SPICE ALMANACA visual guide to flavor
Cuisine

Spices in French cooking

French cooking leans on herbal, bitter, and floral notes: Bay leaf, Celery seed, Sage, Pink peppercorn, Green peppercorn, and Chervil sit at the center, with the wider set on this page rounding out the repertoire. Restrained and herb-led: herbes de Provence, bay, thyme, quatre epices, and tarragon.

No. 22Herb

Bay leaf

Herbal, piney, faintly tea-like, subtle

herbal·bitter
No. 48Spice

Celery seed

Savory, grassy, bitter, concentrated celery

herbal·bitter
No. 62Herb

Chervil

Delicate, sweet, faintly anise, fresh

herbal·sweet
No. 93Herb

Chives

Mild, fresh, oniony, grassy

herbal
No. 35Herb

Dill

Fresh, grassy, citrusy, faintly anise

herbal·citrusy
No. 72Spice

Green peppercorn

Fresh, bright, mild, herbaceous pepper

pungent·herbal
No. 54Blend

Herbes de Provence

Herbal, savory, floral, sun-dried

herbal
No. 91Spice

Horseradish

Sharp, hot, nasal, pungent

pungent
No. 49Spice

Juniper

Piney, resinous, citrusy, bittersweet

herbal·citrusy
No. 77Herb

Lavender

Floral, perfumed, sweet, faintly piney

floral·sweet
No. 15Spice

Mace

Warm, sweet, delicate, faintly floral

warm·sweet
No. 26Herb

Marjoram

Sweet, mild, floral, gently warm

herbal·sweet
No. 32Spice

Mustard seed

Pungent, sharp, nose-clearing heat

pungent
No. 14Spice

Nutmeg

Warm, sweet, nutty, woody

warm·sweet·nutty
No. 27Herb

Parsley

Fresh, grassy, clean, lightly peppery

herbal
No. 73Spice

Pink peppercorn

Sweet, fruity, mild, faintly peppery

sweet·floral·pungent
No. 59Spice

Poppy seed

Nutty, mild, crunchy, faintly sweet

nutty
No. 68Blend

Quatre epices

Peppery, warm, sweet, aromatic

warm·pungent
No. 24Herb

Rosemary

Piney, resinous, warm, lemony

herbal
No. 36Herb

Sage

Savory, earthy, piney, slightly musty

herbal·bitter
No. 61Herb

Savory

Peppery, savory, thyme-like, herbal

herbal
No. 37Herb

Tarragon

Sweet, anise, grassy, delicate

herbal·sweet
No. 23Herb

Thyme

Herbal, savory, minty, peppery

herbal
No. 87Spice

Vanilla

Sweet, creamy, floral, warm

sweet·floral
No. 45Spice

White pepper

Earthy, sharp, fermented, less aromatic

pungent

Common questions

What spices are used in French cooking?
Bay leaf, Celery seed, Sage, Pink peppercorn, Green peppercorn, and Chervil, among others.
What flavors define French cooking?
The notes that stand out most are herbal, bitter, and floral, read from the flavor profiles of the spices listed here.
What is the strongest spice in French cooking?
Celery seed is one of the strongest here: savory, grassy, bitter, concentrated celery. Add it early and taste as you go.
What is a mild spice for French cooking?
Chervil sits at the gentle end: delicate, sweet, faintly anise, fresh. It seasons without taking over.