A To Z Of Spices

[Guest guest]

I thought this chart was informative. Vegetarisans

pass over any areas they tell you to use a spice or

herb on a non-vegetarian products.

Gene

 

 

A To Z Of Spices

 

ALLSPICE: These small dark, reddish-brown berries are

so called

becausetheir aroma and flavor resemble a combination

of cinnamon, cloves and

nutmeg. Use berries whole in marinades; for boiling

and pot roasting

meatsand poultry; in fish dishes, pickles and

chutneys. Also available

ground and excellent for flavoring soups, sauces and

desserts.

 

ANISE: Commonly called asniseed, these small, brown

oval seeds have the

sweet, pungent flavor of licorice. Also available

ground. Use

seeds in stews and vegetable dishes, or sprinkle over

loaves and rolls

before baking. Try ground anise for flavoring fish

dishes and pastries

for fruit pies.

 

BASIL: Basil is an herb which belongs to the mint

family. The leaves

are used

either fresh or dried.

Uses: Meats, fish and seafood, eggs, spaghetti sauces,

and salads

 

BAY LEAVES: Bay leaves, also known as sweet laurel,

come from an

evergreen tree

which is native to the Mediterranean. The leaves are

usually dried and

are

used whole, crumbled, or ground.

Uses: Seasoning for meats, fish, potatoes, sauces,

stews, and pickles.

 

CARAWAY: Small brown, crescent-shaped seeds with a

strong liquorice

flavor and especially delicious as a flavoring in

braised cabbage and

sauerkraut recipes, breads (particularly rye), cakes

and cheeses.

 

CARDAMOM: Small, triangular-shaped pods containing

numerous small black

seeds which have a warm, highly aeromatic flavor. You

can buy green or

black cardamoms although the smaller green type is

more widely

available.

 

CAYENNE: Orangey-red in color, this ground pepper is

extremely hot and

pungent. Not to be confused with paprika which,

although related, is

mild flavored.

 

CELERY SEED: Celery seed is often combined with salt

to make celery

salt, but it can also be purchased as whole or ground

seeds. The seeds

have a slightly

bitter, celery flavor.

Uses: Bean salad, beef, pickles and relishes, barbecue

sauces, soups,

and salads.

 

CHERVIL: Chervil, a member of the carrot family, is a

mild herb native

to

southeastern Europe. Similar to parsley in appearance,

it has a flavor

resembling anise or tarragon.

Uses: Fish, eggs, vegetables, soups and stews, salads,

and meat sauces.

 

Widely used in French cuisine.

 

CHILI POWDER: Made from dried red chilies. This red

powder varies in

flavor and hotness, from mild to hot. A less fiery

type is found in chili

seasoning.

 

CINNAMON & CASSIA: Shavings of bark from the cinnamon

tree are

processed and curled to form cinnamon sticks. Also

available in ground form.

Spicy, fragrant and sweet, it is used widely in

savory and sweet dishes.

Cassia(from the dried bark of the cassia tree) is

similar to cinnamon,

but less delicate in flavor with a slight pungent

'bite'.

 

CHIVES: Chive, a small but popular herb, is the

smallest member of the

onion

family. It has long hollow green leaves, which grow in

clumps. This

plant

has a very mild onion flavor. They are best used

fresh, but can also be

 

freeze dried. Do not put chives in a uncooked dish

that you plan on

keeping for several hours or longer, because they

develop an

unpleasantly

strong taste.

Uses: In dishes where a mild onion flavor is desired;

eggs, white

cheeses, fish, green sauces, and for garnishes in

soups, salads, and

cooked

vegetables.

 

CLOVES: Cloves are the dried, unopened buds of a

tropical evergreen

tree. They

have a strong, warm, sweet flavor. Cloves can be used

either whole or

ground; when used whole, the cloves are usually

removed before serving.

These dried, unopened flower buds give a warm aroma

and pungency to

foods, but should be used with care as the flavor can

become

overpowering. Available in ground form. Cloves are

added to soups, sauces, mulled

drinks, stewed fruits and apple pies

Uses: Ham, barbecue sauces, pickles, relishes, breads,

cakes, cookies,

and candies.

 

CORIANDER: Available in seed and ground form. These

tiny, pale brown

seeds have a mild, spicy flavor with a slight orange

peel fragrance. An

essential spice in curry dishes, but also extremely

good in many cake

and cookie recipes.

 

CUMIN: Sold in seed or ground. Cumin has a warm,

pungent aromatic

flavor and is used extensively in flavor curries and

many Middle Eastern and

Mexican dishes. Popular in Germany for flavoring

sauerkraut and pork

dishes. Use ground or whole in meat dishes and

stuffed vegetables.

