She'd read it had a bitter taste, although she hadn't tried it yet. The final contribution to the research papers were notes taken as students experienced the herbs, cooked and uncooked. Students got a quick cooking lesson as Reis explained the steps of making the pasta dish and fired questions at the students. Students guessed oregano, basil and parsley. Reis explained that herbs are the leaf of a plant.
Spices come from the seed, or bark, as is the case with cinnamon.
The chef credits the Portuguese with bringing to this part of the world the spices and herbs we use today, since they were the first Europeans to sail to India in the 15th century. Fresh herbs should be added to a dish at the end of cooking, dry herbs at the beginning, Reis told the students. Herbs are an excellent way to cut down on salt in cooking, because they bring out flavors of food. Sixth-grader Jill Murray, who brought the poppyseed muffins, learned that herbs give food fragrance, too. Herbs keep things fresh, like fish, says sixth-grader Amanda Page.