Herbs and Spices of the World Trivia Word Search

Ground black, white, or green, this berry from an Indonesian vine is the world's most traded spice.

Ground from an iris rhizome, this Mediterranean spice has a violet-like scent once used in perfumes and gin.

This fiery Japanese rhizome, usually served with sushi, is called 'Japanese horseradish.'

This Mediterranean plant's licorice-flavored leaves and seeds both season food, and its bulb is a crunchy vegetable.

This European herb tastes like strong celery and is sometimes called 'the Maggi plant' for its soup-like aroma.

Grown in China and shaped like an eight-pointed pod, this spice has a second, less common one-word name.

Crushed cloves of this pungent bulb form the base of countless cuisines worldwide.

This Northern European seed, common in rye bread and sauerkraut, has a flavor similar to anise and fennel.

This tangy, succulent weed with small yellow flowers is eaten as a salad green in many cuisines.

Also called kalonji or black onion seed, this South Asian spice tops naan bread.

Ground from the seeds of a tropical American shrub, this spice gives cheese and butter their natural orange tint.

This European herb's cucumber-flavored leaves once garnished cold soups and Pimm's cocktails: salad '_ _ _ _ _ _.'

Also called carom or bishop's weed, this South Asian seed has a flavor reminiscent of thyme.

The dried seed of the same plant that gives us cilantro leaves has a completely different, citrusy flavor.

A turmeric relative from Southeast Asia, this bitter rhizome is used in traditional medicine and some curries.

This South American shrub's citrus-scented leaves flavor herbal teas and are often paired with the word 'lemon.'

Also known by a scientific-sounding common name, grains of paradise are a peppery West African seed spice.

This knobby rhizome adds heat to Asian stir-fries and is candied for a sweet snack.

Ground from tiny round seeds, this pungent spice comes in black, brown, and yellow varieties and gives condiments their kick.

This East Asian root produces a natural red dye and is also called red stoneroot.

Also called the root beer plant, this large-leafed Mexican herb has a sassafras-like flavor.

This Mediterranean needle-leaved herb pairs classically with roasted lamb and potatoes.

Coming in summer and winter varieties, this peppery Mediterranean herb resembles thyme in use.

This medium-heat Mexican chili pepper is smoked and dried to become a chipotle.

Harvested by hand from a crocus flower's stigmas, this is the world's most expensive spice by weight.

This bright green garnish comes in curly and flat-leaf varieties, the latter prized for stronger flavor.

Harvested from the pods of a climbing orchid, this is one of the most labor-intensive spices to produce.

This grayish-green Mediterranean herb is central to Thanksgiving stuffing in the United States.

This hot chili pepper is named after a coastal city in French Guiana.

This South Asian herb, known as methi, has slightly bitter leaves used fresh in Indian curries.

This numbing Chinese spice isn't a true pepper at all, but the husk of a small citrus-family fruit.

This feathery-leaved wildflower has a peppery taste and was historically used to flavor beer before hops.

Despite its name suggesting a blend, this Caribbean berry actually tastes like a natural mix of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.

This Caribbean and Latin American herb has a flavor like strong coriander and is also called 'long coriander.'

Called 'herb-of-grace' in old English tradition, this bitter Mediterranean herb is used sparingly today.

A sweeter, milder cousin of oregano, this Mediterranean herb is common in Middle Eastern and French cooking.

Also called wild marjoram, this pungent Mediterranean herb is essential to pizza and Greek salad.

The flowers of this climbing vine give beer its bitter, floral flavor.

Known in Hindi by a much shorter name, this pungent plant resin is a classic substitute for garlic and onion in Indian cooking.

Roasted for a coffee-like aroma, this Australian seed spice comes from native acacia trees: '_ _ _ _ _ _seed.'

This Middle Eastern spice blend of sumac, thyme, and sesame is also the name of the wild herb within it.

This sweet, aromatic leafy herb is a staple of Italian cooking and the base of classic pesto.

Called the 'queen of spices,' this expensive Indian pod flavors chai tea and Scandinavian pastries.

Made from ground, dried sweet or hot peppers, this Hungarian spice gives goulash its deep red color.

Sometimes called 'poor man's saffron,' this dried flower petal is used mainly for its yellow coloring, not flavor.

This Indonesian seed is grated fresh over eggnog and Italian pasta dishes alike.

This tangy, lemon-flavored leafy green is used in French soups and sometimes called 'spinach dock.'

