Abbey Botanicals Herbs and Spices

Botanical name - Calendula officinalis

Country of Origin - Egypt

Creating your own special blend of tea is an exciting and satisfying way to produce a customised tea of your own taste. Our range of blending components allows you to blend your own tea. Calendula petals are neutral flavoured and can be used to decorate any tea blend. Also great in salads

Dried Calenduala Petals are lovely for adding to home made cosmetics, soap, bath salts and potpourri.

Here is a basic recipe to make your own infused Calendula oil:

Fill a jar with Calendula petals

- cover them with your chosen vegetable oil, Organic Sunflower oil is a popular choice

- Seal the jar tightly and leave it in the sun (a sunny window sill will be fine) for 2-3 weeks.

- Strain the petals out and bottle the oil.

Botanical name - Ocimum basilicum

Country of Origin - Egypt

The flavours of basil are truly magnificent; it entails a strong anise-like zest with a sweet scent perfect for creating sumptuous dishes. Basil's pervading, clove-like aroma makes it such an ideal complement to tomatoes that it is often referred to as 'the tomato herb'.

Basil also complements other vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, squash and spinach. When added within the last half an hour of cooking, basil enhances the flavour of vegetable and legume (split peas, lentil) soups. Most salads, especially those with tomato, benefit greatly from the addition of basil.

Botanical name - Ocimum basilicum

Country of Origin - Egypt

Basil is a popular Herb used on many Italian, French and European dishes. For your convenience, Basil Ground is now available to help you cut cooking time in half. Expect this dried and grounded Basil leaves to be filled with wonderful flavours and incomparable aroma.

Basil goes well with poultry when used in stuffing, is included in soups and stews and added to sauces and gravies. Basil is used in pâtés and terrines, where its volatile notes will help counteract the richness of liver and game.

Botanical name - Umbellularia californica

Country of Origin - Turkey

Common names: Apollo’s Bay Leaf, Bay, Bay Laurel, Grecian Laurel, Indian Bay, Laurel, Nobel Laurel, Poet’s Laurel, Roman Laurel, Royal Laurel, Sweet Bay, Sweet Laurel, Wreath Laurel, feuille de laurier, laurier franc, Lorbeerblatt, foglia di alloro, lauro, hoja de laurel, dhafni

Bay leaves are widely used throughout the world. It may be best known in bouquets garnis or used similarly in soups, sauces, stews, daubes and courts-bouillon’s, an appropriate seasoning for fish, meat and poultry. Bay leaf is often included as a pickling spice.

Botanical name - Umbellularia californica

Country of Origin - Turkey

Common names: Apollo’s Bay Leaf, Bay, Bay Laurel, Grecian Laurel, Indian Bay, Laurel, Nobel Laurel, Poet’s Laurel, Roman Laurel, Royal Laurel, Sweet Bay, Sweet Laurel, Wreath Laurel, feuille de laurier, laurier franc, Lorbeerblatt, foglia di alloro, lauro, hoja de laurel, dhafni

Bay leaves are widely used throughout the world. It may be best known in bouquets garnis or used similarly in soups, sauces, stews, daubes and courts-bouillon’s, an appropriate seasoning for fish, meat and poultry. Bay leaf is often included as a pickling spice.

Botanical name - Beta vulgaris-rubra

Country of Origin - Germany

Beetroot powder is used as a natural red food colouring. It has a slightly sweet taste and is an ideal substitute for artificial red colour that can cause allergic reactions in some people. Use it in any dish that you want to add a bit of red to. Try it in tandoori or butter chicken dishes for extra red colour, or chinese sweet & sour and use to colour fresh home-made pasta.

The colour of Beetroot Powder ranges from pale red to almost purple depending on seasonal variations and growing conditions.

Botanical name - Capsicum frutescens

Country of Origin - Zimbabwe

Common Names: Cayenne, African Pepper, Bird Pepper, Red Pepper, Chilli Pepper, Capsicum.

Birdseye (Bird's Eye) Chillies are fiery hot and add considerable zest to dishes. Traditionally they are pan fired in oil at the start of cooking to add flavour, aroma and heat. They are essential for curries, spice mixes, chilli sauces and oils. Birdseye chillies can be used as a replacement for fresh chillies; they are best used sparingly and handled with care.

Botanical name - Borago officinalis

Country of Origin - Poland

Borage is a fantastic, versatile herb that deserves to be used more in the kitchen. The leaves can be used in stocks, soups and stews and used in place of spinach. You could try making borage ravioli or borage curry, or a borage and ricotta pizza.

