When I was a kid, Mom used to make
a rich sweet raisin bread flavored with Cardamom.
The cardamom gave it a unique aroma
that still stays in my memories.

I recently tried making the bread.
Got my Cardamom fresh from Pennzy's.

Hmmm...smells odd.... like sausage spice. (??)
But I made the batch of bread, but in baking,
the kitchen smelled like a breakfast diner.
The finished bread smelled/tasted like sausage patties.

I bought another container of Cardamom locally.
Another batch of bread.... same ( sausage? ) results.

Am I buying the wrong cardamom?
Has my taste/smell gone to hell ?
Anyone here bake with cardamom ? Help !!

"" wrote:
>
> Am I buying the wrong cardamom?

There are two types: green cardamom and black cardamom.
They are completely different.

Maybe you got the wrong type?

On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:34:57 -0700, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>"" wrote:
>>
>> Am I buying the wrong cardamom?
>
>There are two types: green cardamom and black cardamom.
>They are completely different.
>
>Maybe you got the wrong type?

There's actually three types... there's white cardamom too... the
white is the one typically used for baked goods. The green and black
cardamom is typically used with meat and veggie dishes. There are
also sub groups; guatamalan cardamom is yet different again (typically
flavors confections... the shelled/decorticated imparts a different
flavor from whole pod cardamom. I buy whole white pods, it stays
fresh indefinitely... ground cardamom loses its potentcy rapidly, its
inconsistant strength makes it difficult to use... the typical home
cook who uses cardamom for occasional baking should buy the white
pods. I sometimes crush just one seed and add it to ground coffee for
like 12 cups. Just 1 ounce of pods goes a long way.

On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:39:27 -0700, <RJ> wrote:

> I bought another container of Cardamom locally.
> Another batch of bread.... same ( sausage? ) results.
>
> Am I buying the wrong cardamom?
> Has my taste/smell gone to hell ?
> Anyone here bake with cardamom ? Help !!

You associate cardamom to a sausage smell for some reason. Stop
doing that. Simple enough.

I have a bag of green cardamom here in my desk at work (doesn't
everybody?) and I just took a whiff of it. I guess some could
confuse it with the smell of strong fennel, but tastewise it's
completely different.

-sw

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:39:27 -0700, <RJ> wrote:
>
>> I bought another container of Cardamom locally.
>> Another batch of bread.... same ( sausage? ) results.
>>
>> Am I buying the wrong cardamom?
>> Has my taste/smell gone to hell ?
>> Anyone here bake with cardamom ? Help !!
>
> You associate cardamom to a sausage smell for some reason. Stop
> doing that. Simple enough.
>
> I have a bag of green cardamom here in my desk at work (doesn't
> everybody?) and I just took a whiff of it. I guess some could
> confuse it with the smell of strong fennel, but tastewise it's
> completely different.
>
> -sw



When I was a teen I used to make a pot of tea for my parents in the
evenings. I added green cardamom to the tea pot at my mothers request. I
think it was something she grew up with.

Jill

jmcquown wrote on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:30:57 -0400:

> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:39:27 -0700, <RJ> wrote:
>>
>>> I bought another container of Cardamom locally.
>>> Another batch of bread.... same ( sausage? ) results.
>>>
>>> Am I buying the wrong cardamom?
>>> Has my taste/smell gone to hell ?
>>> Anyone here bake with cardamom ? Help !!
>>
>> You associate cardamom to a sausage smell for some reason. Stop doing
>> that. Simple enough.
>>
>> I have a bag of green cardamom here in my desk at work
>> (doesn't everybody?) and I just took a whiff of it. I guess some
>> could confuse it with the smell of strong fennel, but
>> tastewise it's completely different.
>>
>> -sw

> When I was a teen I used to make a pot of tea for my parents
> in the evenings. I added green cardamom to the tea pot at my mothers
> request. I think it was something she grew up with.

Afghan restaurants use cardamon to flavor coffee. I rather like it once
in a while tho' I don't usually go for flavored coffees.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On 2009-09-21, jmcquown > wrote:

> When I was a teen I used to make a pot of tea for my parents in the
> evenings. I added green cardamom to the tea pot at my mothers request. I
> think it was something she grew up with.

Cardamom in coffee is quite common on the Casbah.

nb

On Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:30:57 -0400, jmcquown wrote:

> When I was a teen I used to make a pot of tea for my parents in the
> evenings. I added green cardamom to the tea pot at my mothers request. I
> think it was something she grew up with.

Without looking it up, I suspect it's probably a popular ingredient
in chai. Is that fad still kicking or has it died down?. It's been
years since I've been to a coffeehouse, but I'd usually get that or
an iced coffee.

