This non-commercial site provides reference information about herbs and spices. The site is intended to be read by cooks, also professionals, by ethnobotanists, historians, biologists and food chemists. At present, I discuss about 120 different plants that yield culinary flavourings in illustrated and richly interlinked monographs.

Issues presented for each single spice plant include

(1) names in a large number of foreign languages (employing native script where possible) plus a description of their etymologic interrelation;

(2) botanical and chemical information about the plant and the culinary relevant product;

(3) a variable-length discussion part that centers on kitchen usage, mostly on traditional cuisines of Asia, Africa, Europe and America.

This part will illustrate basic cooking techniques and flavourings necessary to create ethnic foods authentically.

The database is augmented by a number of indices that allow quick access to the spice monographs. Indices may run by English or foreign name, by topic, by region of interest or by botanical features.