I'm naming dill as both our herb and spice of the month. You see, both herbs and spices are flavorful, natural additions to our food – with spices being the dried seeds, buds, fruit...even bark or roots of plants, while herbs are the leaves or flowers of plants.
Dill weed or, simply, dill, refers to the feathery leaves, while dill seed is the dried fruit of the dill plant. Dill weed is available year-round fresh in the produce section...and both the seeds and the feathery leaf versions are available dried in the spice aisle.
We can also grow dill in pots on our windowsills, so no matter where we live, we can enjoy the crisp freshness and simple, clean taste that dill can add to our foods one way or the other. Dill seed is a natural for pickling, and fresh or dried dill weed:
- Is often paired with cucumbers in salads and fish dishes, especially chilled salmon.
- Adds excitement when used in cream sauces and mixed with butter for spreads and toppings
- Works well as a simple seasoning for boiled new potatoes, along with garlic
