Herbs and spices can lend a great deal of taste to even the simplest dish, but it is important to use just the right amount that will enhance and not overpower the flavor of the food. This is especially true for strong tasting ones such as garlic, cayenne, sage, and tarragon. It is best to start with a little and add more if necessary. For best results, fresh herbs should be added at the end of the cooking time, while dried ones should be added at the beginning. Cayenne and freshly ground black pepper can be added individually at the table, since not everybody likes a very hot taste.

Here are some suggestions if you end up with too much of anything.

too salty: Wash off the salt, or add oil or butter. When cooking grains or pasta, if the water is too salty, add a whole

potato.

too sweet: Add salt, or increase the liquid.
too bitter: Avoid salt, and add something sweet.
too spicy: Add potato or grain, or something sweet.
too sour: Add salt or liquid.

For giving basic dishes like rice, vegetables, or chicken an international flavor, a simple seasoning list might include the following:

Italian: basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, garlic, olive oil.
Chinese:
ginger, soy sauce, cayenne or chili oil, scallions, toasted sesame oil.

Mexican: cumin, cilantro, cayenne and chili pepper, garlic, salsa
Indian: curry, coriander, cumin, saffron,
cardamom, ghee (clarified butter).

French: dill, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, mustard, butter, wine.
East European: paprika, poppy seed, caraway, dill, onion, sour cream.

• Soak beans overnight to cut cooking time; throw away soaking water.

• Soak nuts and seeds overnight, and they will become crunchier and easier to digest because the fats in them become more available as fatty acids. Soaked nuts and seeds also make wonderful additions to salads and can be stored in the refrigerator for a few Day s.

• Pressure cooking beans and grains cuts the cooking time by approximately one third. I like to pressure cook a big batch of beans at a time and then store them in the freezer in small containers, just about enough for two people. In this way I can prepare a bean dish in no time at all, and besides, freezing helps get rid of the agents that cause flatulence in many people.

• Wash salad and other leafy greens when you buy them; let them dry, and then keep them in plastic bags in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator so you do not have to waste a lot of time when you want to use them. I also like to keep the basic vegetables, like chopped onions, garlic, carrots, celery, parsley all ready to use.

• Keep a few basic sauces ready in the refrigerator, such as tomato sauce. Just simmer fresh or canned peeled tomatoes for about 20 minutes with a little salt. For a quick tomato sauce you can then sauté onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and parsley and a little chili pepper in a small amount of olive oil, and add it to the tomatoes. It takes about 5 minutes to put the whole thing together. Store in plastic or stainless steel, not in aluminum or pottery ware.