Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. I've heard from several readers asking about Mexican oregano, which I called for in a cornbread recipe I wrote ...

Wondering whether Mexican oregano is different from the Italian oregano that most folks have in their spice rack? Yes, the two are different plants, and each oregano has its own “personality,” ...

Many of the corn-, bean- and rice-based dishes we love from Mexican cuisine depend on a combination of spices—and the country's meat and fish dishes, too, are definitely not known for their blandness.

Traditional chorizo boasts a garnet color from smoky chile powder and paprika; this herb-forward Green Chorizo gets color and bright, smoky flavors from a thick paste of charred green chiles, cilantro ...

Biting into a Mexican dish can occasionally cause a mouthful of herb and spice confusion. Taste the cumin? So much cumin. Is this Indian food? Middle Eastern? Italian oregano in my pozole? Oh, Lord.

Maybe you've only encountered oregano as the fish food-y flakes you sprinkle on pizza. And while it is, indeed, an important slice shop staple, it can—and should—be used for so much more. The dried ...