Echinacea is an herb in the Asteraceae family with a reputation as a medicine that goes back centuries. It is American in origin and was widely used by Native American tribes in the Great Plains for treating numerous ailments. The roots and the leaves of the plant are beneficial for health and contain many of […]
Sorrel Vs. Hibiscus: SPICEography Showdown
Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) are unrelated plants that have a few things in common but a lot of differences. Here’s where things can get confusing: hibiscus is called sorrel in some parts of the world. If you are attempting to use one or the other, it is important to know how the […]
Pickling Salt Vs. Sea Salt: SPICEography Showdown
Pickling salt and sea salt are chemically similar and taste a lot alike. Both will make your food salty; however, there are some key differences in how you should use them. Let’s look at how they compare in this SPICEography Showdown. How does pickling salt differ from sea salt? Grain-size is the area where the […]
Pickling Salt Vs. Kosher Salt: SPICEography Showdown
Pickling salt and kosher salt give your food a salty flavor. What’s more, they are both great options for a cleaner salt taste. Does this mean that they are exactly the same and that you can switch them out in dishes as you like? Not exactly. There are a few things that you will want […]
Cracked Black Pepper Vs. Ground Black Pepper: SPICEography Showdown
Cracked black pepper is a term for coarsely ground black pepper. Ground black pepper typically means pre-ground and refers to black pepper ground at the factory and packaged in small cans or shakers. Both come from the same dried drupe that we call peppercorns, so they start out with exactly the same properties. Though, as […]
Onion Powder Vs. Onion: SPICEography Showdown
Onion powder and onion are both great ways to add a sharp, astringent taste to food. While they both start with the same raw materials they are surprisingly different when it comes to flavor subtlety and use cases. Learn about the differences between onion powder and fresh onion – and when best to use each – in […]
Allspice Vs. Black Pepper: SPICEography Showdown
Allspice and black pepper look a lot alike, so much so that early Spaniards in the New World mistook allspice berries for peppercorns. When dried, both spices consist of small dark spheres. They have a similar enough appearance you might consider them great substitutes for each other if all you have to go on are […]
Jaggery Vs. Brown Sugar: SPICEography Showdown
Jaggery and brown sugar both provide a sweet flavor and can have a similar color, but does that mean that they are the same thing or that they are interchangeable? It’s complicated. Let’s look at how they compare in this SPICEography Showdown. How does jaggery differ from brown sugar? Manufacturers use a different process for […]
Dutch Process Cocoa Vs. Cocoa Powder: SPICEography Showdown
Dutch process cocoa powder and regular cocoa powder are both versions of the same thing: cocoa beans that have been ground after being fermented and roasted. The two have a lot in common and are among the most popular ways to get the chocolate flavor in everything from desserts to Mexican mole. Despite having a […]
Tarragon Vs. Rosemary: SPICEography Showdown
Tarragon and rosemary are both very flavorful herbs with long histories in European cuisine. If you are a new cook with limited knowledge of classic herbs, see how they compare in the SPICEography Showdown below. How does tarragon differ from rosemary? One key difference between tarragon and rosemary has to do with the botanical family […]