Caraway seeds are widely used in Central and Eastern Europe to flavour rye bread, biscuits, cakes, stews, meat dishes, cheeses, sauerkraut, and pickles; they are also often combined with potatoes and apples.
The dried fruit of Carum carvi, another member of the parsley family, caraway was one of the first spices cultivated in Europe, where it still used to flavor sauerkraut, pork, and potato dishes. Its warm, anise-y flavor comes from anethole, carvone (rye notes; also found in dill), and limonene (citrusy).
The caraway seed derives its culinary and medicinal properties from its distinct characteristics. Its flavor has a nutty, bittersweet sharpness with a hint of citrus, pepper, and anise (mild licorice). The caraway seed's high concentration of natural essential oils gives the spice its unique flavor profile.
