Here are some tips for using herbs and spices from "Kitchen Quick Tips" by America's Test Kitchens, 2007.

• Wash herbs in a salad spinner. Take the basket with the herbs out of the water. Discard the water. Place the basket into the base and spin the herbs dry.

• In recipes that call for thyme or rosemary, throw the whole branch into the pan. There's no need to strip the leaves off the branch and mince them. Just remember to remove the spent branch before serving, as you would bay leaves. Rosemary is very strong; you may want to keep it in the pot for only 15 minutes or so. Thyme also is strong.

• Flavorful oils in dried oregano, thyme and other herbs should be released before the herbs are added to foods. Place the herbs in a mesh sieve and push down on them with your fingertips as you shake the sieve back and forth over a bowl.

• To make a bouquet garni: Place the herbs -- usually bay leaves and thyme, either fresh or dried, fresh parsley and black peppercorns -- in a coffee filter. Tie the end of the filter closed with a string, catching the herbs' stems. Tie the other end of the string to the handle of the pot or pan so you can easily remove the garni.

• To preserve herbs: Wash and dry the herbs. Place them on a clean paper towel and microwave on high for 30 to 40 seconds. Crumble the herbs and store in an airtight container, up to 3 months for best flavor.

• Apply seasonings evenly on meat, especially when coating a roast with cracked peppercorns or a spice rub for grilling. Set the roast on a sheet of plastic wrap. Rub the roast all over with a little oil and sprinkle it with salt, pepper and other spices. Then lift the plastic wrap up and around the meat and use it to press excess spices on the meat.

• To measure spices: Working over a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper, fill the measuring spoon, mounding excess spice over the spoon. With a flat spatula, sweep the excess onto the paper below. Add the measured spice to the mixing bowl, then fold the paper in half and slide the excess spice back into the bottle.

• Some soup or sauce recipes call for cooking spices and herbs in the liquid and removing them before serving. But instead of fishing for the spices, place them in a mesh tea ball and drop the closed ball into the pot. Hang the chain over the side of the pot for easy removal.

Here are some more guidelines from McCormick:

• Whole spices need a longer time to release their flavor. Add whole spices to recipes such as soups and stews. Ground spices release their flavor more quickly than whole spices. Use them in recipes with short cooking times or add the spices at the end for recipes that require more cooking.

• Stronger herbs, such as thyme, bay leaves and sage, hold up well when cooking times are longer; milder spices, such as basil, marjoram and parsley, should be added at the last minute for best results.

• When doubling a recipe increase the amount of spices by 1 1/2. Give the dish a taste and add more if necessary.