| Herb or Spice |
Source
|
Flavor
|
Best Used
|
Cooking Use
|
| ALLSPICE |
Berries of the allspice tree Pimenta dioica
|
Like a mix of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon
|
Freshly ground
|
Virtually anything, from salads to desserts
|
| ANISE |
Seeds of the anise plant Pimpinella anisum
|
Sweet, similar to licorice
|
Dried seeds
|
As flavoring in cookies, candies and pastries; also in poultry dishes
|
| BASIL |
Leaves and stems of the basil plant Ocimum basilicum vars
|
Pungent, somewhat sweet
|
Fresh
|
Tomato dishes, with eggplant, for pesto, in Thai and Vietnamese foods, addition to salads and many cooked vegetables
|
| BAY |
Leaves of the sweet bay tree Laurus nobilis
|
Mild
|
Dried
|
In soups, stews and tomato sauces, and in shellfish boils. Remove leaf before serving
|
| BLACK PEPPER |
Berries of the pepper tree Piper nigrum. Not related to the species of plants that include bell or other types of peppers.
|
Pungent, somewhat hot
|
Dried, freshly ground
|
As condiment, in any dish you wish to make mildly hot
|
| Herb or Spice |
Source
|
Flavor
|
Best Used
|
Cooking Use
|
| BORAGE |
Leaves and flowers of the borage plant Borago officinalis
|
Mild
|
Fresh
|
Flowers as garnish or in salads; leaves in salads or in herbal tea mixtures. Either can be candied.
|
| CAPERS |
Unopened flower buds from the caperbush Capparis spinosa
|
Pungent
|
Pickled in brine
|
In sauces, as a garnish, and as a flavoring when pickling other foods
|
| CARAWAY |
Seeds of the caraway plant Carum carvi
|
Sweet, nutty
|
Whole
|
Hungarian goulash, cookies and cakes, apple sauce, herbal vinegars
|
| CARDAMOM |
Seeds from the cardamom tree Elettaria cardamomum, a member of the ginger family
|
Sweetly spicy
|
Whole or ground
|
Stews, curries. Use sparingly, as it has a strong taste.
|
| CAYENNE PEPPER |
Ground dried fruit or seeds of the cayenne pepper plant Capiscum annum
|
Fiery hot
|
Dried and ground or fresh and finely chopped
|
Use sparingly -- it's very hot -- in anything you want to taste hot. Warning: as in all hot peppers, the seeds are extremely hot, so wash your hands thoroughly after handling.
|
| CELERY SEED |
Seeds of the celery plant Apium graveolens
|
Strong, pungent celery flavor
|
Dried whole seed
|
As a replacement for celery stalks in cooking; as a flavoring in tomato juice, sauces and soups
|
| CHERVIL |
Leaves and stems of the chervil plant Anthriscus cerefolium
|
Light, similar to parsley
|
Fresh or frozen
|
Flavoring in soups, casseroles, salads, and in omelettes.
|
| Herb or Spice |
Source
|
Flavor
|
Best Used
|
Cooking Use
|
| CHILE POWDER |
Dried, ground chili peppers Capiscum annum
|
Spicy, hot (heat depends on variety of chili pepper used)
|
Ground
|
In chili or other spicy dishes
|
| CHIVES |
Leaves of the chive plant, a member of the Allium family
|
Sharp, onion or garlic flavor
|
Fresh; frozen if fresh not available
|
Garnish, blended with soft cheeses, added to salads
|
| CILANTRO |
Leaves of the coriander plant Coriandrum sativum
|
Spicy, sweet or hot
|
Fresh
|
In Middle Eastern, southeast Asian, Chines, Latin American and Spanish cuisines; common ingredient in Mexican salsas.
|
| CINNAMON |
Dried bark of the cinnamon tree Cinnamomum zeylanicum
|
Pungently sweet
|
As dried sticks or ground powder
|
In sweet dishes or in curries and stews
|
| CLOVES |
Dried flower bud of the clove tree Syzygium aromaticum
|
Sweet or bittersweet
|
Dried and ground
|
Add to sweet dishes or as a contrast in stews and curries.
|
| CORIANDER |
Seeds of the coriander plant Coriandrum sativum
|
Spicy, sweet or hot
|
Ground or whole
|
In cakes, cookies, breads, as a pickling spice or in curry mixtures
|
| Herb or Spice |
Source
|
Flavor
|
Best Used
|
Cooking Use
|
| CUMIN |
Seed of the cumin plant Cuminum cyminum
|
Peppery
|
Whole or ground
|
Soups, stews, sauces. Use sparingly.
|
| CURRY POWDER |
Combination of several ground spices
|
Hot
|
Sparingly -- taste the dish in which you're using to gauge heat level
|
Curries
|
