Johnny Ciao Spice Glossary Page 2
Chives
Chives are of the onion family, with a similar but more delicate flavor. They are cultivated in temperate regions worldwide, and are best fresh, or, as Vanns are, freeze dried. We buy chives from California and Oregon, from growers who are often small but provide a premium product. An advantage we have because of our size is that we can buy excellent products from growers too small to be of interest to large spice companies. Chives are used chopped in sauces, salads, vegetables, eggs, and are a classic component to Fines Herbes.
Cilantro
Cilantro is the leaf of the young coriander plant, Coriandrum sativum, an herb in the parsley family, similar to anise.
Chervil
A green leafy herb, strangely neglected outside of France. It is native to SW Russia and S. Asia, but is widely cultivated in Europe. It is a great favorite in French kitchens where it is often called the "gourmet parsley". It is used in sauces, soups, and salads, (particularly potato salad), and is one of the four Fines Herbes used in classic French cooking (e.g., omelettes, sauce ravigote).
Cubeb Berries
These small berries, which are native to Java and other Indonesian islands, are the unripe fruits of a plant belonging to the pepper family. They have a warm, turpentine-like aroma, and a aromatic -- hot and glowing -- and somewhat bitter taste. Cubebs are used in Indonesian cuisine and in spice mixtures such as raz el hanout. Can be added in place of allspice in any dish and are well suited to vegetable and meat dishes.
Cardamom, Black
Cardamom is considered the best. We is among the few spice companies that continue to sell cardamom, as it is not a large volume seller. Cardamom grows wild in the rain forests of Southern India and Sri Lanka, but is also cultivated in other similar climates. Loose seeds and ground cardamom lose their flavor quickly. Cardamom can enhance both sweet and savory tastes. The flavor is in the small hard seeds, protected by the pods. In Indian cuisine, the whole pod is used in curries and garam masalas. In other cuisines it is used in puddings, pastries and ice creams. In various parts of the Mid and Far East, it is used in tea and coffee. The Vikings went to Constantinople to buy cardamom from traders and, to this day, it is an important ingredient in Scandinavian cakes, pastries, and breads.
Cumin, Black
The aroma is strong, somewhat like a musty caraway. Like coriander, it is a difficult spice to keep because it deteriorates quickly after grinding. Cumin seed comes from an annual plant indigenous to Egypt, and was - and is - used by the civilizations of Greece, Rome, early Egypt and that of the Indus River. It is a necessity in Indian, Mideastern and Mexican cuisines. In the U.S., cumin was once reserved for ethnic and exotic dishes. It is now often used every day in vegetables, rice and potato dishes as well as soups, meat loaf and even scrambled eggs.
Chesapeake Bay Seafood Blend
An interesting blend, and a particularly good choice for people on salt-free diets. The inspiration came from a similar blend popular with the Dupont Family, who primarily used it in seafood casseroles. I find it great in crab cakes and fish soups, and a welcome addition to many dishes. A great salt substitute.
Cajun Crab Boil
Cajun Crab Boil is similar to recipes available in Louisiana cookbooks. It's a pretty product, and also very hot and very popular. Besides being used to flavor crabs, shrimp and other seafood, Cajun Crab Boil works well as a pickling spice.
Cardamom, Decorticated
Cardamom grows wild in the rain forests of Southern India and Sri Lanka, but is also cultivated in other similar climates. Cardamom can enhance both sweet and savory tastes. The flavor is in the small hard seeds, protected by the pods. In Indian cuisine, the whole pod is used in curries and garam masalas. In other cuisines it is used in puddings, pastries and ice creams. In various parts of the Mid and Far East, it is used in tea and coffee. The Vikings went to Constantinople to buy cardamom from traders and, to this day, it is an important ingredient in Scandinavian cakes, pastries, and breads.
Celery Flakes
Celery is a member of the parsley family and is derived from a wild variety called smallage. India and China produce excellent celery, but it is also cultivated in Europe and the U.S. The flavor and aroma might be described as a combination of celery, fennel and anise. The root is called celeriac which is a mild vegetable popular in Europe. A delightful seasoning for sauces, salads, vegetables, and many other dishes. An absolute must in potato salad. Used carefully, it mysteriously improves the flavor without calling attention to itself.
Chinese Five Spice Powder
A few years ago, this was the only Chinese Five Spice you could find in the market. The Washington Post, among other sources, has said that ours is the best Chinese Five Spice powder. One reason ours is so well accepted is we are very careful of the amount of star anise that we use. Anise is not a favorite flavor of Americans, but without it the Chinese Five Spice blend is unbalanced and less authentic. We have deviated from the classic tradition when blending Chinese Five Spice. We use less star anise than other spice suppliers. The result is a blend which Americans like better.
