matter of skill…
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Dill Loses Its Grassy Lift If You Add It Too Early
Dill loses much of its leafy aroma when it simmers for too long. Add fresh fronds near the end, give dried dill a few…
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How to Use Lemongrass in Cooking, From Stalk to Paste
Lemongrass gives food a lemon-like aroma without making it sour. Bruise large pieces when they will perfume liquid and…
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Parsley Is an Ingredient, Not a Garnish
Parsley is the bulk of most dishes that made it famous, from tabbouleh to gremolata, rather than the sprig beside them…
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Tarragon: Why the Plant You Bought Has No Flavor
Two different plants are sold as tarragon, and only French tarragon carries the sweet anise flavor the herb is known…
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What Is Mint, and Should You Cook With Spearmint or Peppermint?
Use mint to cool and lift food that feels heavy, hot, or over-sweet, not as a base flavor. Choose spearmint for almost…
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