Borage leaves can be brewed to make a tea which has a truly refreshing taste with a hint of cucumber. Later the brewed leaves can be added to your ice cube tray with a little water and frozen into ice cubes to add to your summer drinks, traditionally used this way with Pimms.

To make Borage tea pour the boiling water over the leaves and allow to infuse for 3-4 minutes. Taste first before considering adding sweetening.

Botanical name - Arctium lappa

Country of Origin - China

The Burdock Root is also known as gobo, the Japanese word for the edible burdock, as well as butterbur and beggar's bottom.

The root in it's natural state is similar in size, shape and preparation methods to a carrot and can be used for soups, stews, braised as a vegetable side dish, or stir-fried with other vegetables and grains. It is also ground into bits to be added to foods or to be brewed into tea beverages.

To make burdock root teaAdd 1 tsp. of dried powdered burdock root to 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer 20 minutes. Strain out the remaining burdock root with a tea strainer before drinking the tea.

Burdock root is utilised as an ingredient in many beverages including root beer (Dandelion and Burdock).

Botanical name - Ceratonia siliqua

Country of Origin - Spain

Common names: St-john's bread, John's bread, locust beans

Carob is a natural, nutritious substitute for cocoa or chocolate. Carob looks and tastes somewhat like cocoa, yet contains higher amounts of natural sugar, much less fat, several minerals, and no caffeine.

Botanical name - Ceratonia siliqua

Country of Origin - Spain

Common names: St-john's bread, John's bread, locust beans

Carob powder is a natural, nutritious substitute for cocoa or chocolate. Carob looks and tastes somewhat like cocoa, yet contains higher amounts of natural sugar, much less fat, several minerals, and no caffeine and is used extensively in cake and cookies.

Botanical name - Anthriscus cerefolium

Country of Origin - Germany

Chervil Leaf greatly resembles to parsley but in a milder more subtle taste. Chervil leaf bears a resemblance to distant relative parsley, many food enthusiasts use it to flavour vegetables, soups, stews, all kinds of meat and even seafood. This amazing Herb can guarantee full flavours of parsley only more delicate and fine.

Botanical Name - Stellaria media

Country of Origin - Germany

Chickweed gets its common name because chickens love it. Unlike most other edibles, the stems, as well as the leaves and flowers of Chickweed taste good. You can add dried Chickweed to soups and stews, pesto, sauces or vinaigrette and combines well with parsley to make a dip.

Chickweed is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, B complex, C, and rutin (an accompanying flavonoid), as well as iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, sodium, copper, and silica.

Botanical name - Aclium schoenoprasum

Country of Origin - Germany

Botanical name - Symphytum officinale

Country of Origin - Hungary

Botanical name - Coriandrum sativum

Country of Origin - United Kingdom

Common names: Cilantro, Koriandron, Yuen Sei, Yan Shi, Fan Yan Su, Chinese Parsley, Dhania, Persil arabe.

The leaves feature in Spanish, Middle Eastern, Indian, Oriental and South American cookery. They are often sprinkled like parsley on cooked dishes, in sauces, soups and curries. In Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. it is used in everything from salsas and salads to burritos or meat dishes

Cilantro leaves have pungent smell described by some as "soapy". Leaves and stems pair well with piquant foods, such as in the cuisines of the US Southwest, Latin America, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and in parts of northern Africa. Flavours are used to "lift" other flavours; they enhance and promote other pronounced flavours.

Coriander is a spice from the parsley family with a mild, distinctive taste similar to a blend of lemon and sage. These chopped and dried coriander leaves can be used in place of fresh coriander if it is not available.

Botanical name - Murraya Koenigii

Country of Origin - India

Curry leaves are the aromatic leaves of a tree from the citrus fruit family that release a deliciously nutty aroma when fried in hot oil. A staple of South Indian cooking, curry leaves are used in Indian and South East Asian cuisine in the same way as bay leaves are used in the West.

Botanical name - Taraxacum officinalis

Country of Origin - China

Botanical name - Anethum graveolens

Country of Origin - India

Botanical name - Anethum graveolens

Country of Origin - India

Botanical name - Anethum graveolens

Country of Origin - Hungary

Botanical name - Sambucus nigra

Country of Origin - Hungary

Botanical name - Sambucus nigra

Country of Origin - Czech Republic

Botanical name - Trigonella foenum-graecum

Country of Origin - India

Common names: Greek hay seed, or trigonella.

