Without herbs and spices, our foods would be bland and boring. Herbs and spices are critically important for flavoring and aromas. They appeal to our senses of taste, smell and visual.
Herbs are the leaves of the plant where spices are from the roots, bark or seeds. Some plants provide both herbs and spices like cilantro (leaves) and coriander (seeds). Some seasonings defy definition such as garlic and onions, and one of the most essential seasonings, salt is a mineral.
Whether herb, spice, bulb, or mineral, they are essential in setting the stage for a wonderfully aromatic, full-flavored and visually appealing dish.
Allspice
Type: Spice (Berries)
Aroma/Flavor: Cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg
Cuisines: Caribbean and Middle Eastern
Dishes: Jerk seasoning, moles, pickling, sausage, curry powders. Stews and meat dishes. Cakes and desserts. Cincinnati-style chili.
Anise and Star Anise
Type: Spices (Seed, Flower)
Aroma/Flavor: Sweet, aromatic, licorice.
Cuisines: European, Australian/New Zealand, Peruvian
Dishes: Cookies, cakes, soups, stews, and liqueurs.
Basil (Genovese/Sweet & Thai)
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Sweet, menthol with subtle peppery and anise flavors. Thai basil is less sweet with a slight cinnamon scent.
Cuisines: Italian & Mediterranean. Thai.
Dishes: Tomato sauces, pizzas, curries, pork, vegetables, pesto sauces and salads.
Bay Leaf
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Slightly floral with a woody, astringent flavor and slightly minty aroma.
Cuisines: European, Mediterranean, American, Middle Eastern, Filipino, Indian and Pakistani
Dishes: Soups, stews, sauces, seafood, vegetables.
Caper
Type: Spice (Flower Bud)
Aroma/Flavor: Salty and briny.
Cuisines: Italian, French, Mediterranean
Dishes: Salads, pastas, meat dishes, sauces, picatas, tarter sauce, garnish.
Capers are typically added at the very end of cooking and are a good substitute for anchovies.
Caraway
Type: Spice (Seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Pungent anise-like, tangy and sweet
Cuisines: Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Indian.
Dishes: Rye bread, desserts, liqueurs, sausage, sauerkraut, cabbage, cheese, and soups.
Cardamom
Type: Spice (Seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Strong, intense floral aroma and slightly citrusy. Black cardamom is slightly smoky.
Cuisines: Scandinavian, Asian, South Asia
Dishes: Sweet dishes, curry, breads, drinks
Celery
Type: Spice (Seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Salty, slightly bitter with an aroma like parsley.
Cuisines: Common among many cuisines.
Dishes: Soups, stews, stuffing, casseroles, cocktails, brines.
Chervil (aka French Parsley)
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Parsley-like, yet more delicate with a faint taste of anise
Cuisines: French
Dishes: Poultry, soups, sauces, seafood, vegetables and fines herbs.
Chives
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Very mild onion with a hint of garlic
Cuisines: French, Swedish
Dishes: Garnish, fines herbs, mashed potatoes, stews, eggs, asparagus, seafood.
Chicory
Type: Herb and spice (root)
Aroma/Flavor: Bitter
Cuisines: French, Mediterranean, Louisianan
Dishes: Coffee (root), salads, hor d’ouerves.
Chicory is cultivated for its leaves and eaten raw in salads and includes radicchio, sugarloaf and Belgian endive.
Cilantro (aka Chinese Parsley)
Type: Herb (Spice is under coriander)
Aroma/Flavor: Very pungent aroma with a distinctive, waxy, citrusy and parsley flavor.
Cuisines: Asian, Mexican, Indian, Caribbean, and North African.
Dishes: Chutneys, guacamole, salsas, salads
Chili Powder
Type: Seasoning blend of spices
Aroma/Flavor: Deep red coloring that adds spicy, smoky flavors.
Cuisines: Mexican, Tex-Mex, American.
Dishes: Chili, meats, barbecue.
Cinnamon
Type: Spice (Bark)
Aroma/Flavor: Unique, hot aromatic and flavorful profile.
