The End

Rosemary, Garlic, Chili, Cloves, Thyme.

Took a little time and revisited this thread and the napkin thread. I have started to look at the recipe from via flavor blocks. I'm thinking more and more about substitutions and then what are the common flavors folks are looking to in their recipes.

If I have this right Eastfrisian decoded the napkin as:

Pepper
Coriander
Red Pepper (blend)
Nutmeg
Ginger
Sage
Garlic
Cardamom
Thyme
Cloves
Rosemary

In looking at it from the perspective that more folks feel there is an Anise flavor coming from something with many adding Star Anise. I looked at it again and wonder if this could work for the napkin.

Pepper
Coriander
Red Pepper (blend)
Nutmeg
Ginger
Sage
Garlic
Cardamom
Basil ------ This has an anise smell to it. covers as an oregano/marjoram sub as well (perhaps Marjoram/Thyme/Star Anise)
Cloves
Summer Savory ----- I think Sage and Savory go together and I liked how it lined up in the original napkin post more than rosemary

Dear flg, I would reconsider my stance regarding the napkin, as the origin still remains highly uncertain and no official use can be proven. The russian photographs though would indeed support the use of cloves, cardamom and star anise. These items have been part of my 11 for months now.

I would highly recommend everyone to focus on the herbs and spices revealed in the Japanese photograph. These seven are the most important and definitively in the OR if you ask me.

Pepper (Black and White)
Coriander Seed
Ginger
Garlic
Sage
Thyme
Marjoram

Now regarding allspice, I believe this is the one ingredient that has been used to replace the warm, sweetish and pungent block of spices in the OR because of costs and/or availability.

Another thing I would recommend, is that I would not necessarily use two items for the same purpose. Meaning that if you want anisyness in the recipe for instance, why would you want to use two sources if you can simply increase the amount of the first. Why struggle with capricious tarragon when star anise seed is already serving that purpose perfectly. Remember Churchill who said that "If two people agree on everything, one of them is unnecessary." Now I am not claiming that tarragon and anise seed are exactly the same, but their aimed contribution is.

We have to go back to the flavour block scheme. Earthyness is provided by cloves in most recipes. Grassiness comes from other herbs as well, but the most pungent item in the OR would be celery seeds. Tarragon came up as a possible ingredient only because KFC uses it as a compound in their coleslaw vinegar. No other lead, hint or illustration have we got. Tarragon is quite sensitive too: "Many chefs will not use dried tarragon as it has lost the fine and subtle characteristics that make fresh so appealing" (Quoted from "the spruce eats"). Star anise is only overwhelming when you use to much of it, just like sage or any other herb and spice. On a professional level, this is what you would actually want - less amount, more punch. Tarragon is called a "fine herb" for a reason. Not meant to be thrown into 170c hot oil accompanied with 10+ other spices and herbs. Everyone's missing that odor and aroma that stayed in the empty bucket for days...? And you thing such an aroma overload would allow a fine kitchen herb like tarragon to unfold and play a role? Sorry gentlemen, but there is a reason why some have been trying so hard for so so many years, batch after batch, and they will never "get there."

Before, people got distracted over the exact origin of particular spices without even getting the spices correct in the first place. Now people are literally arguing wether .5 grams of a fine french herb will do the trick. KFC must not fear anything.

I am not trying to be cocky or offensive here. I stayed silent for quite some time. I am just trying to help.