Here you will find information on a large number of spices and herbs, tips on using, storing and preserving them, as well as a few recipes. Many places throughout this set of pages you will see that we use the term "spice" to refer to both spices and herbs. However, there are obvious distinctions between the two seasonings.

Dried parts of various plants cultivated for their aromatic, pungent, or otherwise desirable substances, spices and herbs consist of rhizomes, bulbs, barks, flower buds, stigmas, fruits, seeds, and leaves. They are commonly spoken of loosely as spices, spice seeds, and herbs.

Spices are the highly esteemed, fragrant or pungent plant products of tropical and subtropical regions, the dominant species of the trade including cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and pepper. Spice seeds are the tiny aromatic fruits and oily seeds of herbaceous plants including anise, caraway, cumin, fennel, poppy, and sesame.

Herbs are the fragrant leaves of such plants as marjoram, mint, rosemary, and thyme. Spices, spice seeds, and herbs are employed as adjuncts to impart flavor and aroma or piquancy to foods. In the small quantities used to prepare culinary dishes they have little or no nutritive value, but they stimulate the appetite, add zest to food, enhance the taste, and delight the gourmet.

Much of the information in the SpiceRack section of our website has come from material provided by Penzeys Spices as well as a number of other resources around the Internet.

Food Tips:  Spices and Herbs

Need Spices?
Try these sites:

SK Gourmet Spice Blends

Eat More Herbs
About herb books, herb photos, how to use herbs, cooking with herbs, how to make teas, tonics, shampoos, herb baths, sauces, lozenges, syrups, cosmetics, skin care, soaps and recipes.