Saffron is easily the world’s most expensive spice. In fact, throughout history, unscrupulous merchants have falsified it. In the Middle Ages, the problem of saffron adulteration was serious enough that those found guilty of committing it were executed. Even though the names sound similar, safflower is not a relative of …
Apple butter and peanut butter are both used on bread and are popular in the US, and that’s about where the similarity ends. Let’s compare these two spreads to see how different they really are. How does apple butter differ from peanut butter? Apple butter and peanut butter are made …
Curry leaves and bay leaves are both staples of Indian and Sri Lankan cooking. Bay leaves come from the bay laurel tree while curry leaves come from the sweet neem or Neeme tree, which is a relative of the cinnamon tree. It is possible to confuse the two since curry …
Basil and oregano are both popular spices and are essential for Mediterranean dishes. Both are key ingredients for flavoring spaghetti sauces, stews, and a range of tomato- and cheese-based dishes. When faced with these popular herbs, you may have questions like do they have similar flavors? Are they different in …
Carob is considered by many to be the best option for a chocolate-like flavor and consistency without actually using cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is the main flavoring ingredient in most chocolate food items. It is versatile enough that it can be adapted to work in multiple forms such as chocolate …
Both cilantro and parsley are members of the same family, which is the same one to which carrots belong. You will usually be able to find them next to each other in the produce section of grocery stores and often used in similar ways. It is easy to believe that …
Star anise and anise seed are two spices that not only sound similar, but they also have similar flavors. Their flavors are enough alike that some cooks consider them interchangeable. Both spices are versatile enough to stay in the background as they do in some spice blends and savory dishes …
Agave syrup recently emerged as a trendy sweetener and was promoted as being healthier than sugar. It is an effective sweetener that has a number of valuable benefits, but is it the same as sugar in terms of its flavor? Can be it used as a sugar substitute? The answers …