Floral and perfumed
Saffron, rose, cardamom and lavender: aromatic, high and sweet.
Floral spices have a perfumed, petal-like aroma. Saffron, rose, cardamom, lavender, fennel flower, orange blossom and coriander seed are among them.
What makes them floral
Linalool, geraniol and related compounds carry the scent of flowers. Saffron has an unusual honey and hay perfume from safranal, and cardamom has eucalyptus and floral notes.
How cooks use them
They appear in sweets, milk dishes, rice and drinks. Persian and Indian cooks use rose and saffron in rice and puddings, Moroccan cooks use rose in ras el hanout, and French cooks put lavender in herb blends.
Tips
Floral spices can taste soapy when overdone, so measure carefully. Heat dulls them, so add near the end or steep in warm liquid.
Floral and perfumed on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreHabanero
A very hot chili cultivar with a floral aroma, native to the Amazon and grown in Mexico.Fruit · Hot and fiery · Floral and perfumed
🇵🇪 Peru and 3 morePink peppercornbaie rose
The dried fruit of Schinus trees, offering a sweet, piney heat distinct from black pepper.Fruit · Sharp and pungent · Citrus and bright
🇮🇷 IranAdviehادویه
A fragrant blend of spices used to season rice and stews in Iranian cooking.Warm and sweet-spiced · Sweet and mellow
🇺🇸 United StatesMrs. Burns' Lemon Basil
An heirloom sweet basil cultivar from New Mexico with intense lemon flavor and large leaves.Leaf · Citrus and bright · Floral and perfumed
🇨🇳 China and 4 moreLesser galangal高良薑
An aromatic Asian rhizome with orange flesh and a sweet, gentle spiceRoot · Sweet and mellow · Warm and sweet-spiced
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Habanero: André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Pink peppercorn: Milvus, CC BY-SA 3.0, source