Fenugreek Seeds are often used as sprouting seeds and when used as such are tall and bitter, prefering cool temperatures. Mix with milder sprouts to tone it down, ready in 9 days

Fenugreek seeds are rich in protein and in some cultures both the leaves and seeds are consumed as a food. As a seasoning, the seeds are used whole or ground in a variety of ethnic cuisines.

Botanical name - Linum usitatissimum

Country of Origin - United Kingdom

The nutty flavour of flaxseeds combined with their large content of omega-3 fatty acids makes them a popular addition to diets. While whole flaxseeds feature a soft crunch, the nutrients in ground seeds are more easily absorbed.

Botanical name - Linum usitatissimum

Country of Origin - Canada

Botanical name - Chondrus crispus

Country of Origin - Ireland

Botanical name - Juniperus communis

Country of Origin - Croatia

The spicy, aromatic, dark berries of the juniper tree can be used fresh or dried, crushed or whole, to flavour casseroles, marinades and stuffings and complement pork, rabbit, venison, beef and duck. They can also be used in sweet dishes such as fruitcake. Juniper berries also provide the main flavouring for gin.

Juniper Berries have a bitter-sweet taste and aroma which goes particularly well with stronger meats and game. Having said that, if used with discretion, it also compliments chicken, pork and certain fish such as Salmon.

Popular in some European cuisines, they are excellent when used in marinades, stuffings and pâtés and are also particularly good with cabbage. They are a traditional ingredient in German Sauerkraut.

Store them in an airtight container in a dry, cool place, away from direct sunlight and lightly crush just before using to release their flavour.

Botanical name - Citrus limonum

Country of Origin - Spain

Dried lemon peel maintains the flavour of fresh peel, but is darker in colour because it is dried without preservatives. Use it in herb teas, or grind in a blender and use in baking, spice blends, marinades and rubs.

Botanical name - Citrus limonum

Country of Origin - Spain

Dried lemon peel maintains the flavour of fresh peel, but is darker in colour because it is dried without preservatives. Use it in herb teas, in baking, spice blends, marinades and rubs.

Botanical name - Thymus citriodorus

Country of Origin - Spain

Lemon thyme looks like English thyme and grows like English thyme but that is where the similarity stops. The aroma of Lemon thyme definitely has that lemony zing to it and carries a taste of lemon into your cooking. It can be used in any recipe calling for lemon juice, lemon zest or lemon flavouring. Lemon Thyme added to marinade is great with fish or chicken. It delivers a soft herbal thyme flavour along with a subtle essence of lemon, all without any of the bitterness we sometimes get from regular thyme. Lemon thyme is really terrific in any dish that calls for both of those ingredients - which is to say, just about everything!

Botanical name - Linum usitatissimum

Country of Origin - United Kingdom

Botanical name - Origanum marjorami

Country of Origin - Egypt

Latin name - Mentha Sativa

Country of Origin - Egypt

Botanical name - Artemisia vulgaris

Country of Origin - Bulgaria

Botanical name - Urticae dioica

Country of Origin - Poland

Botanical name - Citrus sinensis

Country of Origin - Spain

Orange peel is often used to enhance other flavours in desserts, gravies, sauces, and meat dishes. Dried orange peel can also be used as a garnish. It is a tasty addition to herbal tea blends.

Latin name - Mangifera indica

Country of Origin - India

Common names: Aam-papar, Aamchoor, Aamchur, Amchoor, Amchoor, Amchur, Mangue, Manguey

Mango powder is made from dried, ground unripe mangoes. The addition of Mango powder when cooking brings a sour and pungent aroma to the cuisine. It is often used in Indian and Asian dishes including fish, meats, vegetables, soups, curries and others.

It is often used as a souring agent akin to tamarind. It is particularly useful as an ingredient in marinades, having the same tenderising qualities as lemon or lime juice. However, where, for instance, three tablespoons of lemon or lime juice are required, one teaspoon of mango powder will suffice.

Chicken and fish are enhanced by Mango Powder and grilled fish on skewers, machli kabab, is well worth trying.

Botanical name - Oreganum vulgare

Country of Origin - Turkey

Botanical name - Petroselinium sativum

Country of Origin - United Kingdom

Botanical name - Mentha pulegium

Country of Origin - Morocco

Botanical name - Mentha piperita

Country of Origin - Poland/Bulgaria

Botanical name - Papaver somniferum

Country of Origin - Australia

The nutty flavour and satisfying crunch of poppy seeds are traditionally enjoyed in salad dressings, cakes and spice blends. The tiny seeds are great sprinkled on breads, crackers, pretzels and rolls, and sprinkled on salads and noodles.

