Whole Spices

Even though its name suggests a mixture of spices, Allspice is the single berry from the Jamaican Bayberry Tree, which is native to the Caribbean and Central America. With its sweet pungent taste and intense scent, it can be substituted for cinnamon or nutmeg in many recipes. Allspice is great in pumpkin pie, banana bread, and cookies. It gives jerk spices their distinctive flavor.

Even though its name suggests a mixture of spices, All Spice is the single berry from the Jamaican Bayberry Tree, which is native to the Caribbean and Central America. When ground the berries have a flavor similar to cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger and pepper. All Spice is great in pumpkin pie, banana bread, and cookies.

Current batch is more brown in color* Made from dried poblano which is one of the sweetest of the dried chiles. It has a dark reddish brown color. The most commonly used dried chile in Mexico. Fruit, coffee, licorice, tobacco and raisin flavors. Used in moles, Mexican chili, sauces, soups, and baked dishes.

Annual member of the parsley family, native to the Eastern Mediterranean region. Tiny, gray-green egg shaped seeds of the anise plant that have a licorice flavor and are used for both sweet and savory dishes. Same wonderful spice as anise whole, except anise seed ground delivers flavor quicker and blends easier. Anise seed is featured in cakes, breads and liquors. Also wonderful with fish, shellfish, marinades, fruits and vegetables.

Certainly one of the prettiest spices. The whole perfect stars are really a beautiful wonder of nature, with eight points and a seed in each point. The anise plant has a strong licorice flavor and is used for both sweet and savory dishes. Anise star adds a lovely flavor and appearance floating in a cup of tea. Also great for baking! Try using star anise in various pork, soup, chicken, and seafood dishes. In the Middle East and India it is popular in stews as well. Often reserved for craft use. Anise star makes an attractive dinner garnish. They also add a lovely flavor and appearance floating in a cup of tea. The Chinese used star anise in many pork, chicken, and seafood dishes. Often reserved for craft use.

Member of the mint family, also known as “sweet basil.” Called the “royal herb” by ancient Greeks. Used in Mediterranean cooking and Italian cuisine. Use in pesto, tomato sauces, with eggs, fish, shellfish (especially crab, shrimp, lobster), lamb, pork, beef, eggplant, zucchini, sweet peppers, salad dressings, with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Basil complements and enhances almost anything.

The Bay Tree is native to the Eastern Mediterranean, but has long been cultivated in Northern Europe and the Americas. It came to symbolize wisdom and glory to the Greeks and the Romans. Bay leaves yield their flavor slowly, which makes them wonderful in slow cooked dishes. Bay leaves add great flavor to pork and beef roast, chicken, turkey, or ham. Bay leaves are also perfect for spaghetti sauce or chicken soup. Just use two or three leaves and remove before serving.

The early Greeks knew caraway could calm an upset stomach and used it to season food that was hard to digest. Caraway seed is a member of the parsley family. Its small crescent shaped brown seeds have a nutty, peppery, anise-like flavor. Caraway gives many south German and Austrian dishes their characteristic flavor, including rye bread, cabbage dishes like sauerkraut and coleslaw, pork, cheese, sauces, cream soups, goose and duck.

The early Greeks knew caraway could calm an upset stomach and used it to season food that was hard to digest. Caraway seed is a member of the parsley family. Its small crescent shaped brown seeds have a nutty, peppery, anise-like flavor. Caraway gives many south German and Austrian dishes their characteristic flavor, including rye bread, cabbage dishes like sauerkraut and coleslaw, pork, cheese, sauces, cream soups, goose and duck.

Cardamom is an extremely flavorful spice that is native to India. Cardamom’s flavor is compellingly strong, yet delicate and sweet with almost eucalyptus freshness. Cardamom enhances both sweet and savory flavors. Wonderful as a bakery spice, as well as a savory spice for curries. Use also to flavor fish, meatloaf, stews and sweet potatoes.

Cardamom is an extremely flavorful spice that is native to India. Cardamom’s flavor is compellingly strong, yet delicate and sweet with almost eucalyptus freshness. Cardamom enhances both sweet and savory flavors. Wonderful as a bakery spice, as well as a savory spice for curries. Use also to flavor fish, meatloaf, stews and sweet potatoes.

