| Beans (dried) | cumin, cayenne, chili, parsley, pepper, sage, savory, thyme |
| Beef | basil, bay, chili, cilantro, curry, cumin, garlic, marjoram, mustard, oregano, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme |
| Breads | anise, basil, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, lemon peel, orange peel, oregano, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme |
| Cheese | basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chili, chives, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, horseradish, lemon peel, marjoram, mint, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, pepper, sage, tarragon, thyme |
| Chicken | allspice, basil, bay, cinnamon, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger lemongrass, mustard, paprika, rosemary, saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme |
| Corn | chili, curry, dill, marjoram, parsley, savory, thyme |
| Eggs | basil, chervil, chili, chives, curry, dill, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, sage, tarragon, thyme |
| Fish | anise, basil, bay, cayenne, celery seed, chives, curry, dill fennel, garlic, ginger, lemon peel, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, marjoram |
| Fruits | allspice, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mint |
| Lamb | basil, bay, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, curry, dill, garlic, marjoram, mint, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme |
| Potatoes | basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, tarragon, thyme |
| Salad Dressings | basil, celery seed, chives, dill, fennel, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, mustard, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, rosemary, saffron, tarragon, thyme |
| Salads | basil, caraway, chives, dill, garlic, lemon peel, lovage, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme |
| Soups | basil, bay, chervil, chili, chives, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, marjoram, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme |
| Sweets | allspice, angelica, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, mace, nutmeg, mint, orange peel, rosemary |
| Tomatoes | basil, bay , celery seed, cinnamon, chili, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, gumbo file, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme |
| Appetizers | Soups | Eggs & Cheese | Meats | Fish & Seafood | Salads | Sauces & Relishes | Vegetables | Breads & Desserts | |
| Allspice | Meatballs | Split Pea Oyster Stew Bean |
Ham Beef Stew Meat Loaf Jerk Chicken |
Spiced Shrimp Poached Fish |
Pickled Beets | Catsup Chili Sauce |
Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus, Beets Broccoli, Cabbage, Peas, Carrots, Zucchini, Winter Squash |
Cookies, Cakes, Pies Coffee Cakes, Pudding Baked Custard, Fruit Hot Spiced Beverages |
|
| Basil | Seafood Cocktail Tomato Juice Cheese Spreads |
Minestrone Beef, Tomato Vegetable, Chicken |
Cheese Souffle Scrambled Eggs Omelets, Quiche Deviled Eggs |
Beef Stew Roast & Fried Chicken Italian Foods Hamburgers, Roasts |
Baked & Poached Fish Tuna & Salmon Loaf |
Chicken Tuna Seafood Vegetable |
Spaghetti |
Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Carrots, Corn, Peas,
Cabbage, Green Beans, Potatos, Tomatos, Winter Squash, Zucchini |
Herb Bread Breadsticks Focaccia |
| Bay | Bean Vegetable Beef Chicken |
Stews Corned Beef Pot Roast |
Poached Fish Spiced Shrimp Shrimp Boil |
Aspic | Tomato Sauce Spaghetti Sauce Barbeque Sauce |
Potatoes | |||
| Caraway Seed | Cheese Spread | Borscht Potato |
Cottage Cheese | Saurbraten Stews |
Coleslaw Pickled Beets |
|
Cabbage, Carrots, Saurkraut | Cookies Rye Bread |
|
| Celery Seed | Meatballs, Dips Cheese Spreads Seafood Cocktail Tomato Juice |
Vegetable Tomato |
Cottage Cheese Deviled Eggs |
Stews, Pot Roasts Meatloaf |
Baked Fish | Shrimp, Tuna Potato Salad Dressing Coleslaw |
Barbeque Sauce Cocktail Sauce |
