SPICEography 
Native Americans were the first to discover the means of making maple sugar. They boiled the sap of maple trees sap down to create a solid product that could last for long periods and that was easier to transport than sap or syrup. Maple sugar is a versatile sweetener that …
Sambar powder is a blend of spices used to make a Southern Indian soup called sambar. The complexity that sambar powder provides is essential if you want your sambar to have an authentic flavor. Sambar powder is not the most widely known spice blend in the west, which means that …
Cedar berries come from eastern red cedar trees (Juniperus virginiana) that can grow as tall as 50 feet. The juniper berries used for flavoring come from the Juniperus communis, which can be a sprawling shrub or a tree that can grow as tall as 52 feet. Both eastern red cedar …
If you are familiar with Mediterranean dishes, you will already know how enjoyable regular sweet basil — also known as Genovese basil — can be if you use it correctly. Cinnamon basil is a relative of sweet basil but it contains methyl cinnamate, unlike sweet basil. Methyl cinnamate is the …
Cilantro is a popular herb best known for its use in Mexican cooking. “Cilantro” is the Spanish word for coriander, and that name has been adopted in the United States largely due to the popularity of Mexican cuisine. In the U.S., “coriander” is used specifically for the plant’s seeds, which …
Lemon thyme is the perfect herb for any dish that requires the flavors of both lemon and thyme. It can work as a seasoning for meat, and you can add it to salads as well. The big problem with lemon thyme is that it is not a particularly easy herb …
Bay leaves infuse dishes with a woodsy flavor that also has subtle notes of eucalyptus and clove. Its flavor profile is bold but nuanced in a way that is difficult to replicate with any other herb or combination of herbs. Despite the fact that it is not as blatantly aggressive …
Safflower is an annual herbaceous flowering plant. The flowers are produced in heads upon tall stems, containing yellow, orange, or red flowers. Safflower petals have many medicinal and culinary uses. They’re rich in minerals and Vitamin B-3, and it has a mild taste (with undertones of chocolate and tobacco.) Safflower …