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ANISE
Commonly called aniseed, these small, brown oval seeds have the sweet, pungent flavor of
licorice. Anise seeds are used in stews, while ground anise is good for lightly flavoring fish dishes.
ARROWROOT
Arrowroot is a good thickening agent for
sauces. Arrowroot mixtures thicken at a lower temperature than mixtures made with flour or cornstarch. Mix Arrowroot with cool liquids before adding hot liquids, then cook until mixture thickens. Remove immediately
to prevent mixture from thinning. Two tsp of Arrowroot can be substituted for 1 Tbsp of cornstarch. One tsp of Arrowroot can be substituted for 1 Tbsp of flour.
BAY LEAVES
Bay leaves can be used to create more pungent flavors. They carry a fragrant clove-like aroma and are commonly used in soups, stews, and seafood dishes. Be sure to remove whole bay leaves after cooking as
it's flavor will continue to increase if left in entree.
BASIL
Basil tastes gives a sweet-scented, minty aroma when crumbled over fish. It blends well with
garlic, thyme, and oregano. Crush dried leaves with your hand or in a mortar and pestle to release the it's flavor.
CARDAMOM
Small, triangular-shaped pods
containing numerous small black seeds which have a warm, highly aromatic flavor. You can buy green or black cardamoms although the smaller green type is more widely available.
CAYENNE
Orange-red in color, this ground pepper is
extremely hot and pungent. Used for spicy fish dishes, sauces, and batters.
CHILI POWDER
Made from dried red
chilies. This red powder varies in flavor and hotness, from mild to hot. A less fiery type is found in chili seasoning.
CHIVES
Commonly used in cooking to add a delicate onion flavor. Also used as a garnish on sauces, dips, and fish dishes. Combine chives with melted butter and lemon, then drizzle over fish fillets
before or after baking.
CILANTRO
Cilantro is the leaf of the Coriander plant. It has a taste
of a fragrant mix of parsley and citrus. Cilantro should be crushed, either by hand or with a mortar and pestle. Cilantro is a perfect addition to Mexican dishes. Sprinkle Cilantro over stir-fried vegetables
for color and Asian flavor.
CINNAMON & CASSIA
Shavings of bark from the cinnamon tree are processed and curled to form cinnamon
sticks. Also available in ground form. Spicy, fragrant and sweet, it is used widely in savory and sweet dishes. Cassia (from the dried bark of the cassia tree) is similar to cinnamon, but less delicate in flavor
with a slight pungent 'bite'.
CORIANDER
Available in seed and ground form. These tiny, pale brown seeds have a mild, spicy flavor with a
slight orange peel fragrance. An essential spice in curry dishes, but also adds good flavor in seafood dishes, stews, and marinades..
CUMIN
Sold in seed or
ground. Cumin has a warm, pungent aromatic flavor and is used extensively in flavor curries and many Middle Eastern and Mexican dishes. Popular in Germany for flavoring sauerkraut and pork dishes. Use ground or
whole in meat dishes and stuffed vegetables.
CURRY POWDER
Curry Powder is a blend of many spices and is used widely in savory dishes throughout India and
Southeast Asia.
DILL WEED
A feathery herb used commonly to as a garnish to add glamour to dishes. Dill Weed has fresh delicate flavor similar to caraway.
Dill Weed enhances fish, shellfish, salads, and dips.
DILL SEED
Dill Seed is a clean, pungent flavor, reminiscent of caraway being slightly bitter. Dill Seed is
good sprinkled over casseroles before baking and used in salad dressings.
FENUGREEK
These small, yellow-brown seeds have a slight bitter flavor which, when added in small quantities, is very good in curries,
chutneys and pickles, soups, fish and shellfish dishes.
GARLIC
Garlic has a distinctive odor and flavor. Use minced Garlic in pasta sauces, stews, and
soups. Garlic powder can be used in marinades, or mixed with herbs and rubbed into seafood before cooking.
