Organic - Caraway

Seeds:  800  / Botanical name:  Carum carvi

The traditional spice of hearty German and Austrian cuisine

Caraway is probably the oldest spice used worldwide. The seeds of this plant, which grows to about one meter tall, have always been used to season hearty dishes and to improve digestibility. Caraway emits a very intense aroma and has strong flavor notes, which are due to its high content of essential oils. The caraway plant flowers in its second year, and during the summer months, the caraway seeds gradually turn brown. At this point, you can simply cut them off along with the long stem to harvest them. Afterward, the caraway seeds are hung in bunches to dry. Only when the bunches are completely dry are the caraway seeds rubbed out and stored in spice jars.

Natural habitat:  Caraway is native to the Mediterranean region and Western Asia, but is now cultivated in gardens throughout Central Europe.

In the kitchen:  As a spice, caraway seeds are used either whole or as a ground powder, which is best made fresh by crushing the seeds. It is a traditional way to enhance potato, meat, and cabbage dishes, soups, and stews, and plays a significant role, especially in German and Austrian cuisine. A long cooking time is essential, as only then do the seeds soften and their flavor develop. Incidentally, a large portion of the caraway harvest is no longer eaten today, but rather consumed as a beverage, since caraway is a key ingredient in Scandinavian aquavit.