Caraway Seeds

Caraway (Carum carvi) is a biennial herb related to the parsley family, prized in cooking for its small, curved, brown coloured seeds. They have a mild peppery smell and a distinctive flavour, somewhat similar to fennel or aniseed. Although caraway is predominantly grown in Holland, it is also cultivated across Europe where the whole and ground seeds are used in a wide range of recipes, including sweet dishes such as biscuits, treacle sponge and seedcakes and savoury ones such as potato, cabbage or cheese-based recipes and breads (especially rye breads). The seeds seem to have a special affinity for apples, pork and sausages, and the warm flavour counteracts the fattiness of pork, duck and goose. The seeds may also be found in a number of cheeses, such as liptauer, pultost and nøkkelost.

Caraway seeds are also used to make several different types of liqueur, including the warming and comforting Kümmel from Germany, the powerful Scandinavian spirit Akvavit as well as gin and schnapps.