-sw (nibbling at some cardamom seeds)

Mark Thorson wrote:
> "" wrote:
>> Am I buying the wrong cardamom?
>
> There are two types: green cardamom and black cardamom.
> They are completely different.
>
> Maybe you got the wrong type?



There's also white cardamom, which is used in Scandinavian and other
northern European countries for baking.

Black and green are used in Indian meat and vegetarian dishes.
Black cardamom has a smoky flavor. Perhaps that's what tastes like
sausage to you.

gloria p

On 2009-09-21, Gloria P > wrote:

> Black and green are used in Indian meat and vegetarian dishes.

Green is also used in Persian pastries. Baklava w/ cardamom is to
die for.

nb

On Sep 21, 1:07*pm, Gloria P > wrote:
> Mark Thorson wrote:
> > "" wrote:
> >> Am I buying the wrong cardamom?
>
> > There are two types: *green cardamom and black cardamom.
> > They are completely different.
>
> > Maybe you got the wrong type?
>
> There's also white cardamom, which is used in Scandinavian and other
> northern European countries for baking.
>
> Black and green are used in Indian meat and vegetarian dishes.
> Black cardamom has a smoky flavor. *Perhaps that's what tastes like
> sausage to you.
>
> gloria p

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gloria's right, I think. Swedish bakiing uses cardamom quite
frequently and it sometimes specifies white cardamom. I've always
delighted in the cardamom "relatuinship" between Indian/North African/
Middle Eastern and Scandinavian foods. Why to the Scandinavians only
use cardamom in sweets/baking ?? The others use cardamom in
everything from salads to entrees to desserts.
What's the connection and what happened to Britain & Western Europe???
Lynn in Fargo

"notbob" > wrote in message
...
> On 2009-09-21, Gloria P > wrote:
>
>> Black and green are used in Indian meat and vegetarian dishes.
>
> Green is also used in Persian pastries. Baklava w/ cardamom is to
> die for.
>
> nb

My ex-sister in law used to bring us back baklava from Kuwait that was
incredible and unlike any other I had ever had. I wonder if it was the
cardamom.

They were of Persian descent.

Jon

On 2009-09-21, Zeppo > wrote:

> My ex-sister in law used to bring us back baklava from Kuwait that was
> incredible and unlike any other I had ever had. I wonder if it was the
> cardamom.

Could very well have been. I'd never tasted cardamom in baklava,
usually buying pistachio. I recall the first time I tried it.
Knowing ME foods use a lots of flower/plant extracts like rose water,
etc, I was baffled as to what flower it might be. I finally gave some
to a well traveled foodie friend and she told me it was cardamom.
Sure enough, the next time I bought some, I got the whole tray and
cardamom was listed on the ingredients. It's now one of my fave spices.

I found this recipe online using both cardamom and rose water:

http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/in.../02/27/baklava

Looks like an interesting blog, too.

nb

Zeppo wrote:
>
>
> "notbob" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 2009-09-21, Gloria P > wrote:
>>
>>> Black and green are used in Indian meat and vegetarian dishes.
>>
>> Green is also used in Persian pastries. Baklava w/ cardamom is to
>> die for.
>>
>> nb
>
> My ex-sister in law used to bring us back baklava from Kuwait that was
> incredible and unlike any other I had ever had. I wonder if it was the
> cardamom.
>
> They were of Persian descent.
>
> Jon

Baklava is endemic to the Middle East, mostly with honey and chopped
pistachio nuts in my experience. The most widely used spice I found
there was cinnamon, some of them even put it in hamburger meat.

Several of our Arab friends used to grind the coffee beans then put
whole, crushed cardamom seeds in the container to flavor the coffee. I
got used to it and missed it after we came home. Tried it with store
bought already ground coffee and it wasn't bad but not the same taste. I
cook lots of dishes with either crushed cardamom or ground in them.

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:30:57 -0400, jmcquown wrote:
>
>> When I was a teen I used to make a pot of tea for my parents in the
>> evenings. I added green cardamom to the tea pot at my mothers request.
>> I
>> think it was something she grew up with.
>
> Without looking it up, I suspect it's probably a popular ingredient
> in chai. Is that fad still kicking or has it died down?. It's been
> years since I've been to a coffeehouse, but I'd usually get that or
> an iced coffee.
>
> -sw (nibbling at some cardamom seeds)



I dunno. I don't think my parents ever went to a coffee house or had chai
tea.

