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MenuTome · Ingredient guide
Spices
20 spices: whole fruits, seeds, barks and powders for cooking.
PDF · 45 pages · 6.8 MB · with MenuTome watermark
Black pepperHot and warm, with woody or fruity notes depending on the pepper.
PaprikaSweet, hot or smoky depending on the variety; check the label.
CarawayStrong, warm and slightly anise-like; quite different from cumin.
NutmegWarm, sweet and strongly aromatic.
CinnamonWarm, woody and sweet-smelling; Ceylon and cassia differ.
ClovesVery strong, warm and sweetly pungent.
AllspiceSuggests cloves, pepper and cinnamon, but is a single spice.
JuniperResinous, savoury and distinctly pine-like.
Mustard seedYellow mustard seed starts mildly nutty and develops pungency when crushed and moistened.
CuminWarm, earthy and strongly aromatic; not the same as caraway.
TurmericEarthy, warm and slightly bitter.
GingerFresh ginger is citrus-like and hot; dried ginger is warmer and less juicy.
Green cardamomWarm and fresh with a slightly eucalyptus-like character.
Star aniseIntensely sweet and liquorice-like.
VanillaWarm, soft and sweet-smelling, without replacing sugar itself.
SaffronFloral, hay-like and slightly savoury; a little shapes a whole dish.
Fennel seedSweet, anise-like and warm.
Coriander seedWarm and nutty with a citrus-peel note, unlike the fresh leaf.
ChilliFruity to smoky, with heat varying greatly by variety.
Dried bay leafWarm and savoury, with less green character than fresh bay.All images are AI-generated illustrations.
Sources and notes
Image: AI-generated (OpenAI). Image note: The illustrations were created with AI. They show culinary ingredients and are not a guide to identifying wild plants.