Hot pungent powder made from tropical chiles. At 20,000 heat units (hu) this is a mild - medium spicy cayenne. Use in cheese sauces, with fish, shellfish, peppers, rice,tomato dishes, butter sauces, and any dish to which you want to add a little heat and chile flavor.

A very common chile, cayenne is made from small, ripe chile peppers grown world wide. The flavor is tart, slightly smoky and intensely pungent. Use in BBQ sauces and chili. Also a key ingredient in a variety of hot sauces, particularly those employing vinegar as a preservative.

This blend is made up of ground and whole celery seed and salt. Use in Bloody Mary mix, as a seasoning on fish for grilling, or in traditional coleslaw and salad recipes.

Wild celery is an ancient European plant from which garden celery was bred in the seventeenth century. Many cooks love to add celery seed with pepper to season beef. Whole celery seed is used in potato salad, coleslaw, dressings, soups, pickling recipes, and rubbed on large cuts of meat.

Chipotle generally refers to any jalapeño that has been dried and smoked. The Morita is the mildest of the smoked chilies. It has a smoky, sweet, chocolaty flavor. Heat level = 5. Use in chili, beans, or sauces. It is also an attractive table top shaker.

The smallest and most delicately flavored of the onion family, chives have long grown wild in Europe and North America. Freeze-drying allows chives to maintain a very close-to-fresh flavor and texture. Wonderful to have at your fingertips all year round. Wonderful used in salads, soups, sauces and baked potatoes.

Native to Vietnam, Saigon Cinnamon is the highest quality of Cassia Cinnamon. Cassia Cinnamon is bold and flavorful, with a rich color. Cinnamon is used in both sweet and savory dishes. We recommend our 4% oil content powder for everyday use. Try it on oatmeal, baked goods and cinnamon rolls. If you love cinnamon, check out our 5% oil for a stronger flavor!

Native to Vietnam, Saigon Cinnamon is the highest quality of Cassia Cinnamon. Cassia Cinnamon is bold and flavorful, with a rich color. Cinnamon is used in both sweet and savory dishes. We recommend our 5% oil content powder for very strongly seasoned dishes, or simply cut back what the recipe calls for by 1/3.

Indonesia is the largest producer of Cassia cinnamon for export. It has a very smooth flavor, and is one of the more common types of cinnamon, sometimes referred to as Korintje Cinnamon. Cinnamon is used in both sweet and savory dishes. Can be whole, coarse ground in a mortar and pestle, or fine ground by a grater. Used whole, they’re perfect for stirring in coffee and tea, or for craft use.

Native to the Spice Islands, cloves are considered one of the world’s most important spices. They are sun dried, unopened flower bud of a small tropical evergreen tree. They are reddish-brown in color and their name is derived from clocus which is the Latin word for “nail.” Used in sweet and savory dishes. Ground cloves are perfect for baked goods. Also used in desserts, cakes, pies, custards, and liqueurs.

Native to the Spice Islands, cloves are considered one of the world’s most important spices. They are sun dried, unopened flower bud of a small tropical evergreen tree. They are reddish-brown in color and their name is derived from clocus which is the Latin word for “nail.” Used in sweet and savory dishes. Ground cloves are perfect for baked goods. Also used in desserts, cakes, pies, custards, and liqueurs.

Coriander is native to the Mediterranean. The seed of the same plant that gives us cilantro, coriander has a sweet, spicy, and woody aroma, with a mild sweet taste that contains a hint of orange and citrus. Coriander is used to season foods that cook longer than an hour. It enhances chili, curry dishes, roasts and breads. It is one of the main ingredients in curry and garam masala. Use it in stews, sausages, and for pickling.

Cumin is also called comino, and is often confused with caraway seed which is similar in shape. The smell of cumin is a combination of strong, earthy, nutty flavors. It is used in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Mexican cuisines. Cumin is usually dry roasted in an oven to bring out its flavor. Essential to good chili. It is a main ingredient in curries and garam masala, and is also used for meat and vegetable dishes and stews.