This Eastern US plant, source of a classic candy flavor, is nicknamed after a small container.

This mild, anise-flavored French herb is a key ingredient in the classic 'fines herbes' blend.

Harvested as bark from a tree native to Sri Lanka, true varieties of this spice are called 'Ceylon.'

This intensely bitter South American wood flavors aperitifs and traditional tonics.

These tiny blue-black seeds top bagels and give traditional Central European pastries their crunch.

This bitter European herb is famously the key flavoring in absinthe.

This Southeast Asian stalk pairs 'lemon' with a common lawn plant's name: Lemon '_ _ _ _ _,' used whole in Thai tom yum soup.

This pungent root related to mustard is named for a farm animal: 'Horse _ _ _ _ _ _.'

This pungent Mexican herb is traditionally cooked with black beans to reduce their gassiness.

This Northern European plant's candied stems, sold under a name shared with a heavenly being, once decorated fancy cakes.

This tangy, deep-red Middle Eastern spice made from dried berries is sprinkled over hummus and salads.

These small blue-black berries from a coniferous shrub give gin its distinctive piney flavor.

Called estragon in French, this anise-like herb is essential to bearnaise sauce.

The mildest member of the onion family, these thin green stalks are often snipped over baked potatoes.

Also known by a short West African name, grains of Selim are a smoky, peppery seed pod: kani pepper or '_ _ _.'

Known as coriander leaf in most of the world, Americans call this pungent herb by its Spanish name.

The fragrant leaves of this citrus tree, formerly called kaffir lime, flavor Thai and Indonesian curries.

This lemon-scented European herb is often brewed as a calming tea.

This Southeast Asian rhizome, a relative of ginger, is essential to Thai and Indonesian curry pastes.

This feathery Northern European herb flavors pickles and pairs classically with salmon.

This Mediterranean seed has a licorice flavor and gives Italian biscotti and Greek ouzo their character.

This Mediterranean leaf, used whole in stews and pulled out before serving, comes from the laurel tree.

This Mediterranean root's sweet flavor is used in candy, and in Europe it appears in dark chewy sweets.

This tart, dried red berry from Asia and the Mediterranean is often sprinkled over Persian rice dishes.

This warm, earthy seed spice is essential to chili con carne and much of Middle Eastern cooking.

This ground cherry-pit spice gives Middle Eastern and Greek pastries a subtly bitter, almond-like aroma.

This North American tree's root bark gives old-fashioned root beer its distinctive flavor.

Shaped like a small nail, this Indonesian spice is actually a dried, unopened flower bud.

Mentioned in the Bible, this Mediterranean herb has a minty, slightly bitter flavor used in liqueurs.

This European shrub's fragrant white blossoms flavor a popular cordial, and its dark berries are made into wine.

This tangy Persian spice, made from a hogweed plant's dried seeds, flavors bean and herb stews.

This European herb's blue star-shaped flowers taste faintly of cucumber and once garnished summer drinks.

This South American bean has a vanilla-like aroma and was once used to flavor pipe tobacco and perfume.

This tiny-leaved Mediterranean herb is a key ingredient in French bouquet garni.

These pickled flower buds from a Mediterranean shrub add a briny, tangy punch to pasta puttanesca.

Common in Korean and Japanese cooking, this East Asian leaf is related to mint and comes in green and purple forms.

This dried Indian fruit rind gives a tart, smoky sourness to Goan fish curries.

Also called Chinese ginger or lesser galangal, this Southeast Asian rhizome has a sharp, citrusy bite.

This fragrant Southeast Asian leaf gives rice and desserts a vanilla-like, grassy aroma and a green color.

This cheaper, stronger Chinese relative of true cinnamon is what most supermarket cinnamon actually is.

This resin from a small Mediterranean tree is chewed like gum and used to flavor Greek pastries and ice cream.

Toasted and sprinkled on sushi rolls, this tiny oil-rich seed comes in black and white varieties.

With dozens of species worldwide, this cooling herb family includes both peppery and spear-leaved varieties.

This purple-flowered Mediterranean plant is used in both baking and perfumery for its floral aroma.

Related to chocolate as a substitute, this Mediterranean tree's dried pods have a naturally sweet flavor.

This West African seed spice, also called djansang, thickens and flavors soups in Central African cuisine.

Native to South Asia, this aromatic leaf is fried in oil at the start of many Indian dishes, not eaten whole from a jar.

This golden South Asian rhizome gives curry powder its color and is now popular in lattes.