SPICEography 
What are Malabar peppers? Malabar pepper refers to one of the two types of peppercorns to come from the Malabar Coast of India. The other famous peppercorn is the Tellicherry peppercorn, which is the higher quality of the two. Tellicherry peppercorns are the best 10 percent of Malabar peppercorns. In …
Sea salt and iodized salt are two versions of the same universal seasoning. Sea salt refers to salt harvested from the sea that does not contain iodine; iodized salt refers to any salt with iodine added, including iodized sea salt and iodized table salt. Despite being similar in many ways, …
Genovese basil and Thai basil are both cultivars of the same basil herb. The fact that they share a common ancestor means that they have some of the same characteristics. Do you need both in your spice cabinet? Can one stand in for the other? We answer those questions and …
Genovese basil and sweet basil both belong to the Lamiaceae family, which is the mint family to which multiple culinary herbs belong. Varieties of the basil herb are grown all over the world including in Asia, Africa, and Europe with Genovese and sweet basil among the most common. How closely …
What is Genovese Basil? Genovese basil is a cultivar of sweet basil, which is believed to have come from India and is also native to parts of Asia and Africa. Basil was brought to the Liguria region by the Ancient Romans, who believed that it was a healing herb. The …
Sumac is a relatively unknown spice in the US, and is only slightly better known in much of Europe. It is native to the Middle East and Mediterranean region, where its bright, lemony flavor profile makes it a valuable addition to many dishes. Sumac’s name comes from the Aramaic word …
Holy basil and basil are just two of the numerous basil varieties that are used for a wide range of dishes, not just Italian food. Holy basil is also called tulsi, while basil is otherwise known as sweet or Genovese basil. The two species of basil can sometimes look similar …
Arrowroot powder is a starch that comes from the arrowroot plant, which is native to the West Indies and has been cultivated by indigenous Caribbean people for thousands of years. Arrowroot powder is sometimes referred to simply as arrowroot, or you may see it labeled as arrowroot flour; before using, …