cardamom, the queen of spices

If you've had Turkish coffee or a Scandinavian bun and thought "what is that," it was probably cardamom.

what it tastes like

Cardamom is hard to describe, which is part of its charm. It's floral, a little citrusy, a little minty, and warm all at once. A tiny amount goes a long way.

where it comes from

The plant is native to India, but cardamom traveled the old spice routes into the Middle East and the Mediterranean centuries ago. Today it's in coffee across the Arab world, in pastries across Greece and Turkey, and in sweets almost everywhere in between.

why it belongs on yogurt

Yogurt is a blank, tangy canvas. Cardamom gives it perfume without sugar. Paired with honey and pistachio, it tastes like something from a bakery in Istanbul.

• try it with honey, pistachio, rose, or orange
• buy whole pods and crush them fresh when you can
• start small, it's strong

a pinch of cardamom is the difference between nice and memorable.

Little spice, big personality. Our favorite kind of ingredient.