Single Origin SC May 2025

Until the mid-19th century, the Banda Islands were the world's only source of nutmeg and mace, harvested from the nutmeg tree. This nutmeg, ground from the highest grade of fruit, boasts strong aroma and flavour. Its resinous, sweet, heady fragrance adds depth and character to cakes, pies and all manner of baked goods. It also complements savoury cheese and cream dishes, and vegetables such as spinach, carrot and pumpkin.

The most sought-after and heavily traded spice in history, pepper lives up to its expectations by transforming blandness into bite in almost every imaginable dish. Add peppercorn, whole or ground, to meats, fish and vegetables, as well as salads, rice and sandwiches. Even sweet dishes such as Indian chai enjoy a subtle background kick from a small amount of freshly ground pepper. Australian Black Peppercorn is full-bodied, rich and fragrant.

Stick your nose into a sack of cloves and you will understand why ancient mariners claimed to smell the approach of the clove islands while still far out to sea. A terrific and much-used pungent addition to Christmas ham and baked goods, stewed and pickled fruit and vegetables, cakes, pastries and biscuits, German Glühwein (also known as mulled wine), and many North African spice blends. Also known as: Nelke, ting-hiang.

The ancient Greeks believed that thyme was a source of courage; they used it in baths and burnt it as incense in temples. Today, thyme is widely cultivated and used for its heady floral lemon scent.

This semi-hot chilli from the northern region of India has a wonderfully bright red hue with a fruity and fresh chilli aroma. A good all-round chilli to add to curries and sauces, seafood and poultry dishes, or quickly blanched vegetables in a light sauce.

Flavour Notes: Medium heat, fruity chilli flavour

Cuisine: Indian

Heat Level: 2/5

This colourful mosaic of six different types of pepper brings together the best qualities of each. Two kinds of pungent black peppercorns; hot, aromatic white; fruity green; sweet, vividly pink; and floral, lemony Sichuan. Pink Schinus pepper, one of the six, is actually part of the same botanical family as cashews. A delicious blend for your peppermill.

Harvested from the garden or bulb variety in the US, this premium-grade onion powder is both sweet in aroma and sharp in taste. Like garlic, onion is one of the most universal ingredients in kitchens worldwide, and drying it concentrates its flavour into a milder, sweeter hit without the sharp bite or moisture of the raw bulb. It is an excellent substitute for fresh onion when no texture is desired, it also won't scorch over high heat the way chopped onion can.

Worn in a garland by Augustus Caesar to protect against lightning, Bay Leaf is more commonly used to flavour soups, stews and slow cooked dishes. Its pungent, sharp and bitter taste is strong, so add only a few whole leaves (even less in ground form) at the beginning of cooking.

Use fiery chilli flakes with seeds in dishes which require robust heat and texture. Sprinkle over pizza, pasta, soups and roasts. Ideal for making your own chilli oil. Also use in stir-fries, curries, stews and Asian dipping sauces.

Heat Level: 7/10

Wattleseed is a star in the native Australian spice world; its earthy aromas of chocolate, coffee and hazelnut inspire creativity in the kitchen. Hand beaten from the pods of acacias by Indigenous Australians, wattleseed can be added to pancake batter, desserts, baked goods and sauces.

Cayenne pepper, contrary to its name, has nothing to do with pepper: it's a blend of hot chillies selected to provide a balance of heat. Use instead of chilli powder or even pepper. Great in scrambled eggs, frittatas and quiche. Also known as: Aleva, bird pepper, cow horn, guinea spice, hot chilli powder.

Heat Level: 8/10

Cassia - also known as Dutch cinnamon or baker's cinnamon - is bolder than true cinnamon. Cassia's sweet and spicy fragrance and flavour is more intense than that of cinnamon. Its slight bitterness makes it distinctly different from cinnamon and gives its sweetness depth. Cassia is delicious in more robust sweet dishes such as fruit cakes, strudels, compotes and crumbles. It is often used in curries and stews for a balancing sweetness.

Used across the world for its fresh anise flavour, fennel seed has found a place in many cultures and cuisines. It can be found in charcuterie, curries and on Indian dining tables, where the raw seeds are chewed after meals as a natural digestif and breath freshener. Great in vegetable and seafood dishes, pork sausages, meatballs, soup stocks, stews and curries. Also known as: Florence fennel, finnochio, lucky fennel seed

Used for its vibrant red colour and full-bodied flavour, paprika is slightly pungent, yet sweet with only faint bitter undertones.

With a more rounded flavour than its zesty, fresh sibling, dried orange peel has a beautiful, bitter sweetness that gives depth and fragrance without overpowering. Dried orange peel matches well with duck and game meats, and any dish complemented by stewed fruit. It is also used in the Japanese sprinkle, Shichimi Togarashi.

Also known as 'old man saltbush', this hardy native Australian shrub has savoury, salty-herbal leaves and is commonly used as a natural salt substitute. When rubbed and dried, the leaves carry a distinctly mineral, subtly earthy flavour and is softer and more complex than table salt.

Use it exactly as you would salt, sprinkle over roasted lamb and chicken, or stir through vegetables, salads and dips.