HERBS AND SPICES MOST USED IN

THE PASTRY SHOP

SPICES AND HERBS

Plant-based flavorings. The term spice is often applied to the
hard parts, such as seeds and bark.

Many herbs, which are also called spices, are in

reality the fragrant leaves of herbaceous plants, many of them
natives of temperate regions. With few exceptions, the spices and
Aromatic herbs used today were already used in ancient times.
very remote.

The spice trade with the East emerged long before the era
Cristiana. It is believed that its discovery predates civilizations.
older;

Without a doubt, the aroma emitted by certain sweets and

desserts are unmistakable. The ones responsible for giving them that aromatic touch and
special flavor comes from certain spices and herbs.

Although they are not exclusive to use in baking, those that are most
The ones employed are what the expert calls 'sweet spices'.

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which include cinnamon, vanilla, anise, clove, cardamom, the
saffron and nutmeg. Each of them has a texture, color, and
different color from the others and the choice of one over another varies the
final result of a recipe.

THE CINNAMON

Cinnamon has been well known for 4,000 years, it even appears
mentioned in the Bible under the name ofQuesiah. The ancients
Egyptians used it to end epidemics and in the
embalmings of their mummies. The Arab merchants sold it to
Greeks and Romans, who used it as a condiment for its power.
stimulant, without specifying its place of origin.
The search for Cinnamon was one of the determining reasons for the
discovery of the route to Ceylon and India, along the coast of Africa,
made by the Portuguese in the 16th century. In the mid-17th century,
The Dutch took control of Ceylon and monopolized trade.
world of cinnamon for 200 years. They are also responsible for that
it began to be cultivated systematically in the West, so
it started to be less expensive.
It originates from Ceylon (Sri Lanka). It is also cultivated in Brazil.
Beer man, India, Indonesia, West Indies and islands of the ocean
Pacific.
When the trees reach 6 to 8 years of age, they are removed.
bark and is left to dry in the sun, forming the long rolled strips that
we know it as stick cinnamon.

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GINGER

Originating from the tropical regions of Asia, its name comes from the
Sanskrit, passing through Persian and Greek, until reaching Latin zingiber
and to Spanish ginger. It has been used for thousands of years as a relief
digestive. Established in Europe and America as a medicinal herb and
ingredient of different drinks. It arrived in Africa by the hand of the
Portuguese and Spaniards took it to the Antilles. It is still used
extensively in French and Asian cuisine, from pastry to
as an ingredient for dressings for salads, curries, and stir-fries. By
its high cost and difficult preservation, ginger nowadays is
found in many forms, from powder, candied, in
vinegar and fresh.
It grows in all the tropical regions of the world. The most common varieties...
faces and of higher quality generally come from Australia, India and
Jamaica, while the most commercially grown are cultivated in China and
Peru
Definition

Spanish Ginger
traditional
Spanish
American
English: ginger
French: ginger
German: Ginger
Italian
Portuguese:

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ANIS STAR
Star anise or star, is a spice that resembles anise in its
flavor. Illicium verum is a small tree that grows in the southwest of
China. It is widely used in Chinese cuisine. It is an ingredient
traditional in the five spice powder of Chinese cuisine.
Star anise is not only used in cooking and baking, but also
also, in the production of liqueurs (Galliano and Pastis).
It is also used as medicinal treatments, relieving colics and
rheumatism, if the seeds are chewed after a meal it helps to
digestion

ANIS
It proceeds from Eastern Europe in the area that includes the Middle East,
Turkey, Egypt, Greece and the Greek Islands where they grow wild.
Currently, they appear as a cultivated species in many regions.
warmest in the world although it is very difficult to settle outside of it
place of origin and is only cultivated from seeds
Since ancient times, the anise plant has been used as a plant
medicinal, as a species and as food. The first reference
historically appear in 1550 BC, in the famous Egyptian papyri
Ebbers, which can be considered as one of the first treaties of
medicinal plants.
With flour and anise, the Romans made a special bread that was
known by the name of 'mustaseun' and was eaten at the end of the
foods to aid digestion.
It was so important in use and consumption that it came to be used as
currency.
Currently, it is widely used to make liqueurs (Anise liqueur,
ouzo, Bulgarian mastic, etc.), in pastry making and is an excellent source
in the production of medicines.

