Ingredients

1086 articles on substrates, cultures and additives.

All spices197Herbs139Seed, bark and berry spices18Dried chilli products10Hops and brewing botanicals9Fresh chillies8Aromatic roots and rhizomes7Peppercorns6

Herbs

Spices and aromatics

Hogweed

Hogweed, Heracleum sphondylium, is the meadow plant of the carrot family that gave barszcz its name. Its young leaves were soured into soup; its sap burns skin in sunlight.

Three creamy-white elderflower clusters with green stalks and serrated leaflets rest on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Elderflower (Sambucus nigra)

The flower clusters of black elder (Sambucus nigra), a food flower used in stewed fruit and fritters. The berries, leaves, stems and bark need separate evidence and separate care.

A loose bundle of lemongrass with pale cut stalk bases and long green leaves rests diagonally on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is Cymbopogon citratus, a tropical grass whose lemon-scented stalks and leaves flavour cooking across South and Southeast Asia. The common name also covers other Cymbopogon species.

Gathered Lippia alba sprigs with textured serrated green leaves and small pale lilac flowers with yellow centres rest on an ivory background.
Spices and aromatics

Lippia alba

Lippia alba, bushy lippia, is an aromatic shrub of the Americas whose leaves are steeped as a tea, added to sauces in Mexico and used in folk medicine.

Gathered oreganito sprigs with toothed green leaves and small white flower clusters rest on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Oreganito (Lippia micromera)

Oreganito, Lippia micromera, is a small aromatic shrub whose leaves the Flora de Cuba records as seasoning in place of oregano; no recipe, amount or method is documented.

Three leafy French oregano sprigs with softly hairy, scalloped green leaves rest on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

French oregano

French oregano, Coleus amboinicus, is a fleshy, strongly aromatic mint-family herb used as a seasoning in Cuba, where it is called orégano francés, and across the tropics.

A fresh sour cherry leaf sprig with oval, finely serrated green leaves on a reddish-brown twig.
Spices and aromatics

Sour-cherry leaves

Sour-cherry leaves come from Prunus cerasus. They are documented as an aroma ingredient in Thracian hardaliye, but the sources do not establish a safe home preparation or dose.

Two broad, fresh green Calathea lutea leaves on a warm ivory surface, one showing its pale underside.
Spices and aromatics

Bijao leaves (Calathea lutea)

Bijao is the broad, durable leaf of Calathea lutea used in parts of Colombia as food-contact wrapping and lining. The common name also applies to other plants.

Fresh Gouania polygama vine stems, one split lengthwise to expose the pale inner wood, beside a small leafy shoot.
Spices and aromatics

Gouania polygama

A woody climbing vine in the buckthorn family, Gouania polygama is gathered for fresh stems used in Cuban pru, where it helps give the fermented botanical drink its characteristic effervescence and taste.

Freshly cut garden angelica leaves and a thick green stalk with a faint purple tinge, arranged on a warm ivory background.
Spices and aromatics

Garden angelica

Angelica here means garden angelica (Angelica archangelica), an aromatic Apiaceae used as a vegetable, seasoning and candied stem, with Sámi food traditions linking it to preserved milk dishes.

Dried and lightly toasted rosita de cacao flower parts in a shallow clay dish.
Spices and aromatics

Rosita de cacao

The aromatic flower of Quararibea funebris, dried and toasted for tejate in Oaxaca; despite its name, it is not cacao.

Photorealistic still life of Cissus quadrangularis, showing green fleshy four-angled stems and lobed leaves; botanical depiction only, not the haneeth plant layer.
Spices and aromatics

Cissus quadrangularis

A succulent climbing vine recorded as a plant layer in Aseer haneeth; sources do not identify which part is used or say whether the plant layer is eaten.

Fresh young Alpine blue sow-thistle shoots with lobed leaves and pale, violet-blushed stems on an ivory plate.
Spices and aromatics

Alpine blue sow-thistle

Cicerbita alpina is an alpine perennial whose tender shoots and leaves have been eaten raw or cooked. Sámi milk preparations and modern Carnian dishes are distinct uses, with serious identification and preservation limits.

Young tender dwarf fireweed leaves with reddish stems on a pale ceramic plate.

Dwarf fireweed

Dwarf fireweed (Epilobium latifolium) is a northern wild herb whose tender leaves and flowers appear in distinct Arctic food traditions.

Dried pink peppercorns in a small ivory dish with a few loose berries nearby.
Spices and aromatics

Pink peppercorn

Pink peppercorn is a shared name for dried fruits of several plants, not true Piper nigrum pepper. MURI documents one fermented use but does not identify its species; allergy evidence is limited and species-specific.

Fresh aromatic scented-geranium leaves with cherries beside them on an ivory dish.
Spices and aromatics

Scented geranium

Fresh scented-leaf Pelargonium leaves bring rose, lemon, mint, or fruit-like aromas to selected sweets, sugars, and infusions; the plant type determines the flavor and food-use evidence.

