Herb Glossary: Allspice to Caraway
Culinary Uses of Anise, Basil, Bay, Cardamom, Caraway and More
These plants have a myriad of medicinal, culinary and decorative uses, several of which are detailed here.
This glossary lists the Latin and common names of each herb and spice, many of which can be grown by the average home gardener.
Allspice - Pimenta dioca - the whole dried berries can be used in potpourri blends. The ground powder, which tastes like a blend of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, is used in a variety of culinary recipes such as desserts and stews.
Annatto - Bixa orellana - the red berries of this plant are used as a natural food coloring and as a saffron substitute. A bright red culinary oil can be created by steeping annatto seeds in olive oil and heating them on low heat for 20 minutes. This oil can be used to add a subtle slight peppery flavor to a variety of rice and pasta dishes.
Anise - Pimpinella anisum - the fresh and dried leaves are used in herbal tea blends to help sooth coughs. The seeds, with their slight licorice flavor and aroma, can be used in an assortment of culinary recipes.
Anise hyssop - Agastache foeniculum - the fresh leaves and flowers are used as a culinary herb and as a medicinal tea.
Arugula - Eruca sativa - use the young fresh leaves, in moderation, as a peppery addition to garden salads. The flowers of this plant are edible and make a festive addition to meals.
Bachelor’s buttons - Centaurea cyanus. AKA cornflower or blue bottle flower. The dried edible flowers can be used in herbal tea blends or in potpourri creations. The blue, white or pink flowers also make a wonderful ornamental addition to the garden.
Basil - Ocimum basilicum - use the fresh leaves and flowers in a variety of culinary creations, such as tomato sauce and pesto. Basil is available in a number of varieties including lemon, cinnamon, spicy globe, lettuce leaf and purple ruffles to name a few. Basil does not dry well and should be used fresh whenever possible.
Bay - Laurus nobilis - dried bay leaves can be used to flavor a variety of soups and stews and they also add a nice decorative touch to potpourri blends. Whole bay leaves are added at the beginning of recipes and removed, and discarded prior to serving.
Bergamot - Monarda didyma - AKA Oswego tea, the leaves make a terrific tea while the dried flowers can be added to potpourri blends.
Borage - Borago officinalis - the delicate blue flowers are a wonderful addition to fresh salads. The fresh leaves are edible too, but make sure to use young ones as the older ones develop a fuzzy coating which is not too pleasant to ingest.
Caper - Capparis spinos - capers are the unopened flower buds of a Mediterranean tree. Capers are either pickled, or salted, and added to recipes towards the end of cooking. Fresh lemon is a complimentary flavor to use when cooking with capers.
Cardamom - Elettaria cardamomum - cardamom pods are available in either their natural, bright green color, or in a bleached white color. The pods are slightly crushed to get to the seeds inside. Each pod contains approximately 15 seeds. Cardamom is used to flavor coffee, curries and desserts.
Caraway - Carum carvi - leaves and seeds. Caraway seeds are used to flavor bread, cheese, sausage and salads. Medicinally this spice is used for it’s gas-relieving properties.
