Caraway Seed, Carum carvi, is a member of the Apiaceae (or Umbelliferae) family, often referred to as the parsley family, and is closely related to anise, asafoetida, caraway, carrot, celery, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, and parsnip. Caraway is indigenous to the Mediterranean, Northern Africa and Central Europe and may be best known as the seed that flavors rye bread. Caraway is also called Goht leuih ji (Cantonese), Ge lê_ zi (Mandarin), Cumin des prê©s, Carvi, or Grains de carvi (French), Kê_mmel (German), Cumino tedesco, Carvi or Caro (Italian), Alcaravia (Portuguese), Alcaravea or Carvi (Spanish). It is also known as Meridian fennel or Persian cumin.Caraway Seed contains between 3-7% essential oil.History of CarawayThe name The name Caraway is derived from Medieval Latin "carvi", from Arabic "karawy_", from Greek "karon" (meaning cumin) and Latin word cuminum (also meaning cumin). Some food historians believe that Caraway Seed may be one of the first spices ever used in the European region as Caraway seeds have been found in archaeological digs of ancient lake dwellings in Switzerland dating back to 6000 BC. The first written records mentioning Caraway Seeds are in the Egyptian medical papyrus dating back to 1552 BC, these ancient Egyptian texts provide insight into the medical practices and procedures and of ancient Egypt and they offer details on disease, diagnosis, and treatments of disease, including herbal remedies, magic spells and surgery. Julius Caesar's (100-44 BC) army ate a bread made of caraway root.In the Middle Ages (400-1400 AD) caraway was being grown as far south as the Nile valley countries of Egypt and Sudan and as far north as Scandinavia.Cultivation of CarawayCaraway can be either an annual or biennial plant. The first season is considered its seedling year when it resembles a carrot, grows 8-10 inches tall, forms a rosette (a circular arrangement) of finely divided leaves and sports a long tap root. Plants that produce flowers and seed in the same year will die. Only plants that have not yet flowered will produce seed the following year. The second season the plant grows to 2-3 feet tall and produces a large, flat-topped flower head with white, yellow or green flowers. After it flowers, the seeds produced are brownish in color, ribbed and slightly crescent shaped.Caraway is easily grown and prefers well drained soil and a sunny spot. It resembles cumin and the two are often confused in Asia. It's commercially cultivated all over Europe as well as in Turkey, India and North Africa. Finland is considered to be is the world's leading producer - 28% of all Caraway cultivated in 2011 (the last reporting year) while Dutch grown Caraway is often considered to be the best quality. Holland's climate and latitudes, which ensure long hours of sunlight in the summer, make for ideal growing conditions which produce caraway with higher levels of essential oils. Today Caraway Seed is commercially cultivated in England, Canada, Finland, Germany, Holland, Morocco, Norway and Russia. Our Caraway Seed is grown in Canada.Cooking with CarawayCaraway Seeds are found in many kitchens around the world. Caraway plays a leading role in the cuisines of Austria, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Norway and Sweden. Street vendors in Italy sell hot chestnuts that have been boiled with caraway seeds, while the Germans have a popular kummel liqueur (a sweet, colorless liqueur) that includes anise, cumin and caraway. The leaves may be picked early in the spring and added to salads. The root is edible and resembles a parsnip and at one time Caraway root was considered superior to parsnip. Caraway roots, while small, can be boiled and used like parsnips or carrot.Caraway Seeds seem to counter act the fattiness of pork, duck and goose. Caraway Seeds are used in apple dishes (like applesauce and apple pie), biscuits, breads (rye, Irish soda and pumpernickel), cabbage soup, cheese, cole slaw, cookies, crackers, goulash, herb butters, noodle dishes, pickles, pork dishes, sauerbraten, sauerkraut, sausages and spiced seed cake. Caraway Seed works well in combination with coriander, garlic and parsley. Add Caraway towards the end of the cooking process or after the dish is cooked as long simmer times tend to produce a bitter flavor. While most frequently found as a whole seed, ground Caraway produces a very pleasant flavor. Caraway seeds grind up very easily but will lose their flavor quickly so only grind in smaller batches. What Does Caraway Taste LikeThe pungent sharp aroma of caraway seed is reminiscent of dill and its biting, warm, sweet flavor is a bit like a blend of anise and dill. The Confusion with Caraway, Cumin, Black Cumin and NigellaThere is some confusion between Caraway, Cumin, Black Cumin and Nigella but these are actually four completely different spices. Cumin, Cuminum cyminum, looks very similar to Caraway but with a very different flavor profile. Cumin is a key spice in Indian, Mexican, and Vietnamese cuisine. Black Cumin, Cuminum nigrum, also known as Kala Jeera, is a popular spice in North Indian, Iranian and Pakistani cuisine and is a smaller variety of cumin with a different flavor profile. Nigella Seeds, Nigella Sativa, is sometimes incorrectly sold as "black cumin", "black caraway" or "onion seeds" but is not technically any of these.Caraway Substitution If you're looking for a substitute for Caraway you should consider what type of dish you're cooking. If cooking Indian or Asian inspired dishes you should tend to go with anise seed, dill seed, cardamom or star anise. Use half the amount called for of Caraway Seed. If making bread you might want to consider celery seed and if you are baking sweets you can go with poppy seeds or sesame seeds.Cumin is commonly used as a substitute (they're closely related) but has a very different flavor profile. I do not typically recommend cumin as a substitute.