The Complete Pizza Seasoning Reference
The making of pizza quite often makes use of a wide array of culinary herbs -plants which enhance both flavor and health benefits. Pizza offers a great balance of whole nutrition. It’s true that some pizza is made too greasy, and some places might skimp on the sauce used. However, if made right, pizza is one of the most “perfect” foods – and, needless to say, one of the most delicious.
Culinary herbs are among the most anciently utilized foods for both taste and health. Herbs are aromatic, soft-stemmed plants (they don’t have woody stems). When it comes to flavoring, herbs are very similar to spices; but, spices are derivatives or made from parts of a plant, whereas herbs are virtually always the plant’s leaves or the whole plant (the above-ground portion). Culinary herbs used in food preparation can make or break sauces, and they can sometimes dramatically bring out or enhance flavors of foods like meats and cheeses (both of which are widely used to make pizzas).
These are the culinary herbs predominantly used in the making of one of the most widely consumed foods in America.
BASIL – Widely known to be superior for flavoring tomato-based preparations like most pizzas. This herb has been considered sacred for millennia, thought to derive from the dragon-like creature called the basilisk. Medicinally, various species of basil have been used for easing diabetic symptoms, for diminishing the effects of asthma, as a laxative, and as a skin toner.
ROSEMARY – A member of the Lamiaceae (mint) family and symbolic of remembrance, this is a favorite herb of many gardeners and another herb widely used in tomato-based dishes as well as for bringing out the savoriness of meats. Medicinally, rosemary has been used for freshening the air through burning the stems, and brewing into an astringent tonic for soothing the stomach. In fact, rosemary oil is listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia for use in combination with other drugs as a digestive aid. Heavy doses, however, can have a reverse effect and irritate the stomach.
SAGE – Also a member of the mint family, and of the genus Salvia, the most widely used species of sage in food preparation is Salvia Officinalis. Sage is especially used dried and ground up. It’s often used in conjunction with rosemary, thyme, and/or parsley in foods, and is widely used to help flavor one of pizza’s most essential ingredients: cheese. Its flavor is strong, being slightly bitter and astringent. This herb is also quite fragrant. Medicinally, sage is known as a strong antioxidant.
PARSLEY – Anciently used to ward off drunkenness (but without much proof of its power) and once dedicated to the goddess of the Greek underworld Persephone, parsley is used today to freshen the breath and give clarity to the flavors of other foods or ingredients. Its taste is very, very “refreshing” and slightly peppery. Parsley is also known as a rich source of the A and C vitamins as well as boron and fluorine which fight off cancer and strengthen the bones, respectively.
THYME – Yet another member of the mint family, thyme comes in a hundred different species and is cultivated extensively both commercially and by home gardeners. It is widely used in creamy sauces and meats based dishes, making its relevance to pizza flavoring obvious. Thyme is considered to be one of the most magical of all plants, and medicinally it is known to help ease several different nerve-pains including sciatica, gout, and toothaches.
MARJORAM – Marjoram is in the mint family, used in a vast array of different food preparations, and is very often confused with southern European or Greek oregano (which is “wild marjoram”). Marjoram is mildly sweet and especially favored for giving flavor to cheeses, meats (especially sausages), vegetables, and tomato-based sauces, making it a flawless fit for pizza recipes. Medicinally marjoram has been used as an air freshener and therefore is thought to promote healthy breathing.
RED PEPPER – Also known as cayenne, red pepper is not really an herb, but often gets used in conjunction with herbs in dishes like pizza. It is the fruit of the red pepper plant. Flavor-wise it’s used to give some powerful “zing” to a dish and some species of red pepper can seriously cause burning irritation of one’s tongue, mouth, lips, or throat. Medicinally, red pepper is used to clear out the sinus passages and aid in digestion, and is heavily loaded with vitamin C.
BLACK PEPPER – The small, unripened fruit of the pepper plant, black pepper is one of the most anciently used spices (once again, it’s not really an herb but very often gets used in similar ways to herbs) and the most-used spice in the world today. Although known mostly as one of the two most frequently used seasonings, along with salt, black pepper is known to help digestion and help soothe muscular and nervous soreness.
FENNEL – Fennel is in the parsley family. There are three important species of fennel, and the one used in pizza is Italian fennel (piperitum). Fennel is most often used to flavor vegetables and cooking oils or sauces. Medicinally, fennel can help to get rid of sour or upset stomach and act as a digestive aid.
CHILIES – Another member of the pepper family, chilies are used to spice up foods and can be extremely hot (super spicy). They are also rich in vitamins A, E, and C and in potassium and folic acid.
As you can see, the culinary herbs of pizza are great for flavor and for your health. So much for “junk food”!
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