"Rechazador de Disparates" > wrote in message
oups.com...
No, I didn't mean "oregano tostada". I'm not talking about sprinkling
a bunch of oregano on a tortilla and nothing else.

I never ran across "oregano tostado" until recently and not too many
cooks seem to know about it.

There is only *one* mention of "oregano tostado" in alt.food.mexican-
cooking.

I ran across hundreds of Spanish language recipes that called for
"oregano tostado" and it seems that oregano leaves can be toasted and
ground or dried and ground and then added to whatever you're cooking.

My research leads me to wonder whether oregano leaves are usually just
dried and crumbled, or if some spice manufacturers actually do toast
their oregano.

One website said that it was toasted oregano that gave pizzerias the
special smell. I had always thought it was garlic.

I wonder if oregano would keep if I toasted a lot of it at one time
andkept it in spice jars.

Some M*******s claim that toasted oregano is a hallucinogenic drug and
there are so many claims like that it makes researching the subject
difficult.

http://www.radiometropolitana.cu/coc...bana/cerdo.htm
"Limpiar el cerdo de pellejos, grasa y huesos, sazonar con sal y una
parte del adobo hecho con la naranja agría, agua, ajo y el oregano
tostado."

http://www.angelfire.com/ca5/mas/HON/kocina/k006.html
"Se muelen tomates, cebollas, ajos, chiles dulces, etc.,
se revuelven con la pimienta y lo demás, con el vinagre
y si quiere agrega hojas de oregano tostado y picado."

http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:...gl=us&ie=UTF-8

I think you have over translated "Oregano Tostado". Oregano Dried or
fresh is sometimes toasted lightly to release its essential oils such as
is done with Fennel and Cumin seed and other spices and herbs? Also know
there are many varieties of Oregano and that Mexican Oregano is an entirely
different plant than common or the Asian varieties and should be used in all
Mexican dishes anytime it is available rather than the common or Med.
varity. Dried oregano, like any dried herb, will lose its potency after a
while and as a matter of practice should be tossed after 3-6 months, never
store fresh Oregano in a jar as it will mold unless properly dried first.
Dried Oregano as any dried spice or herb should be stored in a cool dark
place to maintain its flavors. You should only toast as much as you are
going to immediately use, otherwise the release of the essential oils will
not store. Usually dried is substituted in recipes as a 2:1 or even 3:1
fresh:dried. I disagree and find many cooks do know about toasting herbs
and how to use the Herb fresh and dried. Also know many store bought brands
usually are a blend of several varieties, to include marajom which is
commonly confused with Oregano and can be unwittingly crossbred with each
other in home gardens.

It is a not just Mexicans that think it has hallucinogenic properties. It
is commonly used as a medical drug in many countries including your recent
discovery, the Philippines. You should know that different Spanish
Language countries use different varieties and substitution is common.
Epazote is used as a sub for Mexican Oregano as is the South American
Native Lemon Verbena in some dishes and some chefs recommend using these
before subing with common oregano. In my book the dried Mexican herb/spice
combo of Red Chile, Cumin and Mexican Oregano were made for each other as
much as the Mediterraean Tomato, Basil, Garlic and Oregano.