Spices

Spices

Spices are dried plant parts—such as seeds, bark, roots, and berries—used to flavor, color, or preserve food. Derived from parts rich in essential oils, they have stronger flavors than herbs. For the freshest taste, store whole spices in a cool, dry place and grind them right before cooking.

Spices can be used in various forms, including fresh, whole, dried, grated, chopped, crushed, ground, or extracted into a tincture. These processes may occur before the spice is sold, during meal preparation in the kitchen, or even at the table when serving a dish, such as grinding peppercorns as a condiment. Certain spices are rarely available fresh or whole, and are typically purchased in ground form. Small seeds, such as fennel and mustard, can be used either in their whole form or as a powder