Herbs vs Spices

In cooking, the terms “herbs” and “spices” are commonly used interchangeably.

But, is there a difference? If so, what makes an herb an herb, and a spice a spice?

Special Note: Salt is not an herb or a spice, it is a mineral.

	Part of Plant	Examples
HERBS	Leafy green parts of a plant (either fresh or dried) They are mostly from the leaves of plants and used for providing flavour in cooking	thyme lavender cilantro (Note: seeds from this plant can be used as spices and are called coriander) mint parsley basil
SPICES	A product from another part of the plant (usually dried), including seeds, berries, bark, roots and fruits They can be used to add colour, and flavour to food	fruits and seed (coriander, fennel, mustard) bark (cinnamon, mace) dried buds (clove) stigma (saffron) roots and rhizomes (ginger) and resin (asafoetida)

Many herb and spice blends originate in certain parts of the world:

herbs de provence (basil, fennel, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, savory and thyme) is commonly used in Southern France
Moroccan Blend (cumin, ginger, salt, pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, allspice and cloves)
Garam Masala (peppercorn, cloves, bay leaves, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise and coriander seeds) is used in India
Jerk Spice (mainly uses allspice and scotch bonnet peppers, but can include other spices) is commonly used in Jamaica
Barbecue Rub (pepper, salt, oregano, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne) is used worldwide

Dried herbs and spices should be kept in a cool and dry location. Exposure to heat, light or high humidity destroys their flavour
Dried herbs and spices can last up to six months. After that they loose flavour quite quickly
Fresh herbs should be kept in a glass with a small amount of water. They can also be wrapped in a damp towel or paper towel and stored in the refrigerator
Exception! Basil hates the cold. Store fresh basil at room temperature in a glass with water in the base