Tastessence

Herbs & Spices

Fresh herbs, dried spices and the sauces they build: how to use, store and substitute them, and how to season any dish with confidence.

Fresh basil, rosemary, thyme and sage bundles tied with twine on pale linen

All Articles

A wooden spoon lifts a thick, glossy ribbon of curry sauce from a simmering pan

What Can Be Used to Thicken Curry Sauce? These Methods Work

Opting to make a curry when you have many guest coming over is not only a delicious idea, but it is also easy to make and can be quite economical. But what you don’t want to serve your guests is a bland runny curry! Here are some ways on how to thicken your curry sauce when such a curry crisis strikes.

A wooden spoon lifts thick alfredo sauce from a pan beside butter, egg yolk, and fresh mozzarella

The Best Tips on What Can Be Used to Thicken Alfredo Sauce

We always have the option of buying commercially produced alfredo sauce, and they surely fit the bill in case of an emergency. But some companies mix in cream cheese and food starch to thicken the sauce, overlapping the Parmesan cheese flavor. To avoid doing that, use one of the following ingredients to thicken alfredo sauce.

A mound of glossy honey-glazed roasted cashews piled on a wooden board with a few scattered in front

4 Ways to Roast Raw Cashews

Roasted cashews are a great snack-time option. They are healthy and delicious at the same time. Learn how to roast cashews; they take just a few minutes to make and come out great every time. Beware, you’re gonna ask for more over and over!

Sesame seeds turning golden as they toast in a hot frying pan

5 of the Best Ways to Toast Sesame Seeds to Cook Exotic Dishes

Tahini, the famous Middle Eastern dip, tastes best only when sesame seeds that are used to prepare it are toasted to perfection. Though toasted seeds are available in the markets, homemade, crispy sesame seeds will impart a fresh, earthy, and nutty flavor to dishes. Tastessence elaborates on how to toast sesame seeds at home to add flavor to different cuisines.

Cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, dried chilies, garlic, and fresh herbs arranged on a wooden kitchen counter

The Chef’s Manual: 20 Must-have Spices for Your Kitchen

All those who love to cook know how important spices are to any recipe. But, which of these spices make it to the list of magic ingredients or ‘must-haves’? Tastessence gives you a quick walk through 20 such essential spices for your kitchen.

Golden toasted pecan halves cooling on paper towels after being baked in the oven

The Best Ways to Toast Pecans are Presented Right Here for You

Every nut has a unique flavor and texture in taste. The walnut has a rich, oily and heavy flavor. The peanut is light and salty. And then there’s an American classic: the pecan. Crisp and crunchy with a different sweet taste, the pecan is a nutty favorite in various dishes and as a snack. Scroll below to learn how to toast this nut to perfection.

Pale celery seed dressing with visible seeds pouring from a glass pitcher beside lemon and onion

Celery Seed Dressing Recipe

A salad dressing made from celery seeds is a wonderful, light dressing that you can enjoy with varieties of salads including those prepared with fruits. Here are some recipes you can try out.

A bowl of almond flour beside whole almonds and batter on a kitchen counter

Follow These Basic Guidelines While Cooking With Almond Flour

People with gluten allergy have to resort to flour that does not contain gluten. One such flour is almond flour. Often people find it difficult to cook with almond flour. However, once a person understands the basics, then it is not as difficult as it appears to be...

Creamy Alfredo sauce simmering in a skillet with butter, milk, and garlic cloves nearby

Alfredo Sauce Recipe With Milk

Cooking an Alfredo sauce recipe in American culinary style is said to cater an extreme ‘tasty taste’ and can be used as either a side-dish or a main dish by all. This article will discuss some basic recipes for preparing Alfredo sauce with milk.

A tied bouquet garni of thyme, bay leaf, and parsley beside a simmering pot on a wooden countertop

Bouquet Garni

If you’d like to know how to use bouquet garni in a few French recipes whacked up by some famous chefs, feel free to read this article.

A pile of roasted sunflower seeds in their shells beside a dried sunflower seed head on a wooden board

How to Roast Sunflower Seeds

Roasting sunflower seeds at home is not a difficult task, if you know the right method. This article will provide you with some tips for the same.

Baby romaine salad with goat cheese and walnuts being drizzled with walnut oil dressing

Walnut Oil Salad Dressing Recipes

A walnut oil salad dressing has a unique flavor of its own that works well with more or less any veggie you can think of. Here’s how to make this versatile salad.

Ravioli plated in a rustic tomato-basil sauce with fresh basil and tomatoes alongside

Ravioli Sauce Ideas

Spice up your party or your dinner table with these yummy, mouth-watering ravioli dishes. What’s more, you can choose from the variety of sauces mentioned here. Let’s get the ravioli simmering then...

A bowl of creamy tzatziki sauce garnished with dill, beside sliced cucumber and garlic cloves

Deliciously Creamy Tzatziki Sauce Recipes to Try Now

Tzatziki sauce is a very popular Greek sauce that is made with yogurt, cucumber and lemon juice. It is very easy to make tzatziki sauce at home and it can be served with both meat and vegetable dishes.

Fettuccine pasta coated in thick, creamy homemade Alfredo sauce topped with black pepper and Parmesan

This is How You Make Deliciously Cheesy Homemade Alfredo Sauce

What is fettuccine pasta without a good Alfredo sauce? And what is good Alfredo sauce if not whipped up at home, without any cheating? Nothing, right? So, read this post to learn how to make Alfredo sauce which is so much tastier and healthier than the ones available in the market.

Golden crab cakes served with small bowls of creamy dill and remoulade dipping sauces

Sauces for Crab Cakes

Serving the right sauce for crab cakes can make the difference between a good hors d’oeuvre and a great one. This Tastessence article lists some recipes for sauce which can be served alongside crab cakes.

A glass bottle of homemade olive oil infused with rosemary and garlic on a wooden counter

Infused Olive Oil

Infusing olive oil is a fun process, and you can come up with your own unique recipes. So, instead of buying expensive infused oil from the supermarket, use these instructions to make your own flavored olive oil.

Truffle oil drizzling over a bowl of mushroom linguine with fresh herbs on the side

Recipes Using Truffle Oil

Truffle is a type of fungal mushroom that lives underground, and usually thrives around trees and other plants, given their symbiotic nature of existence. Certain varieties of these mushrooms are comestible, but truffles are often exorbitantly priced, and therefore, adorn only gourmet platters. By large, French, Germans, Italians, Spanish, Croatians, and Dutch high cuisine uses truffles for their exotic taste and aroma.