Herbs and spices add fragrance as well as flavor to even the simplest of foods. This is the chance to be really creative. Herbs come from the plant’s leaves and stems and are used either fresh or dried, while spices are derived from the plant’s seeds, roots, bark, and berries or flower buds.

If using fresh herbs, wash them gently and shake off the excess moisture. Wrap them in paper towels and refrigerate them up to a week. The exceptions to this, however, are basil and mint, which turn black when refrigerated wet. Store bunches of these herbs, unwashed and upright with their stems in ajar of water in the refrigerator, covered loosely with a plastic bag. For most fresh herbs, use just the leaves, avoiding the tougher stems, although with parsley, you can include the stems. Chop fresh herbs just before using and add to hot dishes toward the end of the cooking time since the heat will dissipate the flavor.