Potatoes, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Peas, Tomatoes | Biscuits Muffins |
| Chili Powder | Cheese Spreads Shrimp Cocktail Nachos Salsa |
Chili, Beef, Bean, Vegetable Gazpacho |
Omelets Deviled Eggs |
Fajitas Stews, Hamburgers Roast & Fried Chicken Tacos |
Bean Taco |
Taco Sauce |
Corn, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Peas, TOmatoes | ||
| Cinnamon | Fruit Cocktail | Split Pea Fruit |
Cottage Cheese Dessert Omelet |
Stews Braised Meats Chicken Stuffing Ham |
Fruit | Chutney, Catsup Mole Sauce Fruit Sauce, Relishes Chocolate Sauce |
Beets, Carrots, Corn, Winter Squash, Sweet Potatoes | Coffee Cakes, Pies, Fruit, Muffins, Yeast Breads, Cakes, Cookies, Puddings, Hot Spiced Beverages | |
| Cloves | Fruit Cocktail Cranberry Juice Apple Cider |
Split Pea | Eggnog Fruit Omelete |
Ham, Braised Meats Corned Beef Roast Chicken |
Poached Fish Spiced Shrimp |
Pickled Beets |
Chutney |
Beets, CArrots, Cabbage, Winter Squash, Sweet Pototoes | Coffee Cake, Cake Cookies, Pies Pudding, Fruit Hot Spiced Beverages |
| Cumin | Nachos Meatballs Guacamole |
Chili Vegetable Beef Gazpacho |
Scrambled Eggs Omeletes, Quiche |
Roast Beef Pork Chicken Mexican Dishes |
Fish Tacos | Avacado Marinated Vegetables Bean |
Barbeque Sauce Mexican Sauce Vegetable Sauce |
Tomatoes, Green Beans Corn Zucchini |
|
| Curry Powder | Shrimp & Seafood Cocktails Dips Spreads |
Chicken Beef Seafood |
Deviled Eggs Scrambled Eggs Egg Salad |
Curries Chicken, Beef, Veal, Lamb, Roasts Stews |
Shrimp Creamed Tuna or Salmon |
Marinated Vegetable Chicken Seafood |
Cream Sauce |
Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Potatoes, Zucchini | |
| Dillweed | Dips Spreads Fish & Seafood Cocktails |
Chicken Split Pea Potato Chowders |
Deviled, Scrambled & Creamed Eggs, Quiche, Souffles, Omelets, Cottage Cheese | Lamb, Veal & Pork Roasts Chicken Casseroles Hamburgers |
Tuna or Salmon Loaf Seafood Casseroles Baked & Broiled Fish |
Chicken, Shrimp, Vegetable Potato, Cucumber Coleslaw |
Cheese Sauce Cream Sauce Relishes |
Asparagus, Beets, Green Beans, Broccoli, Cabbage, Potatoes, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Peas, Tomatoes, Zucchini | |
| Garlic | Dips Spreads |
Chicken Vegetable |
Omeletes | Roast Chicken Burgers Italian, Mexican or Asian Dishes |
Baked Fish Shrimp Scampi |
Vegetable Potato Salad Dressings |
Italian-Style Sauces |
Mashed or Roasted Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini | Breadsticks Focaccia French Bread |
| Ginger | Broiled Grapefruit | Split Pea Bean Fruit |
Marinades Ham, Braised Meats Stir-Fry |
Marinades | Fruit Chicken |
Chutney Relishes Fruit |
Asparagus, Beets, Carrots, Winter Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Stir-fried Vegetables | Coffee Cakes Gingerbread Cake, Fruit Cookies |
|
| Marjoram | Dips Spreads |
Vegetable, Beef Chicken, Onion, Seafood, Fish Tomato |
Scrambled Eggs Quiche, Souffle Omelet |
Stews, Roast & Fried Chicken, Meat Loaf Meat Balls, Roasts |
Baked & Broiled Fish | Marinated Vegetable Chicken |
Italian Sauce |
Asparagus, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Squash | |
| Mustard | Dips Meat Spreads Meatballs Pretzels |
Chili | Omelets Quiche Deviled Eggs Egg Salad |
Sausage Pork Ham Chicken |
Baked & Broiled Fish | Vegetable Potato Coleslaw Salad Dressings |
Honey Mustard Barbeque Marinades |
Baked Beans Marinated Vegetables Pickles |
|
| Nutmeg | Fruit COcktail | Split Pea Chowders |
Quiche Fruit Omelet Eggnog |
Veal, Ham Meat Loaf Sausage |
Chicken Fruit |
Cream Sauce |
Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Potatoes, Carrots, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Peas, Squash, Sweet Potatoes | Muffins, Custard, Coffee Cakes Cakes, Cookies Pudding, Friut, Pies |
|
| Oregano | Dips Spreads Meatballs Tomato Juice |
Minestrone Tomato, Beef Vegetable, Bean |
Souffles, Quiche Omeletes Scrambled & Deviled Eggs |
Roast & Fried Chicken Meat Loaf Roasts, Stews Braised Meats |
