Spices
Spices are flavoring ingredients produced from potent, aromatic plant parts. Each species, and each type of plant part, boasts unique characteristics. The variety and complexity of spices is evident in the multitude of flavors and aromas they impart, from the highly concentrated punch of roots and rhizomes to the more delicate nuances of flower buds and stigmas. Here are the most prominent plant parts used and examples of each:
- Flower (cloves [buds], saffron [stigmas])
- Fruit (chiles, black pepper, coriander)
- Pod (vanilla, cardamom, star anise)
- Berry (allspice, sumac)
- Seed (poppy, sesame, mustard seed)
- Cone (juniper berries, alder cones)
- Pulp (tamarind, baobab)
- Leaf (bay leaf, curry leaf, makrut lime leaf)
- Stalk (lemongrass)
- Bark (cinnamon, cassia)
- Resin (asafetida, mastic)
- Bulb (garlic, onion)
- Rhizome (ginger, turmeric, wasabi)
- Root (horseradish, licorice)
Learn more about what a spice is here.
Synonyms:
spice