Poppy plants have been cultivated for over 3,000 years. The ancients used poppy seed oil and made honey cakes (similar to baklava) with the seeds. Much like bakers today, the Romans also used the little blue seeds to decorate breads. Ancient Egyptians used poppy seeds as a condiment, while the ancient Greeks harvested the seeds to use in cakes and to serve Olympic athletes who needed some added vigour.

Botanical name - Papaver somniferum

Country of Origin - Turkey

White Poppy Seeds have a nutty aroma and add a crunchy texture to dishes. In India the seeds are usually ground, to thicken and flavour sauces. They also taste good in sweet pastries and breads and are ideal for garnishing vegetables

In Indian cuisine, white poppy seeds are added for thickness, texture and also give added flavor to the recipe. Commonly used in the preparation of korma, ground poppy seed, along with coconut and other spices, are combined as the masala to be added at the end of the cooking step. It is quite hard to grind them when raw, so they are normally dry fried, and then mixed with a little water to get the right paste consistency.

The seeds of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) are widely consumed in many parts of Central and Eastern Europe. The sugared, milled mature seeds are eaten with pasta, or they are boiled with milk and used as filling or topping on various kinds of sweet pastry.

Poppy seeds are widely used in Austrian cuisine, Czech cuisine, German cuisine, Hungarian cuisine, Polish cuisine, Romanian cuisine, Russian cuisine, Slovak cuisine, Turkish cuisine and Ukrainian cuisine.

In Jewish cuisine, pastries filled with poppy seed paste are traditional during Purim, which occurs at approximately a month before Easter. Traditional pastries include poppy seed kalács and hamantash, both sometimes known as beigli (also spelled bejgli). In Israeli cuisine, poppy seed hamantash is the main traditional food eaten at Purim. This filling is referred to as "munn," a Yiddish variation on the German word for moon. Munn pastries are common in Jewish bakeries and delicatessens throughout the United States.

Botanical name - Cucurbita pepo

Country of Origin - China

Pumpkin Seed is not just a snack but also a Spice indeed. You can use Pumpkin Seed to add texture and flavour to boring soups. You can also use it to make vegetable salads more interesting and tasty.

One of the most nutritious and flavourful seeds around, pumpkin seeds are delicious right out of the bag-- or added to trail mix, sprinkled on cereal, and used in baked goods. Also excellent dry-roasted, with tamari, or salt and spices.

Botanical name - Rubus idaeus

Country of Origin - Poland

Our suppliers harvest the leaves of the raspberry plant in summer before the berries ripen and flavonoid levels are high. The leaves are then dried and processed in a method similar to that of regular tea. Comparisons can also be drawn between the robust, full-bodied flavour of raspberry leaf tea, and that of traditional black tea. Brew a pot today and see why raspberry leaf makes an excellent caffeine free alternative to the morning cuppa!

Botanical name - Salvia miltiorrhiza

Country of Origin - Albania

Botanical name - Pterocarpus santalinus

Country of Origin - Gabon

Red sandalwood (Raktha Chandan) is a variety of sandalwood that differs in the most basic way. Its red and it does not have fragrance. There are many benefits of using red sandalwood powder for the skin. Include it in to your skin care regimen to get glowing and even skin tone naturally. It is very beneficial in the treatment of various skin related problems like acne, skin rashes, sunburn, blemishes, premature aging etc. Given below are some tips on how to use red sandalwood powder for skin.

If you want to achieve glowing skin with even skin tone then mix five teaspoons of red sandalwood powder with three teaspoons of almond oil and five tablespoons of coconut milk. Apply it over your skin and leave on for about 20 minutes. Rinse off with cold water.

Red sandalwood powder is also loaded with anti aging, detoxifying and wrinkle reducing properties. To use all these properties, just mix four teaspoons of red sandalwood powder with two teaspoons of strong chamomile tea (steeped and cooled). Apply it over your skin. This mask is also good for sun damaged skin.

Make your skin clean, nourished and glowing with a mixture of half teaspoon of red sandalwood powder, two teaspoons of green gram flour, half teaspoon of neem (Azadirachta indica) powder and half teaspoon of honey. Apply the resultant mixture over your skin. Leave it on for about half an hour and then rinse off with cool water.

Use a combination of red sandalwood powder, rose water and glycerin to get rid of wrinkles naturally.

Use skin friendly properties of red sandalwood powder to get rid of acne. Make a mixture by combining two teaspoons each of red sandalwood powder and honey with one teaspoon of water. Apply this paste on the affected area.

