Medieval Spices

The criteria for being listed as a spice source on this page are a bit complicated. Of the spices commonly used in medieval European cooking, there are seven that are not usually found in local US grocery stores. If a spice merchant carries at least four of these seven spices then they will be added to the list.

The seven "Must Have" spices are:

ceylon_cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
cubebs (Piper cubeba)
galingale (Alpinia officinarum)
grains_of_paradise (Aframomum melegueta)
hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
saffron (Crocus sativus)
saunders / red sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus)

The merchants I have found (so far) that meet this requirement are:

Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)

If you know of an spice merchant who should be listed here, or have comments - positive or negative - about the quality of products or service provided by these spice merchants, please send them to me using the contact page.

INDEX
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Alexander

Alexander

(Smyrnium olusatrum)

Also known as: Black Lovage

Available from:
The Spice Shop (UK) - see notes

Notes:
It's not clear that the lovage sold by The Spice Shop is Alexander / Black Lovage.

Search: Find recipes that reference Alexander in medieval cookbooks.

Alkanet

Alkanet powder

Alkanet

(Alkanna tinctoria)

Also known as: Dyer's Bugloss, Orchanct, Spanish Bugloss

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US) - see notes
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US) - see notes
Mountain Rose Herbs (US) - see notes
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US) - see notes

Herbie's Herbs (Canada) - see notes

Spiceworld (UK)

Notes:
Many members of this plant family contain a liver-damaging alkaloid and so internal usage is inadvisable. May be carcinogenic.

Often confused with Batschia canescens (also sold as "alkanet"), which is a new world plant. Batschia canescens is properly named Lithospermum canescens, and is also know as hoary gromwell or hoary puccoon. It has no known hazardous qualities and is a member of the same family as Alkanna tinctoria, which is probably why it is used as a substitute.

Lhasa Karnak Herb Company is selling Batschia canescens.

Stony Mountain Botanicals is selling Batschia canescens.

Mountain Rose Herbs is selling Batschia canescens.

Herbie's Herbs is selling Batschia canescens.

Monterey Bay Spice Company does not identify which plant is being sold.

Search: Find recipes that reference Alkanet in medieval cookbooks.

Amidon

Amidon

Also known as: Wheat starch

Available from:
(no sources known)

Notes:
I have found wheat starch in stores that carry specialty foods from Asia. It is very similar to corn starch.

Search: Find recipes that reference Amidon in medieval cookbooks.

Avens

Avens

(Geum urbanum)

Also known as: Herb Bennet

Available from:
Herbie's Herbs (Canada)

Search: Find recipes that reference Avens in medieval cookbooks.

Betony

Betony

(Stachys officinalis)

Also known as: Woundwort, Common Hedgenettle

Available from:
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)

Search: Find recipes that reference Betony in medieval cookbooks.

Borage

Borage

(Borago officinalis)

Also known as: Common Borage

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)

Spiceworld (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Borage in medieval cookbooks.

Cassia

Cassia Sticks

Cassia

(Cinnamomum cassia)

Also known as: Cinnamon (in the US), Canelle

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Notes:
In almost all medieval sources, it is impossible to tell if the spice being referred to is cinnamon or cassia.

Search: Find recipes that reference Cassia in medieval cookbooks.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon Powder

Cinnamon

(Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Cinnamomum verum)

Also known as: True Cinnamon, Ceylon Cinnamon

Available from:
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Notes:
In almost all medieval sources, it is impossible to tell if the spice being referred to is cinnamon or cassia.

Search: Find recipes that reference Cinnamon in medieval cookbooks.

Clary

Clary

(Salvia sclarea)

Also known as: Clary Sage

Available from:
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US) - see notes

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)

Notes:
Mountain Rose Herbs sells only the seeds for clary sage.

Search: Find recipes that reference Clary in medieval cookbooks.

Cloves

Whole Cloves

Cloves

(Syzygium aromaticum)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Cloves in medieval cookbooks.

Comfrey

Comfrey

(Symphytum officinale)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)

The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Comfrey in medieval cookbooks.

Coriander

Coriander seeds

Coriander

(Coriandrum sativum)

Search: Find recipes that reference Coriander in medieval cookbooks.

Costmary

Costmary

(Tanacetum balsamita)

Also known as: Alecost

Available from:
(no sources known)

Search: Find recipes that reference Costmary in medieval cookbooks.

Cubebs

Cubeb berries

Cubebs

(Piper cubeba)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Notes:
Another spice, known as Ashanti pepper (Piper guineese or Piper clusii) is often confused for cubebs. Ashanti pepper does not have the same flavor as Cubebs, and is no better than black pepper as a substitute.

Search: Find recipes that reference Cubebs in medieval cookbooks.

Cumin

Cumin

(Cuminum cyminum)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Cumin in medieval cookbooks.

Dittany

Dittany

(Origanum dictamnus)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US) - see notes

Notes:
The product being sold by Dragonmarsh is identified as Dittany of Crete (Dictamnus dasycarpus).

Search: Find recipes that reference Dittany in medieval cookbooks.

