Spices

Basil is an annual, or sometimes perennial, herb used for its leaves. Depending on the variety, plants can reach between 30 cm (0.98 ft) and 150 cm (4.9 ft). Its leaves are richly green and ovate, but otherwise come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes depending on cultivar. Basil is most commonly used fresh in recipes. In general, it is added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavor. The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto—a green Italian oil-and-herb sauce.

Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic, resinous fragrance. Black cardamom has a distinctly more smoky, though not bitter, aroma, with a coolness some consider similar to mint. Green cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight but little is needed to impart flavour. It is best stored in the pod, as exposed or ground seeds quickly lose their flavour.It is a common ingredient in Indian cooking.

Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum. They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice. Cloves are available throughout the year owing to different harvest seasons in different countries.Cloves are used in the cuisine of Asian, African, Mediterranean, and the Near and Middle East countries, lending flavor to meats, curries, and marinades, as well as fruit such as apples, pears, and rhubarb. Cloves may be used to give aromatic and flavor qualities to hot beverages, often combined with other ingredients such as lemon and sugar. They are a common element in spice blends like pumpkin pie spice and speculoos spices.

Dill leaves are known as the dill weed herb, while dill seed is used as a spice. Because it has such a unique taste, a small amount of dill can go a long way, which is why dill is so good to use as a garnish. The feathery texture of dill leaves looks beautiful and a small sprig of dill can add a noticeable aroma to a dish. Dill is also good in salads and is the key ingredient, along with buttermilk, in giving homemade ranch dressing its unique flavor. When used in cooking, dill weed will lose flavor the longer it is cooked, so it should be added at the last minute only. The opposite is true for dill seed, which develops more aroma and flavor when heated. Recipes often call dill seed to be toasted in a hot frying pan before being added. As well, dill seeds are often used in pickling.

Nutmeg is one of the most useful of spices for both sweet and savoury cooking, with a myriad of sweet-sharp, scented and evocative flavours that might remind you of black pepper, of citrus, and of almost anything else tropical, exotic and romantic. The nutmeg is the seed of Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas (or Spice Islands) of Indonesia and was one of the principal targets in the great race to find a Western route to the Spice Islands – and thus led to the European discovery of the West Indies and the American continent. The tree is unique for producing two spices, because the lace-like filament that encloses the nutmeg gives us mace, a lighter, some would say more elegant, spice that is far less used. Nutmeg’s full flavour spectrum is best experienced when grated freshly onto something hot rather than being cooked. It has a special affinity with starchy and creamy foods and thus is the perfect way to finish butter-rich mashed potatoes, rice puddings, custards and custard tarts, bread and butter puddings and the like, and is also wonderful on such green vegetables as French beans, as long as there is also butter present.

Paprika is used as an ingredient in numerous dishes throughout the world. It is principally used to season and color rices, stews, and soups, such as goulash, and in the preparation of sausages such as Spanish chorizo, mixed with meats and other spices. In the United States, paprika is frequently sprinkled raw on foods as a garnish, but the flavor is more effectively brought out by heating it in oil.

Rosemary leaves are used as a flavoring in foods, such as stuffing and roast lamb, pork, chicken, and turkey. Fresh or dried leaves are used in traditional Mediterranean cuisine. They have a bitter, astringent taste and a characteristic aroma which complements many cooked foods. Herbal tea can be made from the leaves. When roasted with meats or vegetables, the leaves impart a mustard-like aroma with an additional fragrance of charred wood that goes well with barbecued foods. In amounts typically used to flavor foods, such as one teaspoon (1 gram), rosemary provides no nutritional value. Rosemary extract has been shown to improve the shelf life and heat stability of omega 3–rich oils which are prone to rancidity.

Thyme is used in a number of cuisines, including European, British, Mediterranean, African, Latin and Central American, regional American, and the Caribbean. Fresh and dried thyme is commonly available in the refrigerated product section at the supermarket—use the de-stemmed leaves, or add it to dishes whole.Thyme is an herb whose small leaves grow on clusters of thin stems. Thyme is used to season all kinds of dishes, either by itself or as part of a blend or bouquet garni alongside other common herbs like rosemary, sage, and marjoram. Fresh thyme has a pronounced, concentrated herbal flavor with sharp grass, wood, and floral notes (like lavender and rosemary). Lemon thyme’s citrus fragrance is the most prominent note in that variety.