Philippe Lemaire (remove oldies) wrote:
> Ken Berry wrote:
>
>>Philippe Lemaire (remove oldies) wrote:
>>
>>>Wazza wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>"Philippe Lemaire (remove oldies)" >
>>>
>>>wrote
>>>
>>>
>>>>in message ...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>When use one or the other ?
>>>>>
>>>>>Philippe
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>these two should not be confused, though often are because they look
>>>
>>>very
>>>
>>>
>>>>similar, but their flavour is very different.
>>>>Cumin is the spice used in most cuisines, typically Asian, but also
>>>
>>>Mexican.
>>>
>>>
>>>>Caraway is typically only a European spice, but may have 'crept' into
>
> N.
>
>>>>African, like Morocco.
>>>>Never use caraway in Asian cooking, it is always cumin. Sometimes
>>>
>>>caraway is
>>>
>>>
>>>>confused with black cumin (also called Royal cumin, or Shah jeera).
>>>
>>>Caraway
>>>
>>>
>>>>is not used in Indian cooking. Caraway is used in bread in central
>>>
>>>Europe,
>>>
>>>
>>>>and supposed to be in cheese in Holland, though I have only found the
>>>
>>>cumin
>>>
>>>
>>>>variety. In North Africa, it is said to be a component of harrisa, a
>
> hot
>
>>>>condiment, but I wonder if this is even correct. To me, caraway does
>
> not
>
>>>>marry with other spices. Its flavour is similar to mint, the main
>>>
>>>flavour
>>>
>>>
>>>>component is (+)carvone, an optical isomer of (-) carvone, found in
>
> some
>
>>>>mints. Sometimes, caraway in bread gives the bread a minty flavour.
>>>>HTH
>>>>cheers
>>>>Wazza
>>>
>>>
>>>Thanks for the explanation !
>>>
>>>The problem is that, in French, both are cumins...
>>>
>>>Philippe
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>With respect, in French "cumin" is the exactly the same word as in
>>English, but "carraway" is "carvi" (deriving from a very similar arabic
>>word which is something like "karwia" when transliterated).
>
>
> Not so simple...
>
> Cumin is cumin BUT
> Carvi is also called "Cumin des prés"
>
> Philippe
>
>
>
Thanks Philippe. I see -- from French sources -- that 'carvi' has the
Latin name 'Carum carvi L.' whereas 'cumin des prés' is 'Cuminum
cyminum' -- two totally different things (source:
http://www.hippocratus.com/pages/det....asp?ID=***001 ) I do
however note that you are correct in that the two terms are used
interchangeably e.g http://www.biam2.org/www/Sub2028.html
http://www.herbdatanz.com/aromathera...l_oils_-_2.htm ;
though why this is so remains a mystery -- possibly for similar reasons
that turmeric in French is 'safran des Indes' (or curcuma) to
distinguish it from real saffron??

--
Ken Berry
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