Herb & Spice Chart

Name Type Characteristics Example Use

Allspice Spice: whole ground Small brown berry, flavor Sausages, braised meats,
resembles a combination poached fish, cooked fruits,
cinnamon, clove, and puddings, pies, and relishes.
nutmeg.
Native to West India.
Anise Spice: whole or Licorice flavor. Native to Cookies, pastries, and
ground Spain, China, and Syria. bread.
Herb: leaf, fresh or
dried.
Basil Herb: leaf, fresh or Aromatic green leaf. Tomato dishes, pesto, egg
dried. Member of mint family. dished, salads, marinades,
fish, and compound butters.
Bay Leaf Herb: whole leaf. Stiff dark green, oblong Stocks, sauces, soup, stews,
leaf with a pungent aroma and braised meats.
reminiscent of sassafras.
Comes from the Laurel
tree.
Bouquet Flavoring mix. A personal selection of Stocks, soups, and sauces.
Garni herbs, vegetables and
occasionally spices, often
tied with a string.
Caraway Spice: whole seed. Dark brown curved seed. Rye bread, cabbage,
Grown in Northern Europe. sauerkraut, and Eastern
European Cuisine.
Cardamom Spice: whole pod or Tiny brown seeds, white or Pickling, Danish pastries,
ground seed. green pods. Sweet, and curries.
aromatic, and expensive.
Native of India and
Guatemala.
Cayenne Spice: ground, seed. Very powerful, ground hot Soups, sauces, fish, and
red pepper. Native of eggs.
French Guiana.
Celery Spice: whole seed or Tiny brown seed with Salads, dressings, pickling,
Seed ground. strong celery flavor. Too tomato dishes, and
much can create a "hot" marinades.
spice effect.
Chervil Herb: leaf, fresh or Small, delicate, green leaf. Soups, salads, sauces, egg,
dried. Mild flavor of parsley and dishes, chicken, fish, and
tarragon. dressing.
Chili Spice: ground, blend. Blend of ground cumin, Chili, stews, sauces, and
Powder chili pepper, oregano, ground meats.
allspice. Can be mild or
hot.
Chives Herb: fresh, dried, Fine, hollow, green top of a Salads, egg and cheese
frozen. very small onion. dishes, fish soups, and
sauces.
Cilantro Herb: leaf, dried or Light green aromatic leaf. Salads, salsa, sauces, soup,
fresh. Shaped like flat parsley but eggs, and dressings.
much more pungent flavor.
Leaf from coriander seed.

Herb & Spice Chart

Name Type Characteristics Example Use

Cinnamon Spice: stick or Reddish brown aromatic Preserves, stewed fruits,
ground bark from cinnamon or breads, pastries, desserts,
cassia tree. ham, and hot beverages.
Native of East India.
Clove Spice: whole or Dried flower bud of Whole: Marinades, stocks,
ground tropical clove tree. sauces, braised meats,
Pungent, sweet in flavor. hams, and pickling.
Native of Indonesia. Ground: pastries, fruits and
cakes.
Coriander Spice: whole or Round light-brown seed of Pickling, sausages, stocks,
ground cilantro leaf with a slightly pork, curry, gingerbread,
aromatic flavor. Native to salsa, and dressings.
Argentina and Morocco.
Cumin Spice: whole or Small seed resembling Chili and curry powder
ground seed. caraway, but lighter in blends, sausages, salsa, egg
color. Grown in Mexico and & cheese, curry dishes,
Syria. vegetables, soups, sauces,
fish, meat, and rice.
Curry Spice: ground, Mixture of up to 20 spices Curry dishes, vegetables,
powder or paste. including turmeric, cumin, soups, sauces, fish, meat,
coriander, ginger, clove, and rice.
and cinnamon. Peppery,
yellow in color. Can vary
from mild to very hot.
Dill Herb: Leaves, fresh Herbs and seed with "dill Seed: pickling, soups,
or dried. pickle" flavor. Seed more sauerkraut, marinade. Herb:
Spice: whole seed. pungent than herb. salads, soups, fish &
shellfish, vegetables,
sauces, and
Fennel Spice: whole seed. Greenish brown seed, Sausages, tomato sauces,
similar in flavor to anise. marinades, fish, and
Grown in South America, pickling.
Asia, and Africa.
Fine Herbs Herb blend Generally a bouquet blend Herb sauce, compound
of three or more finely butters, broiled meats, fish,
chopped herbs possibly and cold sauces.
including chives, tarragon,
parsley, basil, savory, etc.
Used to enhance various
dishes.
Garlic Fresh, whole bulb. Strong aromatic member Widely used.
 Dried bulb: of onion family.
Granulated,
powdered, or mixed
with salt.
Ginger Spice: fresh whole, Light brown knobby root Baked goods, desserts,
dried powder, from tropical plant. fruits, curry dishes, pickling,
candied crystallized, and chutney. Chinese,
or pickled. Caribbean, and Japanese
cuisine.