 

CURRY POWDER: Curry powder is not a single spice, but

rather a

combination of several spices. Most curries use

coriander as the base and then

blend other

spices such as ginger, turmeric, fenugreek seed,

cumin, red and black

pepper, cloves, and many other spices.

Uses: Indian (Asian) recipes, rice, lamb, poultry,

eggs, and

vegetables.

 

DILL: Dill, also known as dillweed, is a small

flavorful herb best

known for

flavoring pickles. It is native to Asia, but is now

used worldwide.

Both the leaves and seeds are used to flavor foods.

Uses: Used mainly in pickle recipes, but can also be

used in breads,

soups, meats, and salads.

 

FENNEL SEED: Fennel is a member of the parsley family

and is grown for

its sweet seeds which have a flavor similar to

licorice or anise.

Uses: Breads, cakes, cookies, pizza and spaghetti

sauces, and pickles.

 

FENUGREEK: These small, yellow-brown seeds have a

slight bitter flavor

which, when added in small quantities, is very good in

curries,

chutneys and pickles, soups, fish and shellfish

dishes.

 

GARLIC: Garlic is an herb related to the onion and is

cultivated for

its bulb,

which is composed of several small cloves. Garlic can

be used fresh or

dried. It is a key ingredient to many cuisines

including Italian,

Chinese, and Middle Eastern. Garlic is not only used

in cooking, but it

also

has many medicinal uses.

Uses: Meats, chicken, seafood, stews, sauces,

marinade, salad

dressings, Italian and Chinese dishes.

 

GINGER: Available in many forms. Invaluable for adding

to many savory

and sweet dishes and for baking gingerbread and

brandy snaps. Fresh

ginger root looks like a knobby stem. It should be

peeled and finely

chopped or sliced before use. Dreid ginger root is

very hard and light beige

in color. To release flavor, 'bruise' with a spoon or

soak in hot water

before using. This dried type is more often used in

pickling, jam

making and preserving. Also available in ground form,

preserved stem ginger

and crystallized

ginger.

 

MACE & NUTMEG: Both are found on the same plant. The

nutmeg is the

inner kernel of the fruit. When ripe, the fruit

splits open to reveal

bright red arils which lie around the shell of the

nutmeg - and once dried

are known as mace blades. The flavor of both spices

is very similar -

warm, sweet and aromatic, although nutmeg is more

delicate than mace.

Both spices are also sold ground. Use with

vegetables; sprinkled over egg

dishes, milk puddings and custards; eggnogs and

mulled drinks; or use

as a flavoring in desserts.

 

MARJORAM: Marjoram, or sweet marjoram, is a member of

the mint family.

This herb is cultivated for its leaves, which have a

sweet, minty

flavor. The

leaves are used either whole or ground.

Uses: Seasoning for beans and other vegetables, lamb,

soups, stews,

fish, poultry stuffing, sausages, beverages, and

jellies.

 

MSG (monosodium glutamate): With a name like

monosodium glutamate, this

has got to be some kind of artificial flavoring

cooked up in some

laboratory, right? Wrong; MSG is a natural vegetable

protein derivative

which is added to food to

enhance the flavor. It appears as a fine white

crystalline powder and

is

actually a sodium salt of glutamate. It is produced

through the

fermentation of foods such as molasses.

Uses: Mainly used as a seasoning for meats, and

seafood. Also used

frequently in Chinese and other Asian dishes.

 

MINT: Mint leaves have a distinctive flavor that can

only be found in

mint

plants. The leaves can be used fresh or dried, whole

or chopped.

Uses: Fruits, desserts, jellies, candies, beverages,

and as a garnish.

 

MUSTARD: Mustard refers to the mustard seed, which can

be purchased

either in

whole form or as a finely ground yellow powder.

Mustard has a strong,

hot

flavor that comes out when the powder is moistened,

but the flavor

weakens with time, so for best results, the mustard

should not be

moistened

until it is ready for use.

Uses: Ground mustard can be used in salad dressings,

sauces, cheese and

 

egg dishes. Seeds are commonly used in pickles,

relishes, salads,

beets, cabbage, and sauerkraut.

 

NUTMEG: Nutmeg refers to the seed of the nutmeg tree,

which is native

to the

Spice Islands of Indonesia. Either ground or whole

seed, nutmeg has a

sweet, aromatic flavor. Mace, another spice, is made

from the outer

coating of the nutmeg seed. Although unlikely, when

consumed in excess,

both

nutmeg and mace are considered toxic because they

contain myristicin, a

 

hallucinogen.

Uses: Breads, cookies, cakes, custard, pies, desserts,

vegetables.