Cuisines: Common amongst many cuisines.
Dishes: Cakes, cookies, desserts, and savory dishes of chicken and lamb.
Clove
Type: Spice (Flower)
Aroma/Flavor: Pungent, bitter woody aroma.
Cuisines: Asian, African, Middle Eastern and American.
Dishes: Pork/ham, pies, cookies, cakes.
Coriander
Type: Spice (Seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Sensual, musky aroma with a somewhat citrusy tang. Earthy with notes of butter and thyme.
Cuisines: Common amongst many cuisines
Dishes: Salsa, guacamole, pickling, breads, beer, curries.
Cumin
Type: Spice (Seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Highly distinctive adding an earthy warm feeling and a depth of flavors.
Cuisines: South Asian, North African, Mediterranean, Latin American, Mexican and of course in Tex-Mex cuisines.
Dishes: Chili, curry, gravies, pickling spices and some pastries.
Dill
Type: Spice (Seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Aromatic with grassy aroma and similar flavor profile as caraway with grassy notes.
Cuisines: American, European and Middle Eastern
Dishes: Fish, soups, pickled foods
Fennel
Type: Vegetable, herb and spice (seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Similar to anise with a mellow licorice flavor. As a vegetable, the bulb is crisp and celery-like but more pungent.
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, Chinese, Scandinavian
Dishes: Fish, sausages, baked goods and liqueurs. Also key ingredient in Chinese five spice, mirepoix and herbes de Provence.
Fenugreek
Type: Vegetable, herb, spice (seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Sweet, nutty, caramel, and maple syrup with hints of celery. Rich rounded aroma with a slight biting smell.
Cuisines: India, North Africa and Middle Eastern
Dishes: Curries, dry rubs, salads, breads, yogurt
Garlic
Type: Bulb
Aroma/Flavor: Powerful, pungent flavor and aroma that is warm, sweet and spicy.
Cuisines: A staple in most cuisines
Dishes: Used with almost every food group except sweets (unless you consider Garlic Ice Cream from Gilroy, the garlic capital of the world, a treat!)
Ginger
Type: Spice (root)
Aroma/Flavor: Floral with citrusy, soapy, a bit musty with earthy notes.
Cuisines: Asian, European, North African, European, Caribbean, Indian
Dishes: Drinks, desserts, and savory dishes.
Gotchukaru
Type: Spice (fruit)
Aroma/Flavor: hot, sweet, and slightly smoky.
Cuisines: Korean
Dishes: Kimcho, galbi, tofu, bulgogi, teokbokki
Horseradish
Type: Spice (root)
Aroma/Flavor: Very sharp, tangy and pungent with a very sharp, hot biting taste.
Cuisines:
Dishes: As a condiment for prime rib, fish and added to sauces and drinks.
Juniper Berries
Type: Spice (seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Spicy, piney aroma with a fresh, green, sweet, resinous flavor.
Cuisines: Mostly northern European, particularly Scandinavia plus Germany, Polish, Czech, Austrian and Hungarian
Dishes: Primary ingredient to make gin.
Lavender
Type: Herb (Flower)
Aroma/Flavor: Floral, and slightly sweet with hints of mint
Cuisines: French
Dishes: Desserts, Herbs de Provence
Mace
Type: Seed (cover of the nutmeg seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Similar to nutmeg but is more delicate in favor.
Cuisines: Used in a wide variety of cuisines from Asia to Europe
Dishes: Desserts to savory items such as soups and roasts.
Marjoram
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Wild marjoram has a thyme like aroma and sweet marjoram has a distinct, oregano-like scent.
Cuisines: All
Dishes: Often used to season stews, soups, sauces and dressings.
Mint
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Pungent, sweet menthol aroma. Many varieties exist such as chocolate mint, with hints of chocolate flavors and aroma.
Cuisines: Frequently found in American, British, and Middle Eastern Cuisines.
Dishes: Cocktails, teas, and lamb dishes.
Mustard
Type: Seed
Aroma/Flavor: Sharp, hot and pungent flavor
Cuisines: Popular across Asian, Africa, Middle East, Europe and America
Dishes: Popular in dressings, sandwiches, steaks, dressings and sauces and as a condiment.
