Cumin, Whole Seed

Whole Cumin Seed

In the spice world, cumin is the worldly one. The global traveler with a passport full of stamps, the one who doesn’t simply visit a place, but effortlessly weaves themselves into the fabric of the culture.

Latin, Indian and Middle Eastern food (essentially, deliciously heavily-spiced cuisines) rely heavily on this spice. On the nose, it’s warm and strong. A sweet-spicy, earthy aroma. On the palate, nutty, and ever so slightly bitter. It’s spicy, but with a subtle and refined kick.

Here, we offer the seed in its whole form. Easy to toast or grind, using the spice in this way ensures the boldest presentation of the flavor — consider it cumin with an exclamation point, in bold, all caps. Use whole cumin seed for an unobtrusive crunch that is the perfect garnish for soups, or the unexpected surprise in a couscous or rice dish.

But if you prefer to not add the extra preparatory step, we also sell cumin in powder form.

Cumin pairs well with other spices for a solid dry rub or marinade and it’s perfect to stand up with the more difficult, gamey meats such as lamb, venison or goat. Accentuate vegetables and stews with this oblong spice. Texturize your hummus and baba ganoush. Even take a brave twist on classic European breads by sprinkling it on top. In short, liberally use this versatile spice to enrich and expand the diversity of flavor on your menu.