 

OREGANO: The oregano leaf is an essential ingredient

for many types of

Italian

cuisine. It has a flavor and aroma similar to

marjoram, only stronger.

Uses: Tomato dishes, pizza, spaghetti sauce, Greek,

Italian, and

Mexican dishes.

 

PAPRIKA: Comes from a variety of pepper (capsicum) and

although similar

in color to cayenne, this bright red powder has a

mild flavor.

 

PARSLEY: Parsley is a member of the carrot family, and

its sprigs are

used

mainly as a garnish for foods. Although often left

untouched on most

dinner

plates, it is said to be an excellent breath

freshener, with the power

to destroy garlic and onion scent. It is also very

popular in French

cooking. Parsley can be purchased either fresh or

dried.

Uses: Goes very well with almost any meat, soup, or

salad as a

seasoning or garnish.

 

PEPPER: White pepper comes from ripened berries with

the outer husks

removed. Black pepper comes from unripened berries

dried until dark

greenish-black in color. Black pepper is more subtle

than white. Use

white or black peppercorns in marinades and pickling,

or freshly ground

as a seasoning. Both are available ground. Green

peppercorns are also

unripe berries with a mild, light flavor. They are

canned in brine or

pickled, or freeze-dried in jars. They add a

pleasant, light peppery

flavor to sauces, pates and salad dressings. Drain

those packed in liquid

and use either whole or mash them lightly before

using. Dry green

peppercorns should be lightly crushed before using to

help release flavor,

unless otherwise stated in a recipe.

 

POPPY SEEDS: These tiny, slate-blue seeds add a nutty

flavor to both

sweet and savory dishes. Sprinkle over desserts and

breads.

 

ROSEMARY: Rosemary is an herb native to the

Mediterranean with small

needle-like leaves. The leaves, which impart a sweet,

bold aroma and

flavor, are

used dried or fresh, whole or ground.

Uses: Lamb, beef, veal, poultry, soups and stews,

potatoes, breads

(rosemary focaccia).

 

SAFFRON: This pice comes from the stigmas of a species

of crocus. It

has a distinctive flavor and gives a rich yellow

coloring to dishes,

however, it is also the most expensive spice to buy.

Available in small

packets or jars(either powdered or in strands - the

strands being far

superior in flavor). This spice is a must for an

authentic paella or

Cornish Saffron Cake. Also an extremely good

flavoring for soups, fish and

chicken dishes

 

SAGE: Sage is an herb, native to the Mediterranean,

grown for its

leaves. The

flavor has been described as camphoraceous and minty

or lemony. Sage is

 

purchased either as rubbed or ground.

Uses: Veal, pork, sausage, poultry stuffings, meat

loaf, stews, and

salads.

 

SAVORY: Savory is a member of the mint family. Its

leaves are used

fresh or

dried and sold in leaf form or ground. It has a flavor

similar to

thyme.

Uses: Beef, poultry, egg dishes, lamb, lentils,

squash, beans.

 

SESAME SEEDS: High in protein and mineral oil content,

sesame seeds

have a crisp texture and sweet, nutty flavor which

combines well in

curries and with chicken,pork and fish dishes. Use

also to sprinkle over

breads,cookies and pastries before baking.

 

STAR ANISE: This dried, star-shaped seed head has a

pungent, aromatic

smell, rather similar to fennel. Use very sparingly in

stir-fry dishes.

Also good with fish and poultry.

 

TARRAGON: Tarragon, an herb native to Asia, has a

strong spicy flavor

and aroma, similar to anise. The leaves are purchased

either fresh or

dried, whole

or ground, but much of the flavor is lost in the

drying process. When

using dried leaves, be sure to remove the leaves after

cooking, because

 

drying makes the leaves tough, and they will not

soften again.

Uses: Veal, lamb, beef, poultry, fish, crab, shrimp,

eggs, salads and

dressings, mushrooms, and asparagus.

 

THYME: Thyme, native to southern Europe, has a strong,

yet pleasant

flavor,

which resembles a blend of cloves and sage. This herb

is used both

fresh

and dried, whole or ground.

Uses: Poultry, poultry stuffing, pork, beef, tomatoes,

tomato-based

soups and sauces, and clams.

 

TURMERIC: Closely related to ginger, it is an aromatic

root which is

dried and ground to produce a bright, orange-yellow

powder. It has a

rich, warm, distinctive smell, a delicate, aromatic

flavor and helps give

dishes an attractive yellow coloring. Use in curries,

fish and shellfish

dishes, rice pilafs and lentil mixtures. It is also a

necessary

ingredient in mustard pickles and piccalilli.

 

All spices should be stored in small airtight jars in

a cool, dark

place, as heat, moisture and sunlight reduce their

flavor.

 

 

 

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