The Science of Spice

16 Spice Science

In most instances, spices work well together because they share

one or more flavour compounds. In this book, the Periodic Table

of Spices and blending science of each spice profile have been

devised to help you understand spices through their flavour

compounds. Below is a step-by-step guide for how to use this

information to create your own unique spice mixes.

CREATING

SPICE PAIRINGS

AND BLENDS

CHOOSE MAIN FLAVOUR GROUP(S)

Consider the flavour groups of the Periodic Table when

choosing the main flavours of your dish. Do you want it to

be spicy, fruity, earthy, zesty, or something else? You can

have one or several main flavours, such as a zesty citrus

dessert or a meat dish that’s warming and smoky.

CHECK THE BLENDING SCIENCE

Read through the blending science in the relevant spice profiles to

get to know the range of flavour compounds that each spice

would bring to the dish. Try to make connections through shared

compounds, especially between spices in different flavour groups;

spices with no flavour compound link are more likely to clash.

EXAMPLE

You may want to bring a strongly fragrant

sweetness to a bean or lentil dish using spices

in Sweet Warming Phenols, counterbalanced

with an equally strong, but fresher, clean-tasting

spice from Penetrating Terpenes. You will now

be picking one or two spices from each of these

groups to convey these key flavours.

Sweet Warming

Phenols

Penetrating Terpenes

combine with

other cineoles

to reinforce the

sharp, fresh notes:

galangal will

provide a citrusy edge

cardamom brings

a penetrating warmth

black cardamom

adds a smoky layer

under the eucalyptus

bring more

complexity to the

eugenol spectrum:

nutmeg and

cinnamon will draw

out warmer notes

liquorice

emphasizes sweetly

medicinal flavours

bay has a fresher,

floral take on eugenol

give a boost to the

peppery profile:

star anise also

shares cineole for

sweet aniseed

piquancy

black pepper

contributes a gentle

pungent heat

tap into the fragrant

floral side with

other linalools:

coriander also

adds zesty citrus notes

grains of Selim

also share cineole and

enhance the peppery

side of allspice

EUGENOL

medicinal | woody |

warming

CINEOLE

eucalyptus |

medicinal |

penetrating

PHELLANDRENE

peppery | mint |

mildly citrus

LINALOOL

floral | woody |

spicy

ALLSPICE

Al

Main compounds

are listed with their

flavour profile and

other qualities

Suggested pairings

link spices through each

flavour compound, but

are not exhaustive

Step 1 Step 2

FENNEL

Fe

ANISE

An

ALLSPICE

Al

VANILLA

Va

LIQUORICE

Lq

MAHLEB

Mb

STAR ANISE

St

CLOVE

Cl

CINNAMON

Ci

CASSIA

Ca

BLACK CARDAMOM

Bl

GRAINS OF SELIM

Sl

BAY

Ba

CARDAMOM

Cm

GALANGAL

Gg

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