Give fish and shellfish a wonderful Mediterranean flavour by adding Anise Seed to seafood stews. Make a quick sauce for fish by combining melted butter, toasted Anise Seed, lemon juice, and green onions.

Star anise is essential to Chinese cuisine. It combines especially well with port and duck. Because it is very pungent, only a very small amount is required. Add a pinch to a stir-fry or a single star to soup for flavour. Also goes well in sweet dishes like jams.

Use arrowroot for thickening foods. 1 Tbsp Arrowroot = 1.5 Tbsp Wheat Flour = 2.25 Tbsp Cornstarch. Arrowroot makes clear, shimmering fruit gels and prevents ice crystals in homemade ice cream.

An important ingredient in Thai and Vietnamese cuisines, Basil is now considered essential for tomato sauce and pesto. It is known for adding flavour to various meats, soups, stews, and sauces.

Bringing together other flavours, giving them depth, and adding richness is what Bay leaves do best. Add them to  fish dishes, meats, vegetables, soups, stews, marinades, sauces, and  even custards.

When peppers are dried, their flavours intensify because much of the water is removed. When cooking with them, they will absorb water, thickening many tomato sauces and leaving breads dry and light.

Caraway seeds have a pleasant, spicy flavour and are used as a condiment, a pastry and bread seasoning. Crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle just before use to make the Caraway flavour come alive.

Cardamom has a pungent aroma and a warm, spicy-sweet flavour. If you are using Cardamom pods in stews and curries, use a mortar and pestle to lightly crush the shell and seeds within to release the full  flavour.

Cardamom has a pungent aroma and a warm, spicy-sweet flavour. Used extensively in Indian, Scandinavian, and Arab dishes, Cardamom brings out the flavour in Swedish meatballs, duck, pork, fruit, cakes, and pastries.

Cardamom has a pungent aroma and a warm, spicy-sweet flavour. If you are using Cardamom in stews and curries, use a mortar and pestle to lightly crush the shell and seeds within to release the full  flavour.

Cayenne is frequently used in Mexican, Szechwan, and East Indian recipes. It is very spicy and can be used sparingly in almost any dish like creamy soups, sauces, curries, meats, and of course salsas!

Cayenne is frequently used in Mexican, Szechwan, and East Indian recipes. It is very spicy and can be used sparingly in almost any dish like creamy soups, sauces, curries, meats, and of course salsas!