Nutmeg
Type: Spice (seed)
Aroma/Flavor: Piney and citrus aromas with a sweet/bitter tastes
Cuisines: Used across a wide variety of cuisines
Dishes: Desserts, soups and savory dishes
Oregano
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Warm, slightly bitter and peppery taste.
Cuisines: Most common in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Italian and Latin American cuisines.
Dishes: Many sauce and meat recipes
Paprika
Type: Spice (fruit)
Aroma/Flavor: Hungarian paprika has a sweet smoky flavor. Spanish paprika is less sweet, and smokier.
Cuisines: American, Hungarian, Spanish, India, Middle East.
Dishes: Rice, stews, goulashes, sausages, and meats
Parsley
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Fresh, peppery with a slight anise- taste.
Cuisines: American, Italian, Greek, French, and Middle Eastern
Dishes: It is frequently used in soups, stews, egg dishes and stocks.
Pepper – Cayenne
Type: Spice (fruit)
Aroma/Flavor: Hot, pungent, with tobacco and hay-like aroma
Cuisines: Italian, Indian, Caribbean, Mexican and Asian cuisines
Dishes: Stews, chili’s, and meats
Pepper – Black or White
Type: Spice (fruit)
Aroma/Flavor: Hot, biting, woody taste
Cuisines: A common ingredient in most cuisines
Dishes: A common ingredient in a wide variety of dishes
Rosemary
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Distinctive woody, piney aroma with a bitter, astringent taste
Cuisines: Italian, Mediterranean, and French
Dishes: Roast meats and vegetables
Saffron
Type: Spice (flower)
Aroma/Flavor: metallic honey with grassy or hay-like notes that also adds an orange-red hue to dishes.
Cuisines: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian and Spanish cuisines
Dishes: Biryani, breads, risotto, paella, and meat stews.
Sage
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Highly aromatic with a woody, piney, peppery and medicinal flavor
Cuisines: Italian, Balkan, French and Middle Eastern cuisines
Dishes: Poultry, sausages, and fish
Savory – Winter & Summer
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Medicinal, grassy, minty with a warming taste. It has a resinous aroma similar to thyme. Summer savory is milder than winter savory.
Cuisines: European cuisines
Dishes: Bread, beans, vegetables, eggs, condiments, gravy, soup, and stuffing, venison
Star Anise
Type: Spice
Aroma/Flavor: Resembles anise in flavor and imparts a stronger, slightly more bitter licorice flavor.
Cuisines: Chinese, Indonesian, and Vietnamese cuisines
Dishes: Meats, duck, fish, eggs, pastry, pears, poultry, pork, and pumpkin.
Sumac
Type: Spice (berries)
Aroma/Flavor: Tart, lemony flavor
Cuisines: Middle Eastern
Dishes: Salads, meats, and drinks
Tarragon
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Licorice-like flavor and aroma but not as intense as anise or star anise. Earthy with mint notes.
Cuisines: French, Middle East
Dishes: Drinks, stews, sauces, dressings and vinegar.
Thyme
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Minty, peppery with a hint of cloves.
Cuisines: European, Mediterranean
Dishes: Dressings, stews, sauces, poultry and much more.
Turmeric
Type: Spice (root)
Aroma/Flavor: Pungent, bitter flavor with mildly aromatic scents of orange and ginger
Cuisines: Southeast Asian
Dishes: Curry
Vanilla
Type: Spice (bean pod, seeds)
Aroma/Flavor: Quite distinctive in flavor and aroma with a delicate, sweet and rich flavor. Exceptionally fruity and rum like fragrance.
Cuisines: American, Mexican, and European
Dishes: Desserts
Wasabi
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Highly pungent, sharp, hot mustard flavor with heat that is short lived.
Cuisines: Japanese
Dishes: Sushi
Watercress
Type: Herb
Aroma/Flavor: Bitter tang that is very hot and spicy yet little aroma.
Cuisines: British, French
Dishes: Salads and garnishes