Cardamom, Ground
Cardamom grows wild in the rain forests of Southern India and Sri Lanka, but is also cultivated in other similar climates. Loose seeds and ground cardamom lose their flavor much more quickly than the whole pods. Cardamom can enhance both sweet and savory tastes. It is used in puddings, pastries and ice creams. In various parts of the Mid and Far East, it is used in tea and coffee. The Vikings went to Constantinople to buy cardamom from traders and, to this day, it is an important ingredient in Scandinavian cakes, pastries, and breads. 4 oz bottle
Cloves, Ground
Cloves are young, unopened dried flower buds of the clove tree, native to the Moluccas Islands in East Indonesia where we buy first-quality, hand-picked cloves. Cloves, whole or ground, are the most pungent and fragrant of spices and are extremely aromatic. Take care and use with discretion lest its flavor overpower others! Cloves are used as garnishes as well as for flavor in the widest possible variety of dishes - with fruit, many sweet dishes, pickles, ham, pot roasts, stews, and vegetables such as beets, carrots, squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. The addition of cloves to a casserole of lamb and beans is magical.
Coriander, Ground
The dried seeds of the coriander plant. It is an annual plant of the parsley family, also known for its leaves, the herb, cilantro (see above). Coriander was named in an Egyptian papyrus of 1550 B.C. and in the Old Testament in Exodus 16 - "Manna was like coriander seed, white." We sell both whole and ground coriander. We advise buying only a few months' supply or buying it whole and grinding it as you use it. I find that stale coriander has an unpleasant musty smell, while the freshly ground, has a fantastic sweet fragrance. It could be a perfume. The flavor of coriander and the aroma reminds us of bolognas and frankfurters, because it is a principal flavoring ingredient. It is an essential ingredient of chilies, curries, and pickles, and is used to flavor breads, cheese, fish, meats, baked goods, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Cumin, Ground
Cumin is a difficult spice to keep because it deteriorates quickly after grinding. We sell cumin ground and whole. Our method of grinding, bottling, sealing and delivering in a timely fashion contributes to the freshness of this product.
Curry, Hot
We are very proud of our curry blend, we are the only spice company in the U.S. selling a curry without salt. Curry, because of turmeric and cumin, is difficult to keep fresh and hot. We grind, blend and ship it in a timely manner, and thus are able to keep our curry fresher than that of larger companies who have less flexibility in that area. We know that our curry has a fresh, clean flavor one and one-half years after bottling. I believe that most people, my mother for example, who claim that they dislike curry probably have only tasted a stale musty Curry. Mother ate curry in my house for 35 years and loved it.
Curry, Mild
Shipping Weight: 0.30 pounds
We are very proud of our curry blend. We are is the only spice company in the U.S. selling a curry without salt. Curry, because of turmeric and cumin, is difficult to keep fresh and hot. We grind, blend and ship it in a timely manner, and thus are able to keep our curry fresher than that of larger companies who have less flexibility in that area. We know that our curry has a fresh, clean flavor one and one-half years after bottling. I believe that most people, my mother for example, who claim that they dislike curry probably have only tasted a stale musty Curry. Mother ate curry in my house for 35 years and loved it.
Cream of Tartar
Fine, white powder derived from a crystalline acid. It is added to candy and frosting mixtures for a creamier consistency and to egg whites before beating to improve stability and volume.
Cayenne Pepper
This highly potent pepper will add zing to all of your firey dishes. The best one on the market.
Chili Powder, Ancho
A dark smokey chili powder with a deep rich flavor and mild to medium heat.
Chipotle Peppers, crushed
Hot peppers are indigenous to the New World, but spread worldwide with Columbus. They are variously classified as a vegetable, or berry and, when dried, a spice. The seeds, veins, and skin contain the pungent hotness in chili peppers. There is little aroma but taste varies from mild to fiery hot. These are hot and have a slightly smokey flavor.
Chili Powder, Chipotle
The Chipotle Pepper adds a smokey flavor to this chili powder, perfect for your favorite chili recipe, or a Johnny Ciao bluesy burrito!
Chili Powder, Dark
Dark in color, this chili powder is sure to add some punch to your next dish.
Chili Powder, Light
If your dish calls for a lighter look, try this one.
Chili Powder, New Mexican
Our comprehensive selection of chili powders wouldn't be complete without this offering from New Mexico!
Chili Powder, Pasilla
A key ingredient in Mexican and Southwestern cooking, the pasilla is a hot chili with a slightly fruity flavor.
Caribe Rub
With this blend, we have reproduced the spicy and fruity flavor of the Islands, using lime and coconut as well as spices of the region. You will find this well-balanced seasoning great on fish, chicken and pork as well as vegetables and salads.
Cancun Rub
This wonderful Mexican seasoning can be used as a dry marinade to pat on fish, beef, pork or chicken. It may also be used as the starter of a fine salsa or in other Mexican dishes and condiments. It is the necessary seasoning for Fajitas.
Celery Seed
Celery is a member of the parsley family and is derived from a wild variety called smallage. India and China produce excellent celery seed, but it is also cultivated in Europe and the U.S. The flavor and aroma might be described as a combination of celery, fennel and anise. The root is called celeriac which is a mild vegetable popular in Europe. A delightful seasoning for sauces, salads, vegetables, and many other dishes. An absolute must in potato salad. Used carefully, celery seed becomes the secret ingredient in many dishes. It mysteriously improves the flavor without calling attention to itself. Celery seed, used with tarragon, actually enhances the flavor of tarragon.
