Although most fruits and vegetables taste pretty good on their own, many foods are not particularly flavorful microbial compounds. Many spices originated in the tropics, which is why food from this region tends to feature spices more prominently, but most of them are now used around the world.
Spices are every part of the plant except the leaves: seeds, nuts, fruits, bark, roots, etc. While some spices are sold whole (and gourmet magazines will always tell you to grind your own, fresh), most people buy most spices pre-ground. This list is compiled based on Wikipedia.org; although it is extensive, it does not include everything. These spices represent many of the most popular flavorings in the United States as well as a number of more exotic flavors. Although some can be found in your local grocery, many of these are fresher and available whole (rather than ground) only online.
Allspice - Fenugreek
Galangal - Juniper
Licorice - Star Anise
Tamarind - Wasabi
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International Resources
For this resource in your home country, please see:
! DE: Gewürze
