spices with cutting board feature image

The Florida Department of Health in Marion County (DOH-Marion) will host a class in Belleview later this week to show members of the community how to invigorate their cooking with herbs, spices, and seasonings.

The free class, which is called “Spice Things Up,” will be held at the Belleview Public Library (13145 SE County Road 484) on Friday, September 23, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Participants will be introduced to various types of seasonings, along with recipes on how to incorporate them for more flavorful meals.

The presentation will also include tips on interpreting and understanding food labels. In a press release, DOH-Marion stated, “So much of what many of us eat nowadays is either fast or processed food, often lacking in flavor, originality, and healthy benefits but possessing high amounts of unnecessary and even harmful sodium, sugar, and fat.”

The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and the Marion County Public Library System have partnered with DOH-Marion to present this week’s class.

A member of the UF/IFAS Master Gardener program will be in attendance to offer advice on growing herbs and spices at home, as well as tips for how to preserve them.

For more information, or to register for the class, please call the Belleview Public Library at 352-438-2500.