Dried seeds (caraway and celery), fruits (allspice and chilies), roots (sassafras, angelica, sarsaparilla, licorice and horseradish) and barks (cinnamon) make up the family called Spices. Used in small quantities they are used as food additives or more specifically flavoring for foods. Spices are usually ground into a powder, unlike herbs which are the leafy part of a plant, which can be used fresh or dried, like basil or oregano.

Certain of the spices serve multiple purposes, such as turmeric which is also a preservative; licorice and garlic which are also used medicinally and garlic which is also used as a vegetable. Some spices are used in religious rituals, burning sage is used by the Native Americans in many of their rituals for cleansing; however, sage is actually an herb.

Cinnamon is used as a base for many perfumes, including Tabu by Cody. Spices have been around sin the beginning of human history, and were some of the most valuable trade items in the world in ancient times.

Joseph was sold to spice merchants and the male speaker in the Song of Solomon refers to his love as many types of spices. Explorers including Vasco Da Gama, who sailed to India from Portugal, and Christopher Columbus, both were either in search of spices, or used the find of new spices to peak the interest of investors in their travels.

Spices have been used for centuries to excite the senses and defend against illness.  Cinnamon not only tastes good, but has been show to reduce the growth of bacteria that may cause food poisoning, this includes only 1 teaspoon in bottled apple juice.

Garlic, sage and clove assist in keeping cooked hamburger from spoiling by cutting down on food contamination.  Using spices on your outdoor cooking could keep a picnic from being ruined by food poisoning.

Spices are an amazing part of cooking, increasing not only the aroma and flavor of food, but as a serious part of remaining healthy.

One of the favorite foods at most cook outs are ribs and tenderness is a major part of the enjoyment! No one likes to bite into a rib and have to chew and chew just to get it off the bone, this recipe works for either pork or beef ribs, and everyone will want to know how you made them so tender.

To make ribs that are fall of the bone tender, boil them first in beer, or if you have a problem cooking with alcohol, use water with a couple of teaspoons of yeast. The yeast breaks down the meat, causing the tenderness. I found out about this secret when I had ribs at a friends cookout one year, they were by far the best ribs I had ever eaten, I asked her the secret and she told me to boil them in beer first.

Cooking in alcohol removes the alcoholic content, but some people still have a problem with the idea of using alcohol to cook with, so yeast works just as well.  (It is after all the yeast in the beer that does the trick!)

Boil the ribs in the beer or yeast water for about two hours, then place in a baking pan, cover with bar-b-que sauce and refrigerate until ready for use.

You can also prepare these in the oven or even in an electric skillet.  In the oven, broil them approximately 10 minutes, coating with sauce and turning after 5 minutes, since they are already cooked, it is just a process of flavoring them with the sauce.

To cook ribs in an electric skillet, turn the skillet to simmer, put ribs in pan and cover, do not open the vent, this allows them to cook in their own steam. Cook them for a couple of hours turning after the first hour, and coat with sauce after you turn them. Enjoy!

From the bestselling author of Every Night Italian, a new bible of Italian Cooking–consistently America’s favorite cuisine–for the way we cook today.

After a lifetime of developing his craft, Giuliano Hazan, a master teacher and son of legendary Italian food expert Marcella Hazan, writes the first truly comprehensive guide to Italian cuisine in a decade. How to Cook Italian is the only book you need to create classic Mediterranean flavors from American supermarket ingredients.

Hazan covers the basic techniques of Italian cooking, including sauteing vegetables, tossing fresh ingredients into perfectly cooked pasta, making quick pan sauces, and braising meats until they are tender enough to cut with a spoon; what you need (usually just a saute pan and a pot) and what you don’t (expensive, fancy equipment); and hot to stock the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer for east, fantastic meals throughout the week.

Discover How To Cook Italian