108 Spice Profiles
Region of cultivation
Caraway is native to central Europe and Asia,
and its major producers are Finland, Poland, the
Netherlands, Germany, Ukraine, Hungary, and
Romania. Cultivation has also spread to North
Africa, Egypt, and North America.The plant
Caraway is a frost-hardy
biennial in the carrot family.
It thrives in rich clay soil, and
can grow up to 60cm (2ft) tall.Whole
Store the brown, crescent-shaped
“seeds” in a sealed container in a
cool, dark place for up to six months.
They benefit from gentle toasting.Feathery leaves are
edible and taste quite
similar to dillThe “seeds”
are actually a
dry fruitPowder
Caraway can be
bought in powder
form, but the flavour
quickly diminishes,
and it is better to
buy whole and
grind as needed.BOTANICAL NAME
Carum carviALSO KNOWN AS
Carvies, and (incorrectly) wild cumin,
Persian cumin, meridian fennel.MAJOR FLAVOUR COMPOUND
S-carvone.PARTS USED
Seed-like fruits.METHOD OF CULTIVATION
Plants are grown for two years and harvested
in the second summer, when the seed-like
fruits darken.COMMERCIAL PREPARATION
The cut flower heads are left for up to
10 days to dry and finish ripening, before
being cleaned and threshed.NON-CULINARY USES
The essential oil flavours commercial
mouthwash and children's medicines;
as a traditional remedy to aid digestion.CARAWAY
Menthol | Warming | Earthy
Archaeologists have discovered
caraway seeds in Stone Age refuse
pits and 5,000-year-old dwellings
in Switzerland, but the first written
reference dates to around 1,500 BCE,
in an Egyptian herbal encyclopedia.
The spice also held symbolic
significance for the Egyptians, who
placed the seeds in tombs to ward
off evil spirits. The Romans knew it
as karo or careum, and introduced the
spice to northern Europe. By the
Middle Ages, caraway had became a
common ingredient in game and meat
cookery, and bean and cabbage dishes,
as well as sweeter confections and as
a flavouring for alcohol; Kümmel, the
German for caraway, is also the name
of a still-popular liqueur. Folklore
abounds that placing caraway seeds
in your lover’s pocket will keep
them faithful.Spice story
FINLAND
NORTH AFRICA
GERMANY
POLAND
ROMANIA
HUNGARY
NETHERLANDS
UKRAINE
Fruits develop
from umbels
of creamy
white flowers108-109_Caraway.indd 108 13/07/2018 11:42