Dried pink and cream rose petals in a shallow pale ceramic bowl.
Substrates

Rose petals

Rose petals are fragrant floral ingredients used fresh or dried in syrups, jams, jellies, drinks and desserts; culinary use depends on correct identification and food-safe growing.

Tender, finely divided wild chervil leaves on an ivory plate; illustrative food art, not a field-identification guide.

Wild chervil

Wild chervil is Anthriscus sylvestris, a mildly aromatic wild leafy herb distinct from garden chervil. It resembles poisonous Apiaceae; this account is not a foraging identification guide.

Fresh dark-green heartleaf saxifrage leaves with softly hairy, toothed edges on a plain white plate against an ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Heartleaf saxifrage leaves

Heartleaf saxifrage is a small Arctic perennial whose soft, toothed leaves are recorded as food among Naukan and Chukchi communities. The botanical name appears as Micranthes nelsoniana and Saxifraga nelsoniana in different references.

Fresh serrated, pinnate leaves of chincho, Tagetes elliptica, in a loose bunch.
Spices and aromatics

Chincho

Chincho is the aromatic leaf of Tagetes elliptica, a perennial Andean herb used especially to season pachamanca in Peru's central highlands.

Dried whole blue butterfly-pea flowers, Clitoria ternatea, arranged on an ivory plate.
Spices and aromatics

Butterfly pea flower

Clitoria ternatea's blue flower is used as a colourant and appears in a Thai dried-flower tea product. Food use is preparation-specific; EFSA raised safety objections to a dried-flower traditional-food notification.

Coarse burgundy sumac spice in a pale ceramic bowl beside dried fruit fragments.

Sumac

Sumac is the tart fruit seasoning of several shrubs in the genus Rhus; Mediterranean spice is usually Rhus coriaria, while North American sumac berries also make a sour drink.

Fresh, narrow leaves and small bulb bases of Allium paradoxum arranged on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Few-flowered garlic (Allium paradoxum)

Few-flowered garlic (Allium paradoxum) is a bulbous perennial native from eastern Ukraine through the Caucasus to Iran. Its leaves and, in some documented traditions, stems, bulbs or bulbils are eaten fresh, cooked or preserved.

Fresh red-perilla leaves with serrated purple edges on a shallow ivory ceramic dish.
Spices and aromatics

Red perilla

Red perilla is the purple-leaved form of Perilla frutescens used as a fresh aromatic leaf and as a color-giving herb in some East Asian foods. This page distinguishes that form from green perilla leaves and from perilla seed.

A fresh compound raspberry leaf with toothed green leaflets and pale silvery undersides, photographed against a soft neutral background.
Spices and aromatics

Raspberry leaves

Fresh raspberry leaves are reported as a colour-giving material in Phongsaly lao-lao distillation. The account does not identify the plant species.

Dried golden osmanthus flowers arranged on a shallow ivory saucer.
Spices and aromatics

Osmanthus flower

The fragrant flowers of Osmanthus fragrans are used as an aromatic food in East Asian teas, sweets and drinks; species identification and food-grade sourcing matter.

Fresh rosebay willowherb shoots with narrow leaves and a few pink flowers arranged on a pale ceramic plate.
Spices and aromatics

Rosebay willowherb

Rosebay willowherb (fireweed) is a widespread northern perennial whose tender shoots, young leaves and pink petals have distinct seasonal uses. Mature leaves become tougher and stronger in flavor; its leaf tea may be mildly laxative.

Fresh summer savory sprigs with narrow leaves on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Summer savory

Summer savory (Satureja hortensis) is an annual aromatic herb whose fresh or dried leaves season beans, vegetables and other foods.

Dried olive-green and brown yaupon leaves with a few fine stems in a shallow white bowl on an ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Yaupon

Yaupon is the caffeinated leaf of the southeastern North American holly Ilex vomitoria, dried and sometimes roasted for infusions. Its identity and cultural history differ from other hollies.

Fresh light-green spruce tips with darker mature needles on a plain ceramic plate.
Spices and aromatics

Spruce tips

Spruce tips are the soft, light-green new shoots at spruce twig ends, used as a seasonal aromatic in some regional foods. The Jezersko preserves record does not identify its spruce species.

Fresh fleshy green scurvygrass leaves lie in a loose cluster on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Scurvygrass

Scurvygrass is Cochlearia officinalis, a fleshy-leaved coastal herb whose leaves have been eaten raw or boiled. Svalbard Museum records Norwegian trappers consuming it historically; that account does not give a preparation method.

Dried whole blue fenugreek (Trigonella caerulea) seeds on a warm ivory surface.
Substrates

Blue fenugreek

Blue fenugreek (Trigonella caerulea) is an aromatic annual used as an herb in Alpine cheese and bread and as a seed spice in Georgian cooking; its identity differs from common fenugreek.

Freshly peeled lemongrass tender centres, one short base segment beside a mound of finely sliced pale inner stem.
Spices and aromatics

Lemongrass (tender centre)

Food uses and cultivation reports for Cymbopogon citratus, with regional limits and a clear distinction between fresh culinary plant material and traded essential oil.