MUSTARD SEED
Mustard Seed's hot and spicy flavor enhances meats, fish, fowl, sauces, and salad dressings.
Before using, mix Mustard Powder with water to form a paste. It takes about 10 minutes for the mustard flavor to develop. Use in foods needing flavor highlights. Unlike other pungent spices, Mustard's spicy flavor
does not build or persist.
OLD BAY SEASONING
A unique collection of more than a dozen herbs and spices. The seasoning contains a
robust blend of Celery Salt, Mustard, Red Pepper, Bay Leaves, Cloves, Allspice, Ginger, Mace, Cardamom, Cinnamon, and Paprika. Excellent with all seafood, especially crab.
OREGANO
Oregano has a pungent odor and flavor. It is also usually used in chili powder. Oregano is a great
addition to many lamb, pork, and beef main dishes. An easy way to accent pasta sauces, salad dressings, and ground meat dishes is with a dusting of crushed Oregano leaves. To release its flavor, crush Oregano by
hand or with a mortar and pestle before using it in your recipes.
SWEET PAPRIKA
Paprika comes from a variety of pepper, having an elegant red color with a mild, sweet
flavor. Sweet paprika is useful as a colorful garnish for almost any seafood dish. Combine it with melted butter, margarine, or oil for a quick baste for fish. Do not put sweet paprika directly on fish before
broiling because the paprika will burn.
PEPPER
White pepper comes from ripened berries with the outer husks removed. Black pepper comes from un-ripened
berries dried until dark greenish-black in color. Black pepper is more subtle than white. Use white or black peppercorns in marinades and pickling, or freshly ground as a seasoning. Both are available ground. Green
peppercorns are also unripe berries with a mild, light flavor. They add a pleasant, light peppery flavor to sauces, pates and salad dressings. Drain those packed in liquid and use either whole or mash them lightly
before using. Dry green peppercorns should be lightly crushed before using to help release flavor, unless otherwise stated in a recipe.
ROSEMARY
Rosemary has a tea-like aroma and a piney flavor. Rosemary's assertive flavor blends well with
garlic to season stews, and marinades, and lighter fish dishes. Melt butter with Rosemary to dress freshly steamed red potatoes. Crush leaves by hand or with a mortar and pestle before using.
SAFFRON
Saffron comes from the elegant violet Crocus, and could be considered the "gold" of spices. It has
a very distinctive, pervasive fragrance, with an intensely, delicious flavor. Saffron also gives a rich yellow coloring to dishes. Available in small packets or jars (either powdered or in strands - the strands
being far superior in flavor). This spice is extremely good flavoring for soups and seafood dishes. A small pinch can pleasantly flavor an entire dish.
Note: Saffron is gathered during a two-week fall flowering period. Only the three stigmas of each flower are hand-picked and carefully dried. It takes about 225,000 stigmas picked from
75,000 flowers to produce 1 pound of Saffron.
SAGE
Sage has a fragrant aroma and an astringent but warm flavor. Sage is a wonderful flavor enhancer
for seafood recipes. Crumble leaves for full fragrance. Use ground Sage sparingly; foods absorb its flavor more quickly than leaf Sage.
SESAME SEEDS
High in protein and mineral oil content, sesame seeds have a crisp texture and sweet, nutty flavor which combines well
in curries and fish dishes.
STAR ANISE
This dried, star-shaped seed head has a pungent, aromatic smell, rather similar to fennel. Use
very sparingly in seafood stir-fry dishes.
TURMERIC
Closely related to ginger, it is an aromatic root which is dried and ground to produce a bright,
orange-yellow powder. It has a rich, warm, distinctive smell, a delicate, aromatic flavor and helps give dishes an attractive yellow coloring. Use in curries, fish and shellfish dishes, rice pilafs and lentil
mixtures.
VANILLA
Vanilla is used to balance sauces for shellfish, providing a smooth rich background taste.
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