Spice Profile: Ginger

Leah Sugar

Spice Profile: Ginger Zingiber officinale What is Ginger? Ginger is an aromatic root used for culinary and medicinal purposes. How Can I Use Ginger? Ginger is most commonly available in powdered or fresh forms. The powdered form is used to give a warm and spicy flavor to baked goods. The fresh form is grated or minced and added to many types of Asian dishes. In addition, ginger can be pickled and used as a condiment or candied for a sweet and spicy treat. Also, ginger is used in beverages such as ginger ale, ginger beer and ginger tea. What is the History of Ginger?...

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Spice Profile: Garlic

Leah Sugar

Spice Profile: Garlic Allium Sativum Types of Garlic Although most grocery stores only carry one type of garlic, there are many types being cultivated throughout the world. Garlic varieties are divided into two categories, hardneck and softneck. The variety you see in most grocery stores is softneck. It produces more cloves and has a lighter flavor than the strong bite of hardneck. Hardneck can be found at farmers markets and has lovely pinkish hue to the skins. It has a much stronger flavor than softneck. In addition, there is a beautiful pink variety of garlic called Creole. The bulb referred to...

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The Ultimate Saffron Spice Profile

Eagan Heath

A native to Southwest Asia, saffron has had many uses such as seasonings, fragrances, perfumes, dye and medicine. In the kitchen, saffron is most commonly used in soups, stews, as well as seafood dishes such as bouillabaisse and paella. It is also a welcome addition to risotto and other rice-based dishes. Because this spice has long held the title of “most expensive spice by weight’, it may not be found commonly in every kitchens’ spice rack. Saffron Pronunciation Saffron is pronounced /ˈsæfrən/ or /ˈsæfrɒn,  scientific name Crocus sativus. Hear the common saffron pronunciation: What is Saffron? Saffron is part of...

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Blend Highlight: Fines Herbes

Leah Sugar

What is Fines Herbes? Fines Herbes, which I always want to pronounce Fine-is Erb-is (in my lovely Wisconsin accent) is actually pronounced feen-ZAIRB (with a French accent). As such, it is a combination of herbs that are the mainstay of French cuisine. It is made up of parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon. The actual combination has been of much debate over the years. Some recipes using the name 'aux fines herbes' simply include parsley, while the traditionalists tend to argue that all four ingredients are required. Current food experts offer combinations that include all or only some of the four ingredients, some even removing the parsley. Where...

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Cumin - Spice Profile

Leah Sugar

Cumin, Cuminum cyminum  Widely used in cuisines as varied as Indian, Eastern, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Portuguese and Spanish, cumin is a staple in many cooks’ spice racks and commonly found to be a main ingredient in curry powders, taco seasonings, and masalas. Cumin Pronunciation  Cumin is pronounced in a few different ways (/ˈkjuːmᵻn/ or UK /ˈkʌmᵻn/, US /ˈkuːmᵻn/),  scientific name Cuminum Cyminum. More commonly pronounced “coo-min” or “que-min”. Hear the more common cumin pronunciations:   What is Cumin? The cumin plant grows to approximately 12 to 20 inches in height with multiple, similarly-sized branches sprouting from the stem creating a...

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Spice Profile: Black Seed (Kalonji, Nigella Sativa, Charnushka)

Leah Sugar

Scientific Name Nigella Sativa Pronounced char-NOOSH-kah Charnushka means “black seed” in Russian, which translates to chernishke in Yiddish and schwarzkummel in German. Also Known As The rare spice is known by many names. It’s also referred to as nigella seed, black seed, black onion seed, onion seed, black caraway seed, black cumin, roman coriander, calonji, or kalonji. Despite having various names, the flavor of Charnushka is not similar to onion, cumin, coriander, or caraway seeds. What is Black Seed? Charnushka is deep black seeds with a sharp flavor and strong aroma. It has a broad flavor profile that is peppery...

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