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Spices You Need
Name |
Image |
Description |
Flavor |
Uses |
Allspice |
 |
It is a dark-brown, pea-size
berry. Comes from the evergreen pimento tree. |
Pungent, sweet mixture of
cinnamon, clove and nutmeg flavors |
Breads, cakes, cookies, fruit
sauce recipes. |
Basil |
 |
Member of the mint family. It
has green leaves. |
Sweet clove-like flavor,
pungent |
Mostly used in Italian and
Mediterranean cuisine. Best with chicken, eggs, fish, pasta, tomatoes. |
Bay Leaf |
 |
Leaves from the evergreen bay
laurel tree. Also called laurel leaf. |
Woodsy, pungent |
Meats, pickling, sauces,
soups, stews, vegetables. |
Bouket Garni |
 |
Small bundle of herbs wrapped
in a cheesecloth bag or tied together and added in soups to add flavor
(parsley, thyme, and bay leaves is the classic combination). |
Herb blend |
Soups, stews |
Cayenne Pepper |
 |
A mixture of seasoning made
from different tropical chilies, including red cayenne peppers. It is
very hot and spicy, so use in moderation if you don't like spicy foods.
Also called red pepper. |
Hot, pungent |
Eggs, cheese, Cajun recipes. |
Celery Seed |
 |
Comes from wild Indian celery
called lovage. |
celery flavor, slightly bitter |
For pickling, salads (potato
and coleslaw), soups. |
Chili Powder |
 |
A mixture of different
seasonings (ground dried chilies, coriander, cumin, garlic, oregano and
other herbs and spices). |
Mild to hot |
Chili, eggs and cheese, soups,
stews. |
Chives |
 |
Belongs to the onion and leek
family. Source of Vitamin A. |
Onion or garlic flavor |
Appetizers, shellfish, cream
soups, salads, sauces. |
Cilantro |
 |
Bright-green stems and leaves
from the coriander plant. |
Pungent, soapy fragrance |
Very popular in Italian, Latin
American and Mexican recipes (Fish, rice, salsas, salads). |
Cinnamon |
 |
Bark from the Ceylon or Cassia
tree Comes in buff color or dark reddish color. |
Cinnamon sticks are added to
dishes during the cooking process to add flavor. It is very aromatic and
sweet. |
Sweets, hot drinks, vegetables
(carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes). |
Clove |
 |
Reddish-brown buds from the
tropical evergreen clove tree. |
Aromatic, pungent and sweet.
They give a very strong flavor so use with care. |
spice cakes and cookies baked
beans, pickling, sauces. |
Coriander |
 |
Related to the parsley family.
Seeds from the coriander plant. |
Mixture of lemon, sage and
caraway flavors. |
Mostly in Mexican and Spanish
recipes, pickling, sausages |
Cumin |
 |
Dried fruit from a plant in
the parsley family. |
Slightly bitter, pungent, hot |
Middle Eastern, Asian and
Mediterranean cuisine (Chili and curry powder blends, fish, lamb,
pickling). |
Dill Seed |
 |
Dried seed from the dill plant |
Tangy and pungent flavor |
salads, meats, sauces,
vegetables |
Dill Weed |
 |
Green leaves from the dill
plant |
Pungent, tangy |
fish, pickling, salads,
sauces, eggs, vegetables, breads. |
Fennel Seeds |
 |
Oval, greenish-brown seeds
from the fennel plant |
Aromatic, slight licorice
flavor |
Breads, fish, sauces, sausage,
soups, Italian recipes. |
Ginger |
 |
The root from the ginger plant |
slightly sweet, slightly
pungent and spicy aroma |
Chinese, Jamaican and German
recipes, (cakes, cookies, marinades). |
Marjoram |
 |
Member of the mint and oregano
family. Oval, pale green leaves. |
Aromatic, slightly bitter and
pungent |
Fish, meat, poultry, sausages,
stuffing, vegetables |
Mint |
 |
One of the most popular spice
used. |
Strong, sweet, cool
|
Refreshing beverages,
desserts, lamb, sauces, soups |
Mustard Seed |
 |
Comes in white, yellow, and
brown seeds. |
Hot, pungent |
Meats, pickling, relishes.