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MENTA

This herb comes from Central Asia and the Mediterranean. It is a plant
very versatile and there are many varieties. Combines very well
with other herbs such as: basil, dill, parsley; in Asia with:
ginger cumin cardamom nails of Color.
Its scent reveals its tonic and stimulating virtues. It is energetic. Its
the aroma is strong, fresh, sweet, spicy, and refreshing. It should not be taken
at night because it causes insomnia). It can be used both fresh and
dry.
Culinarily, it is used to season legumes such as: broad beans,
eggplants, cucumbers, peas, tomatoes; meat, deer, vinaigrette,
potatoes, roasted fish, seasoning in sauces. It is used a lot in the
kitchen China Hindu Iranian, Vietnamese,…
In desserts, it goes very well with chocolate, fruits, ice creams, the
mouse. It is widely used to produce pharmaceutical products,
flavoring drinks, candies, cakes.
Mint grows in all types of climates, but prefers somewhat ...
moist and although it can be in the sun, it prefers semi-shade.
It belongs to the mint family. It can grow up to 80
Its leaves are oval, petiolate, serrated. Its stems are
straight and hairy.

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POPPY

Poppy seeds used to make bread and cakes.

and other bakery products, are usually those that are extracted from the
immature capsules of wild poppies.
The use of poppy seeds is widespread in
many gastronomic cultures, India, Turkey, China, Romania,
Iran, Canada, Netherlands... just like it is included in cakes, breads and
pastry, soups, sauces, drinks, pasta, etc. are also made.
The poppy seeds are tiny, their color can range from
white to black passing through that striking ash blue, but to the
it seems to be an optical effect, as it is observed under microscopic examination
a brownish pigmented layer.
Before including them in a recipe that doesn't require cooking, it is
preferably toast them to release all their goodness, it won't be
necessary if they are baked or cooked with other ingredients. We
they will offer a sweet aroma with a nutty or slightly flavor
almond-flavored
Poppy seeds can be purchased in health food stores and
herbalist shops. Their price is not high, moreover, being necessary
a small amount of seeds in the recipes lasts a long time
time.

CARDAMOM

Cardamom is a plant native to India and Sri Lanka, whose

Fruits have been marketed since before the Christian era.
Due to its content of essential oils and its pleasant aroma, it
used mixed with coffee and also in pastry, for cosmetics
and to flavor liqueurs.
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Cardamom is attributed medicinal effects such as: digestive,
helps to eliminate fat and is also considered an aphrodisiac.
Its multiple uses have made this species, globally, the
second highest value after saffron.
Costa Rica has climate and soil conditions suitable for its
cultivation, so its cultivation has generated a lot of interest.
There are no clearly identified varieties of cardamom.

FENNEL

Fennel or Foeniculum vulgare is also known as Fenollo.

Santa Herb or Florence Fennel.

Originating from the Mediterranean, it is an herb that has been used in the
cooking for more than 2,000 years, taking advantage of both its succulent
stem like its delicious seeds, leaves, and fruits. The crunchy texture
and fleshy, as well as the peculiar aroma and soft sweet flavor that
The company of fennel has made it increasingly appreciated.
as a vegetable.

To use fennel in the kitchen, the leaves must first be removed.

external dry and cut the root insertion, while the thin ones
Bulb fibers are removed by pulling them upwards. It is the best.
herb that exists for fish, with a unique aniseed flavor, and it
used very frequently in Mediterranean cooking. The leaves of
fennel is added to pork, beef or fish, in fish stocks,
sauces and fillings, and in mayonnaise and salad dressings. The stems
Fennel can be boiled and eaten just like asparagus, and so much
The peeled and raw stems, like the leaves, are delicious in salads.
or finely chopped and scattered over poached eggs.

También va muy bien con platos de patatas, arroz, lentejas, queso y

Fennel seeds are used as spices, especially
in bread, cakes, and crackers.

They are also chewed to freshen breath, added to curry and

they contribute their unique flavor to a particular variety of sausage 7
Italian. When choosing it, one must opt for the one with a
feathery foliage and bright green color, with rigid stems and
firm and the thick, whitish, rounded bulb, while the
Elongated bulbs tend to be less succulent. In order for them to
keep it fresh and crispy it's best to store it in a bag of
paper or perforated plastic inside the refrigerator.