Red sandalwood powder is also loaded with natural skin soothing properties. Add one teaspoon of red sandalwood powder to your favorite massage oil. Use it and feel the difference!

Botanical name - Rosa chinensis

Country of Origin - India

Botanical name - Rosa canina

Country of Origin - Chile

Rose hips can be used to make jam, jelly, syrup, marmalade and wine. Homemade rose-hip syrup is delicious and well worth making. It is an excellent natural source of vitamin C. It also contains vitamins A, D and E, and antioxidants.

The hips are commonly used as a herbal tea, often blended with hibiscus. The hips can also be used to make jam, jelly, syrup, marmalade and wine.

Rose hip soup, “nyponsoppa,” is especially popular in Sweden. Rhodomel, a type of mead, is made with rose hips. The hips are used as a flavouring in the Slovenian soft drink Cockta.

Most recipes advise removing the irritating hairy seeds before processing the fruit. When cooking with rose hips. Do not use any metal pans or utensils other than stainless steel or risk discoloration of the fruit and loss of its precious vitamin C stores.

Botanical name - Rosa canina

Country of Origin - Chile

Rosehips are very high in vitamin C, and were cultivated in medieval times when other fruits were scarce. The dog rose flower was a symbol of medieval heraldry, and can be seen in carvings in its highly stylised form.

Rosehips make a delicious Apple jelly with a pretty pale pink colour and delicate flavour which is great with pork. They're also good for homemade wine. Rosehip syrup is a very traditional use of rosehips. It’s great for pouring over ice cream, or as a cocktail ingredient instead of grenadine.

Botanical name - Rosmarinus officinalis

Country of Origin - Spain

Botanical name - Pyrus aucuparia

Country of Origin - Hungary

Botanical name - Ruta graveolens

Country of Origin - Germany

Botanical name - Smilax ornata

Country of Origin - Jamaica

Tamarind paste is used as a souring agent, particularly in South Indian and Gujarati lentil dishes, curries and chutneys, where its flavour is more authentic than vinegar or lemon juice. It may be used to flavour pulse dishes, rice dishes, or as an ingredient in sauces and side dishes for pork, fowl and fish.

Tamarind contains pectin which is used in the manufacturing process of commercially produced jams, so it is a natural ingredient in many jams, jellies, fruit drinks, and is vital to Worcestershire sauce. In India, the ground seed is used in cakes.

A refreshing drink made from tamarind syrup and resembling lemonade is quite popular in the Middle East.

Splitz Smooth Tamarind Paste in a pouch

• Pure tamarind - no additives.
• For sauces, curries, marinades and drinks.
• Sour and lemony in flavour.
• Screw up pouring nozzle for less mess.

Splitz Tamarind paste is a convenient way to add tamarind to your cooking. Tamarind is a fruit and has a sour lemon-like flavour with a tartness similar to cranberry. It adds flavour to curries, chutneys, rasams, sauces, marinades and beverages.

This tamarind paste is made by boiling down the tamarind in water and then filtering it to remove large particles. The tamarind liquid is then heated, to evaporate the water, leaving the concentrated tamarind paste.

Ingredients

Tamarind, Water. (Product of India)

 Nutritional Information

Botanical name - Artemisia dracunculus

Country of Origin - United Kingdom

This wonderful Herb belongs to the family of Asteraceae and is used on all parts of the world to season foods making it rich tasting and aromatic. Produced in the heart of UK, sure that every bit and pieces of Tarragon you will receive will make all your meals indeed special.

Botanical name - Thymus vulgaris

Country of Origin - Spain

Thyme can be used with nearly all the meats, including seafood and shellfish. It can also be used to flavour egg dishes, casseroles and soups. Dried thyme is a great addition to pizza toppings. However, despite thyme symbolising bravery, it should be used with a little caution as it can dominate. Nonetheless, contrary to conventional wisdom, I sometimes mix the dried herb with other dried herbs such as rosemary and oregano to add to a variety of savoury dishes and it seems to work.

Thyme is also said to aid the digestion of fats so it makes a good accompaniment to dishes that use a lot of butter or fat.

Botanical name - Thymus vulgaris

Country of Origin - Spain

Thyme has a strong, pungent flavour, which makes it an ideal herb to use as an accompaniment for meaty dishes. It is not advised that you use thyme to flavour fish dishes as the taste can overpower the fish. Even when cooking thyme with meat, you should only use one teaspoon at a time as too much flavouring can ruin a meal.

1 tsp of ground thyme is equivalent to 2 and half tablespoons of fresh