Herb & Spice Chart
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Name |
Type |
Characteristics |
Example Use |
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Allspice? |
Spice: whole ground? |
Small brown berry, flavor resembles a combination cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Native to West India.? |
Sausages, braised meats, poached fish, cooked fruits, puddings, pies, and relishes.? |
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Anise? |
Spice: whole or ground??? Herb: leaf, fresh or dried.? |
Licorice flavor. Native to Spain, China, and Syria.? |
Cookies, pastries, and bread.? |
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Basil? |
Herb: leaf, fresh or dried.? |
Aromatic green leaf. Member of mint family.? |
Tomato dishes, pesto, egg dished, salads, marinades, fish, and compound butters.? |
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Bay Leaf? |
Herb: whole leaf.? |
Stiff dark green, oblong leaf with a pungent aroma reminiscent of sassafras. Comes from the Laurel tree.? |
Stocks, sauces, soup, stews, and braised meats.? |
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Bouquet Garni? |
Flavoring mix.? |
A personal selection of herbs, vegetables and occasionally spices, often tied with a string.? |
Stocks, soups, and sauces.? |
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Caraway? |
Spice: whole seed.? |
Dark brown curved seed. Grown in Northern Europe.? |
Rye bread, cabbage, sauerkraut, and Eastern European Cuisine.? |
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Cardamom? |
Spice: whole pod or ground seed.? |
Tiny brown seeds, white or green pods. Sweet, aromatic, and expensive. Native of India and Guatemala.? |
Pickling, Danish pastries, and curries.? |
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Cayenne? |
Spice: ground, seed.? |
Very powerful, ground hot red pepper. Native of French Guiana.? |
Soups, sauces, fish, and eggs.? |
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Celery Seed? ? ? ? |
Spice: whole seed or ground.? |
Tiny brown seed with strong celery flavor. Too much can create a "hot" spice effect.?? |
Salads, dressings, pickling, tomato dishes, and marinades.? |
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Chervil? |
Herb: leaf, fresh or dried.? |
Small, delicate, green leaf.? Mild flavor of parsley and tarragon.? |
Soups, salads, sauces, egg, dishes, chicken, fish, and dressing.? |
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Chili Powder? |
Spice: ground, blend.? |
Blend of ground cumin, chili pepper, oregano, allspice. Can be mild or hot.? |
Chili, stews, sauces, and ground meats.? |
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Chives? |
Herb: fresh, dried, frozen.? |
Fine, hollow, green top of a very small onion.? |
Salads, egg and cheese dishes, fish soups, and sauces.? |
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Cilantro? |
Herb: leaf, dried or fresh.? |
Light green aromatic leaf. Shaped like flat parsley but much more pungent flavor. Leaf from coriander seed.? |
Salads, salsa, sauces, soup, eggs, and dressings.? |
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Cinnamon? |
Spice: stick or ground? |
Reddish brown aromatic bark from cinnamon or cassia tree. Native of East India.? |
Preserves, stewed fruits, breads, pastries, desserts, ham, and hot beverages.? |
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Clove? |
Spice: whole or ground? |
Dried flower bud of tropical clove tree. Pungent, sweet in flavor. Native of Indonesia.? |
Whole: Marinades, stocks, sauces, braised meats, hams, and pickling.? Ground: pastries, fruits and cakes.? |
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Coriander? |
Spice: whole or ground? |
Round light-brown seed of cilantro leaf with a slightly aromatic flavor. Native to Argentina and Morocco.? |
Pickling, sausages, stocks, pork, curry, gingerbread, salsa, and dressings.? |
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Cumin? |
Spice: whole or ground seed.? |
Small seed resembling caraway, but lighter in color. Grown in Mexico and Syria.? |
Chili and curry powder blends, sausages, salsa, egg & cheese, curry dishes, vegetables, soups, sauces, fish, meat, and rice.? |
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Curry? |
Spice: ground, powder or paste.? |
Mixture of up to 20 spices including turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, clove, and cinnamon. Peppery, yellow in color. Can vary from mild to very hot. |
Curry dishes, vegetables, soups, sauces, fish, meat, and rice.? |
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Dill? |
Herb: Leaves, fresh or dried.? |
Herbs and seed with "dill pickle" flavor. Seed more pungent than herb.? |
Seed: pickling, soups, sauerkraut, marinade. Herb: salads, soups, fish & shellfish, vegetables, sauces, and vinegar.? |
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Spice: whole seed.? |
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Fennel? |
Spice: whole seed.? |
Greenish brown seed, similar in flavor to anise. Grown in South America, Asia, and Africa.? |
Sausages, tomato sauces, marinades, fish, and pickling.? |
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Fine Herbs? |
Herb blend? |
Generally a bouquet blend of three or more finely chopped herbs possibly including chives, tarragon, parsley, basil, savory, etc. Used to enhance various dishes.? |
Herb sauce, compound butters, broiled meats, fish, and cold sauces.? |
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Garlic? |
Fresh, whole bulb.? |
Strong aromatic member of onion family.? |
Widely used.? |
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Dried bulb: Granulated, powdered, or mixed with salt.? |
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Ginger? |
