The flavor of basil combines best with tomatoes and garlic, which is the start of a great sauce. It also works well with cilantro, marjoram, oregano and most other green herbs. Basil is great in pasta, with any fish, in omelets and sausages.
Black cardamom is aromatic with a hint of smokiness. Camphor can be detected in its aroma. Native to the mountainous area of the Himalayas and stretching to Southern China, it is also grown in Cameroon, Madagascar and Somalia.
Native to the Caribbean, the cayenne pepper is a tropical fruit. It is now also grown in Africa, China, India, Japan, Mexico and in Louisiana here in the States. Cayenne will add zest to almost any dish. We suggest working dash to dash; in other words, add a dash and taste, and then repeat until you have the heat level you desire. Great added to chili or curry.
Cumin, also known as comino, is native to the Nile valley in Egypt. It is now cultivated in other hot regions of India, the Mediterranean and Northern Africa. Currently, more than 50% of all cumin comes from India. Cumin is one of the most consumed spices right after chiles and peppercorns and is a key ingredient in many curry and chili powders.
Fennel seed is native to the Mediterranean and is now grown in many parts of the world including China and India. Fennel seeds are sometimes called sweet cumin or large cumin because of their resemblance to cumin seed. The flavor of fennel is slightly sweet and has a definite licorice-like taste.
Ginger is native to Southeast Asia and is now also cultivated in Africa, Australia and Jamaica. Ginger was introduced to Europe and the Middle East from the Orient in a dried form, which explains why many dishes call for dried ginger rather than fresh. Ginger is a rhizome (root) and grows underground as a thick, tuberous stem bearing both roots and shoots.
Spearmint and peppermint are the leaves of a perennial herb which are used fresh or picked and dried for longer storage. These herbs retain much flavor when dried and produce a strong taste. Mint leaves have a pure and refreshing odor accompanied by a pungent and burning taste.
Myrosine is the enzyme that creates the pungent taste of mustard and is activated by water. Thus, when cooked in oil, the taste of the seeds will remain subtle, and add a less pungent flavor to things like curry pastes. These yellow mustards seeds produce spicier mustard than the standard store bought yellow mustard.
Nutmeg, native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia commonly referred to as the Spice Islands, is the seed of a fruit produced by an evergreen tree. This unique tree is one of a few plants that produce two spices, nutmeg and mace, which is the protective outer layer of the nutmeg. The best and the biggest nutmegs come from the island of Grenada.
Parsley can be used either fresh or dried and brings a certain freshness to dishes that cannot be duplicated by any other herb. Parsley is most commonly grown in California and is used mainly as a garnish or breath freshener due to the crisp clean flavor it possesses. It is rich in vitamins A and C, and contains iron, copper and iodine.
This organic saffron comes from the fields of Suktana, a town just south of Taliouine, Morocco. Many residents of this region belong to the Taliouine Saffron Society. This high quality organic saffron is produced within about 10,000 square meters of land, comprised of individual fields located between many households. All members of the Taliouine Saffron Society use the same farming methods, which include planting saffron bulbs in piles of three, watering the fields 12 times a year, and using only natural fertilizers such as sheep manure.
Sage, like many other herbs, originates from the mint family. It comes from an evergreen shrub native to Albania that is now widely grown in the United States. It has long grayish green leaves that take on a cottony velvet-like texture when rubbed.