Fresh and Gourmet Spices

Dill Seed and Dill Weed are not good substitutions for each other. The seed has a comphorous, slightly bitter flavor, Dill seed is good sprinkled over casseroles before baking and used in salad dressings. Dill Weed with its delicate flavor, enhances fish, shellfish, vegetables, and dips.

Dill Weed, with its delicate flavor, enhances fish, shellfish, vegeables and dips.

Fennel has a subtle licorish-like flavor and aroma similar to Anise. Lightly toasting fennel seeds accentuates its flavor. Fennel added to meatballs or meat loaf gives an authentic Italian flavor. Saute Fennel seed with sliced peppers, onion, and sausage for a quick pasta sauce.

The flavor and aroma of garlic are very strong and distinct. These cloves can be used in a variety of dishes, such as meats, vegetables, and sauces.

The Nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans, is special in that it produces two separate spices, Nutmeg and Mace. Mace is the grounded outer covering (aril) of the Nutmeg seed. A piece of ungrounded Mace is called a blade.

This fragrant flower is used to enhance the flavor of grilled meats, jellies, sauces, and baked goods. It can also be used for perfumes and bath oils.

The peel is white and spongy inside varing much in thickness and yellow outer layer formerly called the (flavedo) has fragrant odor and an aromatic, bitter taste. Only the fresh rind is used. Candied lemon peel may be prepared by boiling the peel in syrup and then exposing it to the air until the sugar is crystallized.

Marjoram's mellow taste & enticing fragrance make it great with a wide variety of foods. Start with 1/2 tsp per 4 serving. Wonderful with lamb, beef & veal. Marjoram blends well with parsley, dill, basil & thyme.

The brown Mustard seed is remarkable for both it's bite and it's pungeunt aroma. Our seeds are grown in Alberta Canada. The black mustard seed is closer to Oriental mustard, hot with horseradish tones. The black mustard seed, the most pungeunt of the three mustard seeds, is difficult to harvest commercially and the brown seed has largely replaced it. Nowadays, the names are used interchangeably.

Mustard seed is used in pickling, sausage making and for boiling vegetables such as cabbage. The oriental mustard seed gives off a pungent heat and often used in Indian cooking. The seeds, often combined with Cumin seeds, are fried in oil until they pop; then they are added to various vegetables dishes.