Spice

Carum carvi

S tier

Carum carvi is the true caraway—crescent, ridged fruits with a warm anise-dill perfume that defines rye bread, goulash, and sauerkraut across Central and Northern Europe. The biennial umbellifer yields seed in its second year; annual types also exist in trade. Toast lightly to wake oils before grinding into rubs or folding whole into bread dough. Species identity separates caraway from lookalike cumin; the curves and aroma differ once you know both. Whole seed keeps better than pre-ground.