Baked & Broiled Fish Shrimp |
Bean Vegetable Potato Salad Dressings |
Italian-Style Sauce Spaghetti Sauce Tomato Sauce Barbeque Sauce |
Asparagus, Broccoli, Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Roasted Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini | Muffins Biscuits Herb Breads |
| Rosemary | Meatballs | Chicken Pea |
Souffles Scrambled Eggs |
Roast Lamb Veal Chicken Pork Roasts |
Broiled & Poached Fish | Tomatoes Salad Dressings Cucumber |
Gravy |
Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Roasted Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini | |
| Sage | Cheese Spreads Meatballs |
Chicken Pea Tomato |
Souffles Quiche, Omelettes Creamed & Scrambled Eggs |
Chicken & Pork Dishes Stuffings Sausage |
Stuffed Fish Baked Fish Broiled Fish |
Salad Dressings | Poultry Gravy | Green Beans, Brussels Sprouts, Peas, Zucchini | Muffins Biscuits |
| Tarragon | Cheese Spreads Seafood COcktail Pate Tomato Jiuce |
Chicken Vegetable Tomato |
Omeletes, Souffles, Quiche Deviled & Creamed Eggs |
Chicken & Pork Dishes Roast Pork, Veal, LAmb & Chicken |
Broiled & Poached Fish Seafood |
Tomatoes Cucumber Vegetable Salad Dressings |
Hollandaise |
Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Peas, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini | |
| Thyme | Cheese Spreads Dips Pate Seafood Cocktails |
Vegetable, Pea Beef, Chicken Tomato, Bean Minestrone |
Souffles, Omeletes Scrambled Eggs Cottage Cheese Quiche |
Baked & Fried Chicken Braised Meats, Roasts, Pork Chops Stuffings |
Baked & Broiled Fish Seafood |
Salad Dressings Patato & Vegetable Salads, Tomatoes, Cucumbers |
Hollandaise Gravy Tomato Sauce |
Asparagus, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Brussels Sprouts, Onions | Herb Bread |
| Herb or Spice | Source | Flavor | Best Used | Cooking Use |
| ALLSPICE | Berries of the allspice tree Pimenta dioica | Like a mix of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon | Freshly ground | Virtually anything, from salads to desserts |
| ANISE | Seeds of the anise plant Pimpinella anisum | Sweet, similar to licorice | Dried seeds | As flavoring in cookies, candies and pastries; also in poultry dishes |
| BASIL | Leaves and stems of the basil plant Ocimum basilicum vars | Pungent, somewhat sweet | Fresh | Tomato dishes, with eggplant, for pesto, in Thai and Vietnamese foods, addition to salads and many cooked vegetables |
| BAY | Leaves of the sweet bay tree Laurus nobilis | Mild | Dried | In soups, stews and tomato sauces, and in shellfish boils. Remove leaf before serving |
| BLACK PEPPER | Berries of the pepper tree Piper nigrum. Not related to the species of plants that include bell or other types of peppers. | Pungent, somewhat hot | Dried, freshly ground | As condiment, in any dish you wish to make mildly hot |
| Herb or Spice | Source | Flavor | Best Used | Cooking Use |
| BORAGE | Leaves and flowers of the borage plant Borago officinalis | Mild | Fresh | Flowers as garnish or in salads; leaves in salads or in herbal tea mixtures. Either can be candied. |
| CAPERS | Unopened flower buds from the caperbush Capparis spinosa | Pungent | Pickled in brine | In sauces, as a garnish, and as a flavoring when pickling other foods |
| CARAWAY | Seeds of the caraway plant Carum carvi | Sweet, nutty | Whole | Hungarian goulash, cookies and cakes, apple sauce, herbal vinegars |
| CARDAMOM | Seeds from the cardamom tree Elettaria cardamomum, a member of the ginger family | Sweetly spicy | Whole or ground | Stews, curries. Use sparingly, as it has a strong taste. |
| CAYENNE PEPPER | Ground dried fruit or seeds of the cayenne pepper plant Capiscum annum | Fiery hot | Dried and ground or fresh and finely chopped | Use sparingly -- it's very hot -- in anything you want to taste hot. Warning: as in all hot peppers, the seeds are extremely hot, so wash your hands thoroughly after handling. |
