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6 ways with Bacon Salt

What flavour when?

Nuts and seeds, spices, herbs, and seasonings, form the backbone of many culinary creations. Their diverse flavours and textures allow them to enhance both sweet and savoury dishes, offering not only delicious tastes but also nutritional benefits.

Learn about what spice, herbs, seeds, nuts and seasonings to use when...


Nuts and Seeds:

  • Almonds: Known for their nutty, slightly sweet, and creamy flavor, almonds contribute a rich, buttery texture and enhance the overall richness of dishes.
  • Cashew Nuts: With a buttery and mildly sweet profile, cashews provide a smooth texture and subtle depth, adding creaminess to various blends.
  • Chia Seeds: These tiny seeds bring a mild, neutral taste with a slight crunch, complementing other flavors while offering a nutritional boost.
  • Golden Linseeds (Flaxseeds): Their nutty and slightly earthy flavor pairs well with the crunch they add, boosting both texture and nutrition.
  • Hazelnuts: Offering a sweet, nutty richness, hazelnuts deepen the flavor profile, adding a buttery touch.
  • Pistachios: Known for their nutty, creamy, and slightly sweet taste, pistachios contribute smoothness and vibrant flavor.
  • Pumpkin Seeds: These seeds are mildly sweet with a nutty flavor, adding a pleasant crunch.
  • Sunflower Seeds: Subtle and mildly nutty, sunflower seeds offer texture and a delicate flavor.
  • Sesame Seeds: Nutty and slightly sweet, sesame seeds impart a warm, toasted flavor and enhance texture.

Spices and Herbs:

  • Basil: Sweet and aromatic with a hint of spiciness, basil adds freshness and brightness to a dish.
  • Bay Leaves: With an herbaceous and slightly bitter flavor, bay leaves provide a subtle aromatic depth.
  • Black Peppercorns: Sharp, pungent, and spicy, black peppercorns bring heat and complexity.
  • Cardamom: This spice offers a sweet, citrusy, and aromatic flavor that adds a complex, floral note.
  • Cinnamon Sticks: Warm and sweet, cinnamon contributes comforting spice to both savory and sweet dishes.
  • Cloves: Intensely aromatic, cloves offer warmth and sweetness, enhancing the overall richness of a blend.
  • Coriander Seeds: These seeds bring a nutty, mildly sweet flavor with a hint of citrus, brightening dishes.
  • Cumin Seeds: Earthy and warm, cumin seeds add depth and warmth, commonly in savory applications.
  • Dill Seeds: With their mild sweetness and anise-like flavor, dill seeds add a tangy, aromatic touch.
  • Dried Chillies: Ranging from mild to hot, dried chilies impart heat and smoky undertones to dishes.
  • Fennel Seeds: Their sweet, liquorice-like taste offers an aromatic sweetness, with a distinctive flavor.
  • Fenugreek Seeds: Nutty and slightly bitter, these seeds add unique depth.
  • Garlic Flakes: Offering a pungent, savory flavor, garlic flakes bring robust taste.
  • Ginger Root: Warm and zesty, with a citrusy edge, ginger adds spicy warmth.
  • Juniper Berries: These berries bring a piney, slightly sweet taste for aromatic complexity.
  • Mustard Seeds: Tangy and pungent, mustard seeds add a spicy kick.
  • Nutmeg: Nutty and sweet with a hint of spice, nutmeg enhances warmth in a blend.
  • Onion Flakes: These provide savory sweetness and depth to dishes.
  • Oregano: A herbaceous, slightly bitter herb that brings Mediterranean flavor.
  • Pink Peppercorns: Fruity and mildly sweet with subtle spiciness, these add delicacy to the mix.
  • Rosemary: Bold and aromatic, rosemary adds a woody and slightly floral touch.
  • Sage: Earthy and peppery, sage adds robust, herbal notes.
  • Star Anise: With its strong, sweet liquorice-like flavor, star anise adds aromatic depth.
  • Szechuan Peppercorns: These provide a citrusy spiciness and unique numbing sensation.
  • Thyme: Fresh and earthy, thyme complements many herbs with its subtle minty notes.
  • Turmeric Root: Deeply earthy and slightly bitter, turmeric offers vibrant color and depth.
  • White Peppercorns: With a milder spiciness than black pepper, white pepper adds gentle heat.

Sweeteners and Salts:

  • Brown Sugar: Sweet with a caramel note, brown sugar balances spice with its rich flavor.
  • Rock Salt: Enhancing all flavors, rock salt adds essential seasoning and mineral richness.

Vegetables and Flavourings:

  • Kibbled Sweet Pepper: Sweet and mildly tangy, these peppers add color, crunch, and a slight sweetness.
  • Lemongrass: Bright and citrusy, lemongrass adds a refreshing note to lighten blends.

Tea:

  • Black Tea Leaves: Rich and slightly astringent, black tea provides a robust base.

Together, these ingredients create a vibrant, flavorful experience with a range of textures, aromas, and nutritional benefits.


At this year’s CarFest, the magic happened right at the Cuisinart stand, where over 500 spice blends were whipped up by food enthusiasts using the Cuisinart Spice Grinder! With more than 42 herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, sweeteners, salts, veggies, and flavourings to choose from, the possibilities were endless!

We’ve gathered the most mouthwatering combos created by fellow CarFesters and paired them with delicious recipes you can easily whip up at home. Get ready to spice things up in your kitchen—let the flavour adventure begin! Enjoy!



Download the Flavours of CarFest eBook