Caraway Seed
A biennial plant of the parsley family, it has been used for at least 5,000 years, and cultivated in Europe since medieval times. Caraway is grown in Holland and Egypt. The small tannish brown seeds have a pungent aroma, a flavor that's sharp but faintly sweet, with an astringent aftertaste. Caraway gives rye bread its distinctive flavor. It is particularly good as a flavoring for pork. I use it in all cabbage dishes, and it really makes a difference in coleslaw. I also use it in cheeses, cakes and fruit dishes.
Chili Seasoning
Our Chili Seasoning base is Ancho Chili peppers which have the dark, smokey flavor I love. This Chili Seasoning was originally created for Arizona Restaurant in New York. Brendan Walsh, the chef, needed a particularly fine, distinctive chili seasoning and ours fit the bill. The New York Times food critics raved about it. Our blend utilizes both dark and light chilies for color and flavor, as well as oregano and cumin. Most spice companies add salt. We do not. We believe that cooks can add their own salt. Legend has it that Chili Seasoning was originally developed by a cook trying to duplicate curry by using American spices. Thus was created Chili Seasoning, if you believe this!
Cinnamon Sticks, 3"
Our Korintji AA cinnamon tastes less harsh and has more fragrance than the Indonesian cinnamon familiar to most cooks. These sticks are carefully selected from the upper branches of trees growing in southwest Sumatra. Some cinnamon is mixed with cassia. Cassia is similar, but redder and has a harsher taste and a shorter shelf life. The history of cinnamon is intertwined with the history of transportation, with battles lost and won, and with the Old Testament. For example, Exodus, Chapter 30 contains a description of how to mix a holy anointing oil, using cinnamon, cassia and myrrh. Cinnamon is used in thousands of ways. Its appeal is universal.
Creole Seasoning
Our Creole Seasoning, a bit usual is actually a blend from Atchafalaya, the last Cajun stronghold in Louisiana. It is a result of an intermingling of the French and Indian cultures before the Louisiana Purchase. I find it very useful. It's one of our many salt-free products, and its spicy flavor makes it popular with those on salt restricted diets. It is good in dishes calling for a Creole Seasoning and in other dishes where a sophisticated spicy blend is needed. A favorite use of mine is to add it to my dredging flour before sautéing fish.
Cumin Seed
The aroma is strong, somewhat like a musty caraway. Like coriander, it is a difficult spice to keep because it deteriorates quickly after grinding. We sell cumin ground and whole. Our method of grinding, bottling, sealing and delivering in a timely fashion contributes to the freshness of this product. Cumin seed comes from an annual plant indigenous to Egypt, and was - and is - used by the civilizations of Greece, Rome, early Egypt and that of the Indus River. It is a necessity in Indian, Mideastern and Mexican cuisines. In the U.S., cumin was once reserved for ethnic and exotic dishes. It is now often used every day in vegetables, rice and potato dishes as well as soups, meat loaf and even scrambled eggs.
Celery Seed, Ground
A ground version, a delightful seasoning for sauces, salads, vegetables, and many other dishes. An absolute must in potato salad. Used carefully, celery seed becomes the secret ingredient in many dishes. It mysteriously improves the flavor without calling attention to itself. Celery seed, used with tarragon, actually enhances the flavor of tarragon.
California Salad Seasoning
California pioneered the fast, fresh, light cuisine which has become an American trademark. Our California Salad Seasoning is typical of the kind of salad dressing mix made popular by that state. A nice blend of fresh, fragrant, mild herbs, to be shaken into either a vinaigrette or creamy based salad dressing. It makes a great dip added to sour cream, yogurt, and/or cream cheese.
Cloves, Whole
Cloves are young, unopened dried flower buds of the clove tree, native to the Moluccas Islands in East Indonesia where we buy first-quality, hand-picked cloves. Cloves, whole or ground, are the most pungent and fragrant of spices and are extremely aromatic. Take care and use with discretion lest its flavor overpower others! 4 oz bottle. Cloves are used as garnishes as well as for flavor in the widest possible variety of dishes - with fruit, many sweet dishes, pickles, ham, pot roasts, stews, and vegetables such as beets, carrots, squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. The addition of cloves to a casserole of lamb and beans is magical.
Coriander, Whole
We sell both whole and ground coriander. We advise buying only a few months' supply or buying it whole and grinding it as you use it. I find that stale coriander has an unpleasant musty smell, while the freshly ground, has a fantastic sweet fragrance. It could be a perfume. The flavor of coriander and the aroma reminds us of bolognas and frankfurters, because it is a principal flavoring ingredient. It is an essential ingredient of chilies, curries, and pickles, and is used to flavor breads, cheese, fish, meats, baked goods, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
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