Anise seeds give a unique flavor to dishes and excellent anti-bloating digestive properties, which counteract abdominal discomfort. They promote well-being after meals and stimulate the appetite. They are the basis of herbal preparations that calm coughs. As aromatic and tasty seeds, they can be used in milk for breakfast, together with muesli or in a mix of dried fruit.
Green pepper is used to flavor fish and meat dishes (chicken, turkey, pork, beef). The recipe for fillet with green pepper is famous. It is particularly appreciated for its spicy, fresh and delicately herbaceous flavour. Green pepper also goes well with other spices, including nutmeg, coriander and juniper.
Annatto seeds, or achiote, give a unique color to your dishes by adding an exotic and healthy touch to your recipes. This spice also gives health benefits thanks to the content of carotenoid antioxidants, useful for the well-being of the eyes and the immune system. Furthermore, the seeds can also be used for cosmetics and as a dye for dyeing fabrics.
Cinnamon in bark is the spice preferred by cooks to give a particular flavor to their recipes. In healthy terms, cinnamon helps keep blood sugar in balance, helps prevent cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, triglycerides and ulcers. Tip: do not cook it too long, it can become bitter.
Cassia ground cinnamon has an intense flavor that goes well with salty foods and flavors meat. In the Middle East it accompanies stews, lamb, goose and duck meat; in Thailand pork and dried fruit; in Morocco it is combined with pigeon pastilla; in Yorkshire it is excellent in braised ham. A pinch of cinnamon is perfect in mashed potatoes, ravioli and pumpkin risotto. It gives a unique aroma to vegetable pies or natural yoghurt.
Cardamom in green seeds is a spice particularly loved in the East and in Arab countries, with a pungent, slightly spicy and fruity aroma, with hints of lemon and eucalyptus, but it is now also used in European cuisines. It is also rich in beneficial properties for health, and also for beauty: perfect for obtaining healthy herbal teas.
Ground Cardamom is a spice particularly loved in the East and in the Arab countries, with a pungent, slightly spicy and fruity aroma, with hints of lemon and eucalyptus, but it is now also used in European kitchens. It is also rich in properties beneficial for health, and also for beauty.
Orange blossoms can be used alone for a calming herbal tea, or added together with a blend of medicinal herbs, as desired. They possess expectorant properties against colds, thanks to vitamin C, and promote proper digestion. The relaxing characteristics of orange blossom are useful in cases of insomnia, anxiety and stress.
Ingredients: orange blossom Botanical name: Citrus aurantium Origin: Middle East
Chinese five spice powder is a traditional spice blend, used in Chinese cuisine. This mix gives the dishes a light hint of minty taste, which still includes all the five flavors in cooking: sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter. A special taste to flavor meat and fish dishes, marinades and exotic sauces.
Ingredients:
star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, fennel.
Ground Jamaican pepper, (also known as allspice (pimenta dioica) or carnation pepper) is native to the Caribbean and Central and South America. The most important crop in Jamaica, it is used to produce an interesting essential oil, so much so that the scent coming from the plantations pervades the air of the "allspice paths".
The cumin plant, is one of the oldest medicinal plants, it produces seeds that have a spicy flavor and a rich and singular aroma. Some research is also testing its slimming power. The scientists involved compared the effects of using cumin extracts on overweight and blood sugar.
Herbs of Provence are a blend of fresh or dried aromatic plants. Unmissable in the recipes of local cuisine, these herbs are used to give the final touch in vegetable-based dishes, in stews, sauces, ragu and in grilled fish and meat, such as that of Sisteron lamb.