Spice: fresh whole, dried powder, candied crystallized, or pickled.? |
Light brown knobby root from tropical plant.? |
Baked goods, desserts, fruits, curry dishes, pickling, and chutney. Chinese, Caribbean, and Japanese cuisine.? |
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Juniper Berry? |
Spice: whole? |
Slightly soft, purple berry. "Piney" flavor. Principle flavor of gin.? |
Marinades, game dishes, and sauerkraut.? |
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Mace? |
Spice: whole "blade" or ground.? |
Made from orange red outer covering of nutmeg. Aromatic, similar to nutmeg in flavor but milder.? |
Baked goods, desserts, fruit, sausages, fish, vegetables, and preserves.? |
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Marjoram? |
Herb: dried leaf.? |
Gray green herb from mint family. Similar to oregano but milder.? |
Beef, veal, lamb, sausage, pates, poultry, stews, soups, vegetables, salads, and sauces.? |
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Mint? |
Herb: leaf, fresh or dried.? |
Aromatic herb with cool flavor. Spearmint and peppermint are most common.? |
Lamb, fruits, tea, fruit beverages, peas, carrots, potatoes, jellies, soups, and sauces.? |
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Mirepoix? |
Flavoring mix? |
Mixture of aromatic vegetables including onion, celery, carrot, leek, and garlic.? |
Stocks, sauces, soups, and roasts.? |
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Mustard Seed? |
Spice: whole and ground seed.? |
Very pungent white, yellow or brown seed.? |
Prepared mustard, pickling, sauces, and salsa.? |
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Nasturtium? |
Leaf and seed.? |
Plant with yellow, orange, and red flowers and sharp casting leaves and seeds with pungent odor.? |
Salads, pickling, and mustard.? |
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Nutmeg? |
Spice: whole or ground.? |
Sweet, aromatic kernels of nutmeg fruit. Grown in Netherlands, East and West Indies.? |
Baked goods, pies, cream sauces, soups, chicken, veal, vegetables, desserts, and breads.? |
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Oregano? |
Herb: leaf or ground, fresh or dried.? |
Pungent herb, similar to marjoram, but stronger. Native to Italy and Mexico. Also grown domestically.? |
Italian & Mexican dishes, tomato sauces, soups, sauces, stews, meats, salads, and marinades.? |
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Paprika? |
Spice: ground? |
Ground from dried sweet, red pepper.? |
Fish, seafood, meats, salads, sauces, dressings, and garnish.? |
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Parsley? |
Herb: fresh leaf in bunches, dried chopped leaf.? |
Green leaf, curly or flat, with delicate sweet flavor. Excellent source of vitamin C.? |
Garnish, fried, stews, sauces, salads, vegetables, and potatoes.? |
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Pepper:? |
Spice: whole, cracked, medium or fine ground.? |
Small hard berry.? |
Widely used? |
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black, white, or green? |
Black: pungent, aromatic.??? White: What is left when black outer casing is removed, milder, adds sharp tang to all foods. Green: Packed in mild brine.? |
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Poppy Seeds? |
Spice: whole.? |
Tiny blue black seeds with crunchy nut like flavor. It is a product of the opium poppy, but does not contain opium.? |
Breads, rolls, pastry, fillings, cookies, cakes, salsa, and dressings.? |
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Rosemary? |
Herb: whole leaf, fresh or dried.? |
Very aromatic light green leaf resembling pine needles. Healthy and strong, even in cold weather.? |
Lamb, fish, beef, sauces, soups, stews, salads, and marinades.? |
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Sachet Bag? |
Spice mix.? |
Various spices tied in a small cheesecloth sack.? |
Braised meats, game, stews, pickling, soups, and sauces.? |
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Saffron? |
Whole "threads."? |
Only the stigmas from the saffron crocus are used.? Very expensive.? Gives bright yellow color to foods with a mild distinctive flavor.? |
Baked goods, rice, potatoes, soups, sauces, curry, and meats.? |
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Sage? |
Herb: whole, rubbed, or ground leaf, fresh or dried.? |
Pungent gray green herb with fuzzy oblong leaves.? |
Stuffing, meat, poultry, soups, stews, salads, and fish.? |
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Savory? |
Herb: fresh or dried leaf.? |
Fragrant herb of mint family.? Summer crop preferred to Winter crop.? |
Salads, eggs, vegetables, stuffing, soups, meats, fish, and sauces.? |
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Sesame? |
Herb: whole (hulled or unhealed) seeds.? |
Small yellowish seed with high oil content and nutty taste. Imported from Asia, East and Central America.? |
Bread & roll garnish, salads, and oriental candy.? |
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Tarragon? |
Herb: fresh, dried, pickled leaf.? |
Delicate green herb with small oblong leaves. Flavor is similar to mint and licorice.? |
B?arnaise sauce, vinegar, chicken, fish, salads, dressings, and eggs.? |
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Thyme? |
Herb: fresh or dried leaf, crushed or ground.? |
Tiny brownish green leaf, very aromatic.? |
Soups, chowders, stocks, sauces, meats, poultry, and salad dressing.? |
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Turmeric? |
Spice: ground? |
Intense yellow root of ginger family.? Mild but peppery flavor.? |
Curry powder, pickles, relish, salads, eggs, rice, and chow-chow.? |
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