Jill

"Lynn from Fargo Ografmorffig" > wrote in message
...
On Sep 21, 1:07 pm, Gloria P > wrote:
> Mark Thorson wrote:
> > "" wrote:
> >> Am I buying the wrong cardamom?
>
> > There are two types: green cardamom and black cardamom.
> > They are completely different.
>
> > Maybe you got the wrong type?
>
> There's also white cardamom, which is used in Scandinavian and other
> northern European countries for baking.
>
> Black and green are used in Indian meat and vegetarian dishes.
> Black cardamom has a smoky flavor. Perhaps that's what tastes like
> sausage to you.
>
> gloria p

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>Gloria's right, I think. Swedish bakiing uses cardamom quite
>frequently and it sometimes specifies white cardamom. I've always
>delighted in the cardamom "relatuinship" between Indian/North African/
>Middle Eastern and Scandinavian foods. Why to the Scandinavians only
>use cardamom in sweets/baking ?? The others use cardamom in
>everything from salads to entrees to desserts.
>What's the connection and what happened to Britain & Western Europe???

You are a natural food historian!

I have almost a whole bottle of cardamom in my spice rack. I bought
it to put in Danish pastries. I had made Danish pastries dozens of
times before without it but after seeing several recipes that called
for it I thought I would try it. I'll never do that again. I used
just a teeny amount, less than 1/8 teaspoon, but the flavor was just
too overpowering. Not only was it overpowering but i didn't taste
good either. I haven't used it since. It smells good (sweet, kind of
citrusy or fruity). It just doesn't taste good.

On Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:43:36 -0700 (PDT), "
> wrote:

>I have almost a whole bottle of cardamom in my spice rack. I bought
>it to put in Danish pastries. I had made Danish pastries dozens of
>times before without it but after seeing several recipes that called
>for it I thought I would try it. I'll never do that again. I used
>just a teeny amount, less than 1/8 teaspoon, but the flavor was just
>too overpowering. Not only was it overpowering but i didn't taste
>good either. I haven't used it since. It smells good (sweet, kind of
>citrusy or fruity). It just doesn't taste good.

A little goes a long way! Find yourself a recipe for Swedish Cardamom
Bread
http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/...mom-bread.html
or Finish Pulla bread. Either one is very tasty and makes great
toast!

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

James Silverton wrote:
> jmcquown wrote on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:30:57 -0400:
>
>> "Sqwertz" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> On Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:39:27 -0700, <RJ> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I bought another container of Cardamom locally.
>>>> Another batch of bread.... same ( sausage? ) results.
>>>>
>>>> Am I buying the wrong cardamom?
>>>> Has my taste/smell gone to hell ?
>>>> Anyone here bake with cardamom ? Help !!
>>>
>>> You associate cardamom to a sausage smell for some reason. Stop doing
>>> that. Simple enough.
>>>
>>> I have a bag of green cardamom here in my desk at work
>>> (doesn't everybody?) and I just took a whiff of it. I guess some
>>> could confuse it with the smell of strong fennel, but
>>> tastewise it's completely different.
>>>
>>> -sw
>
>> When I was a teen I used to make a pot of tea for my parents
>> in the evenings. I added green cardamom to the tea pot at my mothers
>> request. I think it was something she grew up with.
>
> Afghan restaurants use cardamon to flavor coffee. I rather like it once
> in a while tho' I don't usually go for flavored coffees.
>
Yabbut, that is not the same as the all-pervasive artificial
flavorings that are in flavored coffees.

--
Jean B.

jmcquown wrote:

>
> When I was a teen I used to make a pot of tea for my parents in the
> evenings. I added green cardamom to the tea pot at my mothers request.
> I think it was something she grew up with.
>
> Jill

Was your mother Thai? This is a popular drink among the
Indian-influenced Thai population.

jmcquown wrote:

>
> When I was a teen I used to make a pot of tea for my parents in the
> evenings. I added green cardamom to the tea pot at my mothers request.
> I think it was something she grew up with.
>
> Jill

Is your mother Thai? This is a popular way to prepare tea amongst the
Indian-influenced Thai.

"MtnTraveler" > wrote in message
m...
> jmcquown wrote:
>
>>
>> When I was a teen I used to make a pot of tea for my parents in the
>> evenings. I added green cardamom to the tea pot at my mothers request.
>> I think it was something she grew up with.
>>
>> Jill
>
> Was your mother Thai? This is a popular drink among the Indian-influenced
> Thai population.
>
>

Nope, she was Scottish (first generation American). But we lived in
Thailand so maybe that's where the idea came from. I don't remember her
drinking hot tea when we lived there, though.

Jill