Spices, Seasoning & Salt

Spices and seasonings are actually two different things. Spices are dry and come from the root, seed, leaves, or bark of a plant or its fruit. Natural spices are used to achieve a specific flavor, such as the use of chili for the effect of heat, or Sichuan peppercorns for a numbing effect.

Seasonings, on the other hand, can be wet or dry. For example, you might use a wet OR dry rub for your tempeh steak. Seasoning can be a blend of salts, sugars, herbs, and spices. So seasonings include natural spices but also other things.

Seasoning is a process of enhancing the flavor of food. But seasonings such as salt can be added for purposes other than flavoring too, such as drawing the water out of vegetables.

Natural spices and seasonings are added at different times during the cooking process. For example, spices may be toasted at the start of preparing an Indian curry dish, to define its flavors. In contrast, salt and pepper are typically added towards the end of cooking to draw out or intensify the foods existing flavor.

We think every kitchen should contain a variety of organic spices and seasonings, to ensure you can get truly creative with your cooking.