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Herb or Spice
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Source
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Flavor
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Best Used
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Cooking Use
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OREGANO
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Leaves of the oregano plant Origanum vulgare
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Similar to marjoram, but not as sweet
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Fresh or dried
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In Italian dishes, in chili, with vegetables, soups
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PAPRIKA
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Fruit from a sweet pepper plantCapiscum annum
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Sweet to hot, somewhat bitter
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Dried and ground
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In Hungarian dishes including goulash, in soups, in potato or egg salad
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PARSLEY
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Leaves of the parsley plant Petroselinum crispum
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Mildly peppery
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Fresh; dried a very poor substitute
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As a garnish, in sauces, soups and salads
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POPPY SEED
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Seeds from the poppy flower Papaver somniferum
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Nutty
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Dried, whole
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In muffins and cakes, salad dressings.
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ROSEMARY
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Leaves of the rosemary plant Rosmarinus officinalis
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Very aromatic, faintly lemony and piney
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Fresh or dried
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In meat (especially lamb) or fish dishes and sauces
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Herb or Spice
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Source
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Flavor
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Best Used
|
Cooking Use
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SAFFRON
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Dried stigmas and upper styles of the saffron crocus Crocus sativus
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Pungent, aromatic
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Dried
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Flavoring and coloring in rice, stews, curries and fish. This is the world's most expensive spice
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SAGE
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Leaves of the sage plant Salvia officinalis
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Musty, slightly bitter
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Fresh or dried
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Beef, fish dishes, stews, stuffings; common sausage flavoring
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SALT
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Salt mines, seawater
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Salty
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Granular
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Baking, preserving, curing, as a condiment
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SESAME SEED
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Seeds of the sesame plant Sesamum indicum
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Nutty
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Whole
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In breads and cookies, in salad dressings
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STAR ANISE
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Star-shaped fruit of a tree native to ChinaIllicium verum
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Very similar to anise
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Whole
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In herbal tea mixtures, in chicken or casserole dishes, or use as you would anise
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SUMMER SAVORY
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Leaves of the summer savory plantSatureja hortensis
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Cross between thyme and mint, a bit milder than winter savory
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Fresh or dried
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Pates, soups, meat, fish and bean dishes. Use sparingly due to strong taste
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TARRAGON
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Leaves of the French tarragon plantArtemisia dracunculus cv. 'Sativa'
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Anise-like
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Fresh or frozen. Russian tarragon is not considered of culinary value
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In tartar sauce, as flavoring for cream sauces, in egg dishes and seafood salads
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Herb or Spice
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Source
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Flavor
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Best Used
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Cooking Use
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THYME
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Leaves of the thyme plant Thymus vulgaris
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Minty, lemony
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Fresh or dried
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In omelettes, stews, bland soups, and stuffing for chicken, or as flavoring for green salads and cooked
vegetables
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TURMERIC
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Root of the turmeric plant Curcuma domestica, a tropical plant related to ginger
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Pungent, somewhat bitter
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Dried and ground
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Curries, East Indian recipes. This is also the primary ingredient in American-style ("ballpark")
mustard.
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VANILLA
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Beans from the vanilla orchid Vanilla planifolia
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Sweet, highly aromatic
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Remove seeds from whole, dried beans; or, in extract
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With coffee, in desserts including ice cream, puddings and cakes
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WHITE PEPPER
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Peeled and dried green peppercorns from the pepper tree, Piper nigrum
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Similar to black peppercorn, but milder
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Freshly ground
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As a condiment
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WINTER SAVORY
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Leaves of the winter savory plantSatureja montana
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Combination of thyme and mint
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Dried or fresh
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Pates, soups, meat, fish and bean dishes. Use sparingly due to strong taste.
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