Category: Reference

Powered garlic is much more convenient than whole, fresh garlic cloves when it comes to meal preparation.  When cooking with fresh cloves or with the powdered version, the nutritional value of the fresh product will be reduced.  One trick with powdered garlic is to mix it with a bit of water for 2-5 minutes before […]

What is nutmeg power exactly? Before we can answer that we need to know what nutmeg is. Nutmeg is a spice made from the seed of the nutmeg tree. The nutmeg tree is native to Indonesia and is an evergreen This tree is actually the source of two spices, nutmeg and mace.  Nutmeg is the […]

What exactly is star anise? Star anise is a spice made from the fruit of the Chinese evergreen tree Illicium verum. The flavour of star anise is similar to the licorice flavour.  Star anise and anise area similar in flavour and commonly confused but they are different.  It is rich in flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds […]

The spice cumin is made from the dried seed of the Cuminum cyminum plant which is a member of the parsley family.  It is a popular spice and used quite commonly in Latin American, Middle Eastern, North African and Indian cuisines.  It is available in whole seeds and ground form. What are cumin seeds, exactly. […]

What are cloves? Where do they come from? And what are the benefits of cloves? For starters, cloves come from the flower buds of the clove tree, and evergreen also knowns as Syzygium aromaticum.  Cloves are grown in India and Madagascar but Indonesia is most associated with clove production.  Cloves are commonly used as a […]

Ginger is a flowering plant whose rhizome ginger root is used as a spice.  Ginger is in the Zingiberaceae family which includes turmeric cardamom and galangal.  Some of the uses of ginger have included as a spice in cooking and has also been used for medicinal purposes in the form of a tea or supplements.  […]