Generally, herbs and spices or products derived from them, are blended together to form seasonings: rarely does the flavoring effect of one herb or spice suffice to make a well rounded profile. Domestically, all too often only pepper and salt suffice to give an adequate savor, although the housewife is certainly becoming more venturesome in the use of herbs and spices. A seasoning should enhance the natural flavors present: may be modify them a little to suit individual palates: but never swamp them. A few national dishes tend to disprove this contention but, generally, seasonings should be used primarily to add zest and interest to a dish to make it appetizing to the consumer.
There are no set rules for using spices; indeed, there is little precise information in this elusive art but most domestic recipes advise nature and amount of spices to be used to suit average taste. There is now a very flourishing trade in packaged herbs and spices as well as preblended seasonings for specific product types. Skill in blending seasoning only built up by practical experience as these valuable flavoring adjuncts do not all have the flavoring power – some are excessively strong and over powering; others are extremely weak and as readily suppressed.Seasonings
