If there is anything that defines Italian cooking it might be the universal use of tomatoes. Or maybe garlic, added to the signature collection of vegetables called “odori” or “sofrito” (onions, carrots, and celery).

But what else helps define Italian (or more broadly Mediterranean) cooking? Hands down, it is the use of common herbs, spices, and flavor enhancers that increase the depth and breadth of flavors in any preparation and give the distinctive Italian nuance.