Herb & Spice Chart

Name Type Characteristics Example Use

Juniper Spice: whole Slightly soft, purple berry. Marinades, game dishes,
Berry "Piney" flavor. Principle and sauerkraut.
flavor of gin.
Mace Spice: whole "blade" Made from orange red Baked goods, desserts, fruit,
or ground. outer covering of nutmeg. sausages, fish, vegetables,
Aromatic, similar to and preserves.
nutmeg in flavor but
milder.
Marjoram Herb: dried leaf. Gray green herb from mint Beef, veal, lamb, sausage,
family. Similar to oregano pates, poultry, stews,
but milder. soups, vegetables, salads,
and sauces.
Mint Herb: leaf, fresh or Aromatic herb with cool Lamb, fruits, tea, fruit
dried. flavor. Spearmint and beverages, peas, carrots,
peppermint are most potatoes, jellies, soups, and
common. sauces.
Mirepoix Flavoring mix Mixture of aromatic Stocks, sauces, soups, and
vegetables including roasts.
onion, celery, carrot, leek,
and garlic.
Mustard Spice: whole and Very pungent white, Prepared mustard, pickling,
Seed ground seed. yellow or brown seed. sauces, and salsa.
Nasturtium Leaf and seed. Plant with yellow, orange, Salads, pickling, and
and red flowers and sharp mustard.
casting leaves and seeds
with pungent odor.
Nutmeg Spice: whole or Sweet, aromatic kernels of Baked goods, pies, cream
ground. nutmeg fruit. Grown in sauces, soups, chicken,
Netherlands, East and veal, vegetables, desserts,
West Indies. and breads.
Oregano Herb: leaf or ground, Pungent herb, similar to Italian & Mexican dishes,
fresh or dried. marjoram, but stronger. tomato sauces, soups,
Native to Italy and Mexico. sauces, stews, meats,
Also grown domestically. salads, and marinades.
Paprika Spice: ground Ground from dried sweet, Fish, seafood, meats,
red pepper. salads, sauces, dressings,
and garnish.
Parsley Herb: fresh leaf in Green leaf, curly or flat, Garnish, fried, stews,
bunches, dried with delicate sweet flavor. sauces, salads, vegetables,
chopped leaf. Excellent source of and potatoes.
vitamin C.

Herb & Spice Chart

Name Type Characteristics Example Use

Pepper: Spice: whole, Small hard berry. Widely used
black, cracked, medium or Black: pungent, aromatic.
white, or fine ground. White: What is left when
green black outer casing is
removed, milder, adds
sharp tang to all foods.
Green: Packed in mild
brine.
Poppy Spice: whole. Tiny blue black seeds with Breads, rolls, pastry, fillings,
Seeds crunchy nut like flavor. It is cookies, cakes, salsa, and
a product of the opium dressings.
poppy, but does not
contain opium.
Rosemary Herb: whole leaf, Very aromatic light green Lamb, fish, beef, sauces,
fresh or dried. leaf resembling pine soups, stews, salads, and
needles. Healthy and marinades.
strong, even in cold
weather.
Sachet Bag Spice mix. Various spices tied in a Braised meats, game, stews,
small cheesecloth sack. pickling, soups, and sauces.
Saffron Whole "threads." Only the stigmas from the Baked goods, rice, potatoes,
saffron crocus are used. soups, sauces, curry, and
Very expensive. Gives meats.
bright yellow color to foods
with a mild distinctive
flavor.
Sage Herb: whole, rubbed, Pungent gray green herb Stuffing, meat, poultry,
or ground leaf, fresh with fuzzy oblong leaves. soups, stews, salads, and
or dried. fish.
Savory Herb: fresh or dried Fragrant herb of mint Salads, eggs, vegetables,
leaf. family. Summer crop stuffing, soups, meats, fish,
preferred to Winter crop. and sauces.
Sesame Herb: whole (hulled Small yellowish seed with Bread & roll garnish, salads,
or unhealed) seeds. high oil content and nutty and oriental candy.
taste. Imported from Asia,
East and Central America.
Tarragon Herb: fresh, dried, Delicate green herb with Barnaise sauce, vinegar,
pickled leaf. small oblong leaves. Flavor chicken, fish, salads,
is similar to mint and dressings, and eggs.
licorice.
Thyme Herb: fresh or dried Tiny brownish green leaf, Soups, chowders, stocks,
leaf, crushed or very aromatic. sauces, meats, poultry, and
ground. salad dressing.
Turmeric Spice: ground Intense yellow root of Curry powder, pickles,
ginger family. Mild but relish, salads, eggs, rice,
peppery flavor. and chow-chow.