“Best” is a matter of taste, so this is a guide to the world’s most prized and most influential spices: the ones that shaped trade, kitchens and history. Each name links to a page with its history, origin, flavor and storage tips.
The great trade spices
These are the spices that sent ships across oceans.
- Black pepper: the “king of spices”, native to the Malabar Coast of India
- Cinnamon: sweet bark from Sri Lanka and Asia
- Cloves: fragrant flower buds from the Spice Islands
- Nutmeg and mace: from the Banda Islands of Indonesia
- Green cardamom: the “queen of spices” from southern India
- Ginger: spicy, bright rhizome cultivated for thousands of years
Color, aroma and luxury
- Saffron: the world’s most expensive spice by weight
- Vanilla: an orchid pod from Mexico, now grown mostly in Madagascar
- Turmeric: the golden root of South Asian kitchens
- Paprika: sweet, smoky or hot red peppers from Hungary and Spain
Everyday depth and heat
- Cumin: earthy and warm
- Coriander: citrusy seeds
- Red chili: heat that arrived from the Americas
- Mustard seeds: popped in hot oil
- Fenugreek: bittersweet and maple-like
- Asafoetida (hing): a pungent resin that mellows in oil
- Garam masala: a warming blend
Sour, aromatic and fragrant
- Sumac: lemony red berries from the Middle East
- Star anise: a star-shaped pod with a licorice flavor
- Bay leaf: herbal, gentle and slow-cooked
- Fennel seeds: sweet and licorice-like
How the spice trade shaped history
For centuries, spices such as pepper, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg moved from Asia to Europe through Arab, Persian and Venetian merchants and were extremely valuable. In 1498 the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama reached India by sea, opening a direct route that challenged older trading networks. The Dutch and English East India companies soon fought for control of production in places such as the Banda Islands and Sri Lanka. Spices were a driving force behind exploration, wealth and, sadly, conflict.
More to explore
- Nuts: almonds, cashews, pistachios and more
- Dry fruits: dates, figs, raisins, apricots and more
- Edible resins and gums: mastic, gum arabic and gond katira