| CELERY SEED | Seeds of the celery plant Apium graveolens | Strong, pungent celery flavor | Dried whole seed | As a replacement for celery stalks in cooking; as a flavoring in tomato juice, sauces and soups |
| CHERVIL | Leaves and stems of the chervil plant Anthriscus cerefolium | Light, similar to parsley | Fresh or frozen | Flavoring in soups, casseroles, salads, and in omelettes. |
| Herb or Spice | Source | Flavor | Best Used | Cooking Use |
| CHILE POWDER | Dried, ground chili peppers Capiscum annum | Spicy, hot (heat depends on variety of chili pepper used) | Ground | In chili or other spicy dishes |
| CHIVES | Leaves of the chive plant, a member of the Allium family | Sharp, onion or garlic flavor | Fresh; frozen if fresh not available | Garnish, blended with soft cheeses, added to salads |
| CILANTRO | Leaves of the coriander plant Coriandrum sativum | Spicy, sweet or hot | Fresh | In Middle Eastern, southeast Asian, Chines, Latin American and Spanish cuisines; common ingredient in Mexican salsas. |
| CINNAMON | Dried bark of the cinnamon tree Cinnamomum zeylanicum | Pungently sweet | As dried sticks or ground powder | In sweet dishes or in curries and stews |
| CLOVES | Dried flower bud of the clove tree Syzygium aromaticum | Sweet or bittersweet | Dried and ground | Add to sweet dishes or as a contrast in stews and curries. |
| CORIANDER | Seeds of the coriander plant Coriandrum sativum | Spicy, sweet or hot | Ground or whole | In cakes, cookies, breads, as a pickling spice or in curry mixtures |
| Herb or Spice | Source | Flavor | Best Used | Cooking Use |
| CUMIN | Seed of the cumin plant Cuminum cyminum | Peppery | Whole or ground | Soups, stews, sauces. Use sparingly. |
| CURRY POWDER | Combination of several ground spices | Hot | Sparingly -- taste the dish in which you're using to gauge heat level | Curries |
| Herb or Spice | Source | Flavor | Best Used | Cooking Use |
| DILL | Leaves and seeds of the dill plant Anethum graveolens, Anethum sowa | Mild, somewhat sour | Leaves best fresh; seeds used whole | Fish, eggs, potatoes, meats, breads, salads, sauces; dill seed used in pickling and to make dill-flavored vinegar. Seeds of sowa, or Indian dill, used in curry |
| FENNEL | Leaves and stems of the fennel plant Foeniculum vulgare var. | Like anise, but sweeter and lighter | Raw or cooked | In salads (raw), in soups or stews (cooked) |
| FENUGREEK | Seeds from the fenugreek plant Trigonella foenumgraecum | Sweet, somewhat like burnt honey | Whole or ground seed | In pastries, as a flavoring for meat dishes and beverages, and to make syrups |
| GARLIC | Bulbs of the garlic plant, a member of the Allium family | Pungent, onion-like, mildly hot to very hot | Fresh; granulated acceptable substitute | Roasted, or flavoring for pasta sauces, pork roasts, herb butter, stuffing, and marinades |
| GINGER | Roots of the ginger plant Zingiber officinale. | Mix of pepper and sweetness | Dried powder or freshly grated from root | Cakes, breads, cookies, as well as Asian dishes |
| Herb or Spice | Source | Flavor | Best Used | Cooking Use |
| GREEN PEPPERCORNS | Immature berries of the pepper tree Piper nigrum | Mild, slightly sweet | Preserved in brine or water-packed | In herbal vinegars, in sauces |
| HORSERADISH | Roots of the horseradish plant Armoracia lapathifolia | Very sharp, similar to mustard | Fresh or jarred | As condiment, or to flavor fish, beef, sausages, and potato salads |
| LOVAGE | Leaves of the lovage plant Levisticum officinale | Similar to celery, but stronger | Fresh | Use as you would celery, in soups, stews, sauces, meat or fish salads |
| MACE | Outer covering of the nutmeg seed | Similar to nutmeg, but stronger | Dried or ground | Custards, spice cakes, fruit desserts |
| MARJORAM | Leaves of the marjoram plant Origanum majorana | Delicate | Fresh or dried | Soups, stews, marinades. Add at end of cooking to conserve flavor. |
| MINT | Leaves of the mint plant Menthe spp. | Various -- there are more than 30 species of mint | Fresh | In salads, with vegetables |