Powdered mustard (finely ground) is used in sauces. |
Nutmeg |
 |
Oval seeds from the nutmeg
tree. Dark grey color. Mace is the spice obtained from the membrane of
the seeds. |
Nutty, warm, spicy |
Beverages, cakes, cookies,
white sauces, sweet potatoes |
Oregano |
 |
Member of the mint family,
related to marjoram and thyme |
Strong, aromatic with a
pungent marjoram flavor |
Fish, meat, poultry, tomatoes;
Greek, Italian and Mexican recipes |
Paprika |
 |
Powdered dried red peppers
|
Slightly bitter, sweet to hot |
Dips, fish, poultry, salads
(potato and egg), soups; important ingredient in goulash |
Parsley |
 |
Curly leaf and Italian
(flat-leaf) parsley are two of the more popular spices that exist. |
Slightly peppery |
Sprigs used as garnish, herb
mixtures, sauces, soups, stews |
Peppercorn |
 |
Berries from the pepper plant.
Black, white and green peppercorns are three kinds processed from the
this plant. |
Hot, peppery |
Enhances flavor of most meats,
eggs and poultry |
Poppy Seeds
|
 |
Very small gray, white seeds
from the poppy plant |
Deep nutty flavor with crunchy
texture |
pastries, breads, cakes, salad
dressings, vegetables, meat |
Rosemary |
 |
Silver-green leaves; member of
the mint family |
Sweet, hint of lemon
|
Casseroles, fish, fruit
salads, lamb, soups, stuffing, potatoes |
Saffron |
 |
Dried yellow-orange stigmas
from the crocus plant. |
Pungent, aromatic |
Rice, poultry, sauces, stews
(bouillabaisse), Spanish recipes (paella), Swedish cakes and breads |
Sage |
 |
Narrow, oval, gray-green
leaves. |
Musty, minty, slightly bitter |
Chicken, duck, goose, pork,
sausages, stuffing |
Sesame Seed |
 |
Tiny, flat seeds, brown, red
or black
|
Nutty, slightly sweet |
Breads, cakes, cookies, salad
dressings, seafood |
Tarragon |
 |
Narrow, pointed, dark-green
leaves |
Slightly licorice flavor |
Eggs, meats, pickling,
poultry, salads, sauces |
Thyme
|
 |
Member of the mint family. It
is a bush with gray-green leaves. |
Pungent, tea-like |
Fish, meats, poultry, soups,
vegetables, potatoes |
Turmeric |
 |
Yellow-orange root of a plant
related to ginger; used to flavor and color food. |
Pungent, earthy, slightly
bitter flavor |
Curries, East Indian cuisine,
primary ingredient in American-style mustard |
What type of things are herbs and spices?
Herbs – Herbs are plant-based ingredients that
primarily come from the leafy green parts of plants, such as
leaves, stems, and flowers. They are typically used fresh or
dried, and their flavors are often milder and more aromatic.
Herbs are commonly added toward the end of cooking to
preserve their delicate flavors and are often used in larger
quantities compared to spices. They are versatile in both
savory and some sweet dishes. Examples of popular herbs
include basil, mint, parsley, cilantro, and rosemary, all of
which enhance the flavor profile of a dish with their fresh,
fragrant qualities.
Spices – Spices, on the other hand, are derived from
other parts of the plant, such as seeds, roots, bark, or
flowers. They are typically dried and sometimes ground into
powders, and they tend to have stronger, more intense
flavors compared to herbs. Spices are often used in smaller
quantities due to their potency and are known for adding
heat, depth, or warmth to a dish. They are used throughout
cooking to build flavors and are especially important in
creating complex spice blends. Common examples of spices
include cinnamon (from bark), ginger (from root), cumin
(from seeds), and cloves (from flower buds), all of which
bring bold, distinctive tastes to a variety of cuisines.
