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What is a spice? Spices are the dried seeds (cumin, coriander; cardamom, mustard), buds (cloves), fruit or flower parts (peppercorns, allspice), bark and roots (cassia, cinnamon and ginger) or leaves (kaffir lime leaves, curry leaves) of plants.
They are usually of tropical origin, and almost all are native to the Orient. There are exceptions: allspice, vanilla and chillies were originally found in tropical Central America and the West Indies.
A more recent alternative is spice extracts. These consist of the flavour components of a world spice, dispersed on one of several types of base, the most suitable bases for pickle and sauce use, for example, being salt or dextrose. Natural materials used in flavour creations are still most often isolated from essential oils. Extraction of oils and oleoresins is accomplished using a range of methods.
Jamaica provides most of the world spices supply. The spice is so named because it tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. As with other world spices, it should be stored in a cool, dark place for no more than 6 months. World spices are used in both savory and sweet cooking.
