There is no simpler way of adding taste, flavour and depth to your cooking than by adding herbs and spices. More than any other ingredients, herbs and spices bring the world into our kitchens. Using them is one of the great joys of cooking creatively and without them eating would be a dull experience.

So which is which? Herbs generally come from the leaves of plants, while spices come from the buds, seeds, berries, bark or roots. The art of using herbs and spices is learning how to combine flavours and how much to use. Use recipes as a guide, but don’t be afraid to experiment! Taste dishes throughout the cooking process and then again at the end.

While each herb and spice has its own distinctive flavour, some can be grouped together to intensify the flavour even further. For a strong flavour try using bay leaf, cardamom, curry, ginger, pepper, mustard, rosemary and sage or if you are looking for a little sweetness, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, cardamom, anise, fennel, mint. For a savoury option try oregano, tarragon, chives and dill and for a more delicate flavour chives and the old favourite, parsley.

To preserve their flavour, colour and texture, add fresh leafy herbs at the end of cooking and add dried herbs and spices at the beginning of cooking to allow the strong flavour to infuse the dish.

To store, wrap fresh herbs in paper towel and place in a plastic bag in the fridge or stand them up to one week in a jar of water. Some herbs can be easily frozen. Simply chop them up, place in containers and  freeze. I find that chives, dill and parsley freeze best. Place dried herbs and spices in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard for up to six months.