Caraway Seed, Carum carvi, is a member of the Apiaceae (or Umbelliferae) family, also known as the parsley family, and is closely related to anise, asafoetida, caraway, carrot, celery, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, and parsnip. Native to the Mediterranean, Northern Africa and Central Europe, Caraway may be best known as the seed that flavors rye bread. Caraway is also called Ge lu zi (Mandarin), Karaway, Karawiaa, Karawiya (Arabic), Alcaravea, Carvi (Spanish), Kummel (German), Alcaravia (Portuguese), Tmin (Russian), Cumin des prê©s, Carvi, Grains de carvi (French), Himeuikyo, Kyarawei (Japanese) and Vilayati jira, Sajeera, Sajira (Hindi). It is also known as Meridian fennel or Persian cumin.Caraway Seed contains between 3-7% essential oil.History of CarawayThe name Caraway is derived from Medieval Latin "carvi", from Arabic "karawya", 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 traces of an ancient lake dwellers villages were discovered in 1854 around Lake Zurich, and these pile dwelling (or stilt house) sites of the alpine region provide tremendous insight into the peoples that inhabited the area in the time period between the earliest hunter gatherers and the first European civilizations.The Ebers papyrus from approximately 1500 BC contains a list of medicinal and spice preparations, and caraway is first on the list. This Egyptian medical papyrus of herbal knowledge is one of the oldest and most significant medical texts of ancient Egypt.Caraway was called for in recipes from a cook book, dating back to 1390 complied by the master cooks of King Richard II (ruler of England 1377-1399). 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.Caraway made its first appearance in an American cookbook in "Seventy-five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes and Sweetmeats" in 1828 in a rolled cutout cookie called seed cakes.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. Caraway Seed 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, with 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. In Austria, Caraway is added to stews. In England, Caraway Seed cake is as popular as apple pie or gingerbread. Street vendors in Italy sell hot chestnuts that have been boiled with caraway seeds. Germans use Caraway in large amounts in baked goods, pie crusts, sauces, sauerbraten and in 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 is used to season applesauce, biscuits, breads (especially rye), cakes, confections, cheeses, cole slaw, cucumber dressing, meat, omelets, cooked pasta, rice, salad dressing, sauces, sauerkraut, sausage, seafoods, soups and stews. Caraway also pairs well with beets, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, green beans, onions, potatoes, turnips and zucchini.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 a 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 ground Caraway 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 SubstitutionIf 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, we recommend going 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 sometimes used as a substitute (they're closely related) but has a very different flavor profile. We do not typically recommend cumin as a substitute.
