So, you’re a spice enthusiast and love cooking? Well, even if you are, the chances that you have never heard of the spices that we’re about to talk about are quite high. In fact, not even trained chefs might know of all of the following.
However, this is no reason to be/feel disappointed in yourself! We’re not here to spice-shame anyone, but to introduce people to a wider variety of spices. After all, you might be getting kind of sick of the good-old salt and pepper paired with basil and coriander, right?
If you are, here are some spices that you might have never even heard of!
Turmeric
Nowadays, turmeric is being used in a lot of things – even in face masks. You might know it if you’re familiar with Indian cuisine. It’s the spice responsible for that bright yellow we see in curry and it’s ideal for light seasoning.
However, turmeric and one of its compounds, curcumin, is used in many other things. For example, CBD softgels with curcumin (Joy Organics) is something that everyone can try for a taste of this spice and a boost of relaxation.
Chervil
This particular spice is related to parsley and it can be found mainly in French cuisine. Reportedly, it comes with a rather mild flavor, although some people may perceive it differently.
According to chervil experts, the spice brings to the table a bit of the common licorice flavor.
Lemon Verbena
When you don’t want to use actual lemon, you can rely on lemon verbena. It can be easily chopped and it adds just a dash of lemon to dishes, which is especially nice in deserts.
Naturally, it doesn’t lack lemon power, so to speak, as it can be used to flavor both fish and meat in the same way as a lemon, but with a slightly different taste variation.
Pineapple Sage
Our next entry is basically just sage, but with the added flavor of sweet pineapple. Obviously, the spice is not connected and doesn’t come in the form of a pineapple.
Instead, it has darker leaves than usual sage – and their shape is also a lot pointier. Reportedly, it is best used over rich meat dishes for that bit of natural sweetener.
Red Basil
Unlike regular basil, its red counterpart comes equipped with not only a stronger taste but also a spicier and more complex one. It might be just the spice for those that don’t like the extreme spiciness of chili powder, for example, but still crave something more.
Even though spicy, it’s best used in day-to-day salads or, if you’re daring enough, can also be infused into simple, yet extremely healthy syrups.
The Bottom Line
The amazing world of spices extends to much more than what we see on the shelves of every market or convenience store. In fact, if you want to get a real taste of every spice in the world – or at least most of them – you should never just look for them in a market.
Head on to the closest spice-specialized store and get yourself some pineapple sage, turmeric, red basic, and borage. All of these come not only with a vitamin kick but also with new, exquisite tastes!