Fresh leafy Cyclopia genistoides shoots (leaves and slender twigs) arranged on a cream dish.
Spices and aromatics

Honeybush

C. genistoides has a species-specific Cape tea history and cultivation evidence, alongside broader genus-level honeybush accounts. Propagation and crop observations vary by source, setting and plant material.

Fresh young green samphire shoots (Salicornia sp.) with succulent segmented stems on a warm ivory background.
Substrates

Samphire

Kew accepts Salicornia europaea, while older glasswort names can cover broader groups. French sources report food uses; one study tested S. europaea var. aprica under controlled salt treatments.

Fresh red roselle calyces, the fleshy sepals of Hibiscus sabdariffa, arranged on an ivory plate.
Spices and aromatics

Hibiscus (roselle/bissap) calyx

A source-linked account of roselle's leafy and calyx uses, with Kew's updated name treatment and region-specific growing observations kept visible.

Fresh Centella asiatica (Asiatic pennywort) leaves on a warm ivory plate.
Spices and aromatics

Pennywort

A guide to Centella food reports from Thai, Sri Lankan and Taishan sources, with Thai and Sri Lankan cultivation guidance and common-name, plant-part and local-status uncertainties preserved.

Fresh dill fronds with finely divided green leaves and slender stems in a cream dish.
Spices and aromatics

Dill

Dill is an annual culinary herb grown for its leaves, flowers and seeds. Garden guidance and regional food sources describe different harvest stages and dishes, with cultivation advice that varies by climate and intended crop.

Freshly picked glossy green guayusa leaves in a small cream ceramic bowl on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Guayusa leaves

Kew accepts Ilex guayusa. A qualitative study documents leaf-infusion and chakra accounts from a bounded group of Kichwa producers connected to Napo; its variable reports are not a standardized beverage method or measured crop guide.

Fresh young stinging nettle leaf tips in a shallow cream dish on a warm ivory background.
Substrates

Nettle

A source-linked account of common stinging nettle as a food plant and spreading perennial, with regional cooking reports, handling cautions and cultivation limits.

Fresh wild leeks (Allium tricoccum) with green leaves, pink-tinged stems, white bulbs and roots.
Spices and aromatics

Allium tricoccum (ramp, wild leek, wild garlic)

Allium tricoccum is a North American spring ephemeral documented in Appalachian food and cultivation sources. Older ramp studies may combine it with Allium burdickii or use a broader variety concept.

Fresh young ramsons (Allium ursinum) leaves, intact with short pale-green stalks, arranged on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Wild garlic

A source-linked account of ramsons as a European spring woodland plant and culinary leaf, with cultivation limits and serious wild-harvest lookalike warnings.

Five small Rumex acetosella leaves with narrow backward-pointing basal lobes on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Sheep sorrel

Rumex acetosella is a small perennial distinct from common sorrel and from Oxalis plants also called wood sorrel. RHS sources report edible leaves but also warn against eating large quantities; they do not provide a safe amount or a complete species-specific recipe.

Fresh green Korean perilla leaves with serrated edges in a shallow cream ceramic dish.
Spices and aromatics

Perilla leaf

A guide to Perilla names, food uses and regional cultivation reports, with cultivar and plant-part boundaries kept visible.

Whole dried kawakawa leaves on warm ivory.
Spices and aromatics

Kawakawa leaf

Kawakawa is a New Zealand pepper-family plant with source-specific Māori food knowledge, dated regulatory views for dried leaves and cultivation advice that varies by taxonomic and regional scope.

Fresh silvery-green culinary sage leaves in a shallow ivory ceramic dish.
Spices and aromatics

Sage

Common or culinary sage, Salvia officinalis: a perennial subshrub of southern Europe whose aromatic leaves season stuffings and meat, used fresh, dried or frozen.

Fresh sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) leaves on an ivory plate.
Spices and aromatics

Basil

A source-linked overview of sweet basil's culinary names, one Ligurian pesto account, and the limits of UK and Maryland growing advice.

Fresh common thyme sprigs with tiny gray-green leaves and pale flower clusters on a warm ivory background.
Spices and aromatics

Thyme

A culinary thyme with source-specific garden guidance and a regional Italian record of seasoning and tisane use.

Fresh green fenugreek leaves beside a shallow bowl of whole tan-brown fenugreek seeds on a warm ivory surface.
Spices and aromatics

Fenugreek

Fenugreek has separate leaf and seed food uses. This account distinguishes Tamil Nadu field guidance and a Gujarat protected-crop trial from two Egyptian station experiments, regional food reports and untested household container growing.

Dry cut reddish-brown rooibos leaves and stems in a shallow ivory bowl.
Spices and aromatics

Rooibos

South African tea use and crop reports describe A. linearis, while cultivar, wild ecotype and regional growing observations remain distinct. No complete consumer recipe or universal growing threshold was established.