Galingale

Galingale

(Alpinia officinarum)

Also known as: Lesser Galingale, galangal, Laos

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US) - see notes
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US) - see notes
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada) - see notes
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Notes:
Lhasa Karnak identifies their Galingale as being Alpinia galanga, which is Greater Galingale. This may be a typographical error, or they may actually be selling what they state. While Greater and Lesser Galingale are related, Greater Galingale has an inferior flavor and is rarely (if ever) used in cooking.

Mountain Rose Herbs identifies their Galingale as being Alpinia galanga, which is Greater Galingale. This may be a typographical error, or they may actually be selling what they state. While Greater and Lesser Galingale are related, Greater Galingale has an inferior flavor and is rarely (if ever) used in cooking.

Herbie's Herbs identifies their Galingale as being Alpinia galanga, which is Greater Galingale. This may be a typographical error, or they may actually be selling what they state. While Greater and Lesser Galingale are related, Greater Galingale has an inferior flavor and is rarely (if ever) used in cooking.

Search: Find recipes that reference Galingale in medieval cookbooks.

Ginger

Dried Ginger Root

Ginger

(Zingiber officinale)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Ginger in medieval cookbooks.

Grains of Paradise

Grains of Paradise

(Aframomum melegueta)

Also known as: Guinea pepper, Melegueta pepper, Maniguette

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Grains of Paradise in medieval cookbooks.

Hyssop

Hyssop

(Hyssopus officinalis)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)

The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Hyssop in medieval cookbooks.

Lang de Boeuf

Lang de Boeuf

(Picris echioides)

Also known as: Ox-tongue

Available from:
(no sources known)

Search: Find recipes that reference Lang de Boeuf in medieval cookbooks.

Long Pepper

Long Pepper

(Piper longum)

Available from:
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Long Pepper in medieval cookbooks.

Mace

whole mace

Mace

(Myristica fragrans)

Available from:
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Mace in medieval cookbooks.

Mallow

Mallow

(Althaea officinalis)

Also known as: Marshmallow

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)

The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Mallow in medieval cookbooks.

Marjoram

Marjoram

(Origanum majorana)

Search: Find recipes that reference Marjoram in medieval cookbooks.

Spearmint

Mint

(genus Mentha)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Mint in medieval cookbooks.

Mustard

Mustard

(genus Brassica)

Search: Find recipes that reference Mustard in medieval cookbooks.

Nutmeg

Whole Nutmeg

Nutmeg

(Myristica fragrans)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Nutmeg in medieval cookbooks.

Orach

Orach

(Atriplex hortensis)

Also known as: Orage

Available from:
(no sources known)

Search: Find recipes that reference Orach in medieval cookbooks.

Patience

Patience

(Rumex alpinus)

Also known as: Monk's Rhubarb, Passion's Dock

Available from:
(no sources known)

Search: Find recipes that reference Patience in medieval cookbooks.

Pellitory

Pellitory

(Anacyclus pyrethrum)

Also known as: Spanish Chamomile, Mount Atlas daisy

Available from:
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)

Search: Find recipes that reference Pellitory in medieval cookbooks.

Pepper

Pepper

(Piper nigrum)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Pepper in medieval cookbooks.

Purslane

Purslane

(Portulaca oleracea)

Also known as: Pigweed

Available from:
Herbie's Herbs (Canada)

Search: Find recipes that reference Purslane in medieval cookbooks.

Rosemary

Rosemary

(Rosmarinus officinalis)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Rosemary in medieval cookbooks.

Rue

Rue

(Ruta graveolens)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)

The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Rue in medieval cookbooks.

Saffron

Saffron

Saffron

(Crocus sativus)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Spices (Australia)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Saffron in medieval cookbooks.

Sage

Sage

(Salvia officinalis)

Available from:
Dragonmarsh (US)
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)
Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

Seasoned Pioneers (UK)
The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Sage in medieval cookbooks.

Salt

Salt

Available from:
Frontier Natural Products Co-op (US)
The Great American Spice Company (US)
GourmetStore.com (US)
Monterey Bay Spice Company (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Whole Spice (US)

Silk Road Spices (Canada)

Aromatiques Tropicales (France)

Gewürzkontor Condimento (Germany)

The Spice Shop (UK)
Spiceworld (UK)
Steenbergs Organic (UK)

Search: Find recipes that reference Salt in medieval cookbooks.

Saunders

Saunders

(Pterocarpus santalinus)

Also known as: Sandalwood, Red sandalwood

Available from:
Lhasa Karnak Herb Company (US) - see notes
Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
The Pepperer's Guild (US)
Spicewell's Essentials (US)
Stony Mountain Botanicals (US)

Herbie's Herbs (Canada)

Spiceworld (UK) - sold as sandalwood chips

Notes:
Lhasa Karnak sells both Red Sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) and Yellow Sandalwood (Santalum album). Yellow Sandalwood is not safe for human consumption, so make sure you are ordering Red Sandalwood.

Search: Find recipes that reference Saunders in medieval cookbooks.