Spices add excitement to your cooking.
Spices can add flavor and change a meal's flavor. Premium spices can be colorful, flavorful and an excellent addition to your cooking repertoire. You should store your spices in a cool, dry place to keep them fresh. Most dried spices will last two to four years, depending on their form. Air-tight containers are the best storage space for your spices. Premium spices will have a pungent aroma and bright color when at their freshest. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Anise Seed
The flower-shaped anise seed contains a great deal of flavor.
Anise seed is a premium spice related to the parsley family. Anise seed has a coarse texture and a flavor similar to licorice or fennel. Anise seed is derived from the Middle East, where it was used as a medicine and digestive agent. Anise seed is used today in Mediterranean dishes, particularly fish and shellfish, like shrimp. You can also use anise seed in baking to add a special hint of flavor to cookies or cakes.
Saffron
Saffron is a rather expensive spice, but a little of these flavorful red strings goes a long way. Saffron is derived from the Crocus plant. The spice is so costly because it is hand-picked and over 200,000 strands are needed to make just one pound of the spice. Saffron is used in very small doses to flavor soups and risottos, as well as Middle Eastern and Spanish dishes.
Nutmeg
The whole nutmeg seed tends to have more flavor than the ground variety.
Nutmeg is most commonly used in baking, although it can add some pizazz to scalloped potatoes and certain meat dishes. Nutmeg is harvested from the Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree found in both Indonesia and Grenada. Invest in a microplaner or small grater to shave off small amounts to use in a variety of dishes. Nutmeg can be used as a garnish for whipped cream or baked goods. It adds a hint of flavor to potato and meat dishes, as well as veal or chicken.
Cardamom
Cardamom pods are used in Indian cooking and spice blends.
Cardamom is a seed pod derived from a fruit tree found in India and Guatemala. The seed pods are related to ginger and have a sweet, pungent flavor. Cardamom is used primarily in baking and can be substituted for cinnamon. Some people use the ground version of cardamom in coffee or tea to add extra flavor.
Madagascar Vanilla Bean
Vanilla beans get their flavor from the inner seed pods.
Vanilla beans are long, brown pods containing seeds with intense flavor. Vanilla is one of the most commonly known spices, used to flavor everything from ice cream to cakes and puddings. Vanilla bean pods are steeped in alcohol in order to create pure vanilla extract. Madagascar is well-known for having some of the most flavorful vanilla in the world, as is Mexico. Avoid refrigerating vanilla beans to prevent mold.
Tags: derived from, dishes Nutmeg, Anise seed, hint flavor, meat dishes