For the less adventuresome, the table below suggests individual seasonings for a variety of foods. You will need to experiment to see which appeal to you and your family.

Food	Seasoning
Beef	Bay leaf, cayenne, chili, curry, dill, ginger, mustard, paprika, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme.
Pork	Allspice, basil, cardamom, cloves, curry, ginger, marjoram, mustard, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme.
Lamb	Basil, cardamom, curry, dill, mace, marjoram, mint, oregano, paprika, rosemary, turmeric.
Poultry	Allspice, anise, bay leaf, cayenne, curry, dill, ginger, marjoram, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, pepper, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme.
Fish	Allspice, anise, basil, bay leaf, cayenne, chives, curry, dill, fennel, ginger, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, tarragon, thyme.
Fruit	Allspice, anise, cinnamon, cloves, curry, ginger, mace, mint, nutmeg, pepper.
Vegetables	Green Beans -- Dill, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano.Beets -- Allspice, nutmeg. Broccoli -- Mustard, nutmeg, sage. Carrots -- Dill, nutmeg, parsley, rosemary, thyme. Cucumbers -- Basil, dill, parsley. Eggplant -- Oregano, parsley. Mushrooms -- Garlic, sage. Peas -- Marjoram, mint. Potatoes --Chives, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, mace, rosemary, tarragon. Squash -- Cardamom, ginger, nutmeg. Tomato -- Allspice, basil, cloves, cumin, fennel, marjoram, oregano.
Rice	Chives, cumin, curry, nutmeg, parsley, saffron, turmeric

Herbal Combinations

Herbs can be combined for specific foods. Having premixed combinations on hand speeds cooking and helps assure consistent quality. Some combinations have special names. They can be added directly to the food or wrapped in cheesecloth and removed before serving. The following are suggested herb blends. (Assume equal parts unless specified.)

Food/Term	Seasoning Blend
Egg	Basil, dill weed (leaves), garlic, parsley.
Fish	Basil, bay leaf (crumbled), French tarragon, lemon thyme, parsley (options: fennel, sage, savory).
Poultry	Lovage, 2 parts marjoram, 3 parts sage.
Salad	Basil, lovage, parsley, French tarragon.
Tomato Sauce	2 parts basil, bay leaf, marjoram, oregano, parsley (options: celery leaves, cloves).
Italian	Basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme.
Barbeque	Cumin, garlic, hot pepper, oregano.
Fine herbs	Parsley, chervil, chives, French tarragon (sometimes contains a small amount of basil, fennel, oregano, sage or saffron).
Bouquet garnish	Bay leaf, 2 parts parsley, thyme. The herbs may be wrapped in cheesecloth or the parsley wrapped around the thyme and bay leaf.
Herb butter	One stick unsalted butter or margarine; 1 to 3 tablespoons dried herbs or 2 to 6 tablespoons fresh herbs (any herb or spice may be used); 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice; and white pepper. Combine ingredients and mix until fluffy. Pack in covered container and let set at least one hour.
Vinegar	Heat 1 quart vinegar in an enamel pan, pour it into a vinegar bottle, and add one or several herbs (4 oz. fresh marjoram, sage, tarragon or thyme). Do not let the vinegar boil. Refrigerate for two weeks before using. Any type of vinegar may be used, depending on personal preference.

Sue Snider, Ph.D.
Professor/Food Safety & Nutrition Specialist

UD Cooperative Extension

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