| MUSTARD, BROWN | Seeds of the mustard plant Brassica juncea; also known as Oriental mustard | Pungent, biting, hotter than yellow mustard | Whole seed | In pickling, as a seasoning, or in preparing Oriental mustard sauces. |
| Herb or Spice | Source | Flavor | Best Used | Cooking Use |
| MUSTARD, YELLOW | Seeds of the mustard plant Brassica hirta | Hot, tangy, less of a bite than brown mustard | Powdered or whole seeds | Ground, is primary ingredient in American-style prepared mustard; the whole seeds may be used boiled with cabbage, or as a garnish for salads. |
| NUTMEG | Seeds of the nutmeg tree Myristica fragans | Warm, spicy, sweet | Freshly ground | In cakes and cookies, in sweet potatoes |
| OREGANO | Leaves of the oregano plant Origanum vulgare | Similar to marjoram, but not as sweet | Fresh or dried | In Italian dishes, in chili, with vegetables, soups |
| PAPRIKA | Fruit from a sweet pepper plantCapiscum annum | Sweet to hot, somewhat bitter | Dried and ground | In Hungarian dishes including goulash, in soups, in potato or egg salad |
| PARSLEY | Leaves of the parsley plant Petroselinum crispum | Mildly peppery | Fresh; dried a very poor substitute | As a garnish, in sauces, soups and salads |
| POPPY SEED | Seeds from the poppy flower Papaver somniferum | Nutty | Dried, whole | In muffins and cakes, salad dressings. |
| ROSEMARY | Leaves of the rosemary plant Rosmarinus officinalis | Very aromatic, faintly lemony and piney | Fresh or dried | In meat (especially lamb) or fish dishes and sauces |
| Herb or Spice | Source | Flavor | Best Used | Cooking Use |
| SAFFRON | Dried stigmas and upper styles of the saffron crocus Crocus sativus | Pungent, aromatic | Dried | Flavoring and coloring in rice, stews, curries and fish. This is the world's most expensive spice |
| SAGE | Leaves of the sage plant Salvia officinalis | Musty, slightly bitter | Fresh or dried | Beef, fish dishes, stews, stuffings; common sausage flavoring |
| SALT | Salt mines, seawater | Salty | Granular | Baking, preserving, curing, as a condiment |
| SESAME SEED | Seeds of the sesame plant Sesamum indicum | Nutty | Whole | In breads and cookies, in salad dressings |
| STAR ANISE | Star-shaped fruit of a tree native to ChinaIllicium verum | Very similar to anise | Whole | In herbal tea mixtures, in chicken or casserole dishes, or use as you would anise |
| SUMMER SAVORY | Leaves of the summer savory plantSatureja hortensis | Cross between thyme and mint, a bit milder than winter savory | Fresh or dried | Pates, soups, meat, fish and bean dishes. Use sparingly due to strong taste |
| TARRAGON | Leaves of the French tarragon plantArtemisia dracunculus cv. 'Sativa' | Anise-like | Fresh or frozen. Russian tarragon is not considered of culinary value | In tartar sauce, as flavoring for cream sauces, in egg dishes and seafood salads |
| Herb or Spice | Source | Flavor | Best Used | Cooking Use |
| THYME | Leaves of the thyme plant Thymus vulgaris | Minty, lemony | Fresh or dried | In omelettes, stews, bland soups, and stuffing for chicken, or as flavoring for green salads and cooked vegetables |
| TURMERIC | Root of the turmeric plant Curcuma domestica, a tropical plant related to ginger | Pungent, somewhat bitter | Dried and ground | Curries, East Indian recipes. This is also the primary ingredient in American-style ("ballpark") mustard. |
| VANILLA | Beans from the vanilla orchid Vanilla planifolia | Sweet, highly aromatic | Remove seeds from whole, dried beans; or, in extract | With coffee, in desserts including ice cream, puddings and cakes |
| WHITE PEPPER | Peeled and dried green peppercorns from the pepper tree, Piper nigrum | Similar to black peppercorn, but milder | Freshly ground | As a condiment |
| WINTER SAVORY | Leaves of the winter savory plantSatureja montana | Combination of thyme and mint | Dried or fresh | Pates, soups, meat, fish and bean dishes. Use sparingly due to strong taste. |