Spice Information
In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root,
bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for
flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from
herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants
used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices and seasoning do
not mean the same thing, but spices fall under the seasoning
category with herbs. Spices are sometimes used in medicine,
religious rituals, cosmetics, or perfume production. They
are usually classified into spices, spice seeds, and herbal
categories. For example, vanilla is commonly used as an
ingredient in fragrance manufacturing. Plant-based
sweeteners such as sugar are not considered spices.
Spices can be used in various forms, including fresh, whole,
dried, grated, chopped, crushed, ground, or extracted into a
tincture. These processes may occur before the spice is
sold, during meal preparation in the kitchen, or even at the
table when serving a dish, such as grinding peppercorns as a
condiment. Certain spices, like turmeric, are rarely
available fresh or whole and are typically purchased in
ground form. Small seeds, such as fennel and mustard, can be
used either in their whole form or as a powder, depending on
the culinary need.
A whole dried spice has the longest shelf life, so it can be
purchased and stored in larger amounts, making it cheaper on
a per-serving basis. A fresh spice, such as ginger, is
usually more flavorful than its dried form, but fresh spices
are more expensive and have a much shorter shelf life.
There is not enough clinical evidence to indicate that
consuming spices affects human health.
India contributes to 75% of global spice production. This
is reflected culturally through its cuisine. Historically,
the spice trade developed throughout the Indian subcontinent
as well as in East Asia and the Middle East. Europe's demand
for spices was among the economic and cultural factors that
encouraged exploration in the early modern period.
Production Facts

Top Spice Producing Countries
(in metric tonnes) |
1 |
India |
1,474,900 |
1,525,000 |
2 |
Bangladesh |
128,517 |
139,775 |
3 |
Turkey |
107,000 |
113,783 |
4 |
China |
90,000 |
95,890 |
5 |
Pakistan |
53,647 |
53,620 |
6 |
Iran |
18,028 |
21,307 |
7 |
Nepal |
20,360 |
20,905 |
8 |
Colombia |
16,998 |
19,378 |
9 |
Ethiopia |
27,122 |
17,905 |
10 |
Sri Lanka |
8,293 |
8,438 |
— |
World |
1,995,523 |
2,063,472 |
Source: UN Food & Agriculture
Organization |
Handling
A mortar
and pestle is the classic set of tools for grinding a whole spice.
Less labor-intensive tools are more common now: a microplane or
fine grater can
be used to grind small amounts; a coffee
grinder is
useful for larger amounts. A frequently used spice such as black pepper
may merit storage in its own hand grinder or mill.
The flavor of a spice is derived in part from compounds (volatile oils)
that oxidize or
evaporate when exposed to air. Grinding a spice greatly increases its
surface area and so increases the rates of oxidation and evaporation.
Thus, the flavor is maximized by storing a spice whole and grinding when
needed. The shelf life of a whole dry spice is roughly two years; of a
ground spice roughly six months. The
"flavor life" of a ground spice can be much shorter.Ground
spices are better stored away from light.
Some flavor elements in spices are soluble in water; many are soluble in
oil or fat. As a general rule, the flavors from a spice take time to
infuse into the food so spices are added early in preparation. This
contrasts to herbs which
are usually added late in preparation.
Salmonella contamination
A study by the Food
and Drug Administration of shipments of spices to the United States
during fiscal years 2007–2009 showed about 7% of the shipments were
contaminated by Salmonella bacteria,
some of it antibiotic-resistant. As
most spices are cooked before being served salmonella contamination
often has no effect, but some spices, particularly pepper, are often
eaten raw and are present at the table for convenient use. Shipments
from Mexico and India, a major producer, were the most frequently
contaminated. Food
irradiation is said to minimize this risk.
Places to buy Spices


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