# Culinary : ingredient nomenclature - spices and what to do with them **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 2, 2024, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041 "2024-05-02T01:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/41 "2024-05-02T14:44:53Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I don’t see much difference Quite different to me. Kashmiri chili reminds me more of high quality Hungarian paprika than it does cayenne. The color should be a vibrant red. Cayenne pepper is more orange. Kashmiri chili usually sits in between the two in terms of heat. Personally, if I had to substitute, I would use a high quality Hungarian sweet paprika (which is usually a brilliant red) for the color and mix it maybe half and half with cayenne for the heat. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/42 "2024-05-02T14:47:00Z")
I’d bet you could use half-sharp Hungarian paprika as a straight substitute. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/43 "2024-05-02T14:58:29Z")
I probably wouldn’t add paste to make puree but I would strain the seeds. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/44 "2024-05-02T15:05:38Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > I would strain the seeds I strain the seeds if the finished product benefits. I’ll be making gazpacho later this spring/summer and will strain it through a chinois. For other recipes I leave the seeds for fiber. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/45 "2024-05-02T15:37:24Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Never heard of them or seen them before. TIL. I guess I do need that invite to Nantucket. Just don’t keep your cash in a bucket. (from the clean version of the limerick that starts “There once was a man from Nantucket”) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/46 "2024-05-02T16:44:07Z")
It may work. I don’t remember half-sharp or hot paprika to have quite the brilliance of color as a good Hungarian sweet paprika (I get mine from Burlap and Barrel) but if it is a vibrant red, then it would work well. Kashmiri chiles are supposed to be used more for their color that their mild heat (though I’ve found some brands of Kashmiri mirch to be much hotter than expected. They’re supposed to be around 2K-3K Scoville. That’s a whole order of magnitude less hot than cayenne peppers. Should be more like poblano or the milder side of jalapeňo peppers.) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/47 "2024-05-02T16:46:05Z")
For tomato puree, why not get crushed and run it through a blender? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/48 "2024-05-02T17:13:32Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Aleppo Pepper I was excited to try the Aleppo pepper I got from the fancy spice store. I found it indistinguishable from regular crushed red pepper flakes, like in the widemouth shaker at the pickup window at a pizza place. There are a lot of interesting and easily browsed Mexican and Central American chiles to enjoy but Aleppo was a miss for me. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/49 "2024-05-03T02:24:25Z")
Weird… the Aleppo pepper we got was from Penzeys, and it’s like a milder, more flavorful crushed red pepper flake. Not really spicy at all- about on par with a guajillo or ancho. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/50 "2024-05-03T02:44:13Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yes, what you are describing is tomato paste in US nomenclature. The toothpaste tube style is rather recent and usually with imported brands. All tomato paste growing up, at least for me, was in small cans. Same here. Tubes of tomato paste are rather recent; at least, in my local grocer’s. Interestingly, a small can of domestic tomato paste is 156 ml and costs about $1. A tube of imported-from-Italy is 147 ml and costs $3.49 at my local supermarket. I think I’ll stick with the slightly bigger and certainly cheaper domestic. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/51 "2024-05-03T02:54:00Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I totally expected the crackers to be oyster-flavored. I was sorely disappointed. I expected them to be _something_ flavored but instead they were just mini saltines ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/52 "2024-05-03T03:10:15Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Interestingly, a small can of domestic tomato paste is 156 ml and costs about $1. A tube of imported-from-Italy is 147 ml and costs $3.49 at my local supermarket. > > I think I’ll stick with the slightly bigger and certainly cheaper domestic Well, the problem for me is that I only need like a teaspoon or so of tomato paste and then I end up throwing out the can because I don’t get back to it soon enough. With the toothpaste style, I feel a lot less wasteful. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/53 "2024-05-03T03:12:31Z")
Makes sense. When I need tomato paste, for things like chili or pasta sauce, the recipe typically calls for a whole can. I can see where a tube might be better if you only need a bit of paste for a recipe. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/54 "2024-05-03T11:15:32Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I only need like a teaspoon or so of tomato paste and then I end up throwing out the can I roll up the remaining paste in plastic wrap and freeze it. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/55 "2024-05-03T14:19:20Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Weird… the Aleppo pepper we got was from Penzeys, and it’s like a milder, more flavorful crushed red pepper flake. Mine was from Spice House and I think our descriptions match. I didn’t find it more flavorful which is ok (perceived flavor intensity is inherently unstable) but it didn’t taste _different_ from cayenne flakes. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/56 "2024-05-03T14:49:06Z")
Most of the red pepper flakes I’ve had haven’t been terribly flavorful, or if they are, they’re pretty hot (~30,000 Scoville) and I don’t use enough to actually pick up on that flavor. Aleppo pepper is much the same format, but considerably less spicy (10,000 Scoville - still spicy, but around a jalapeno more or less), so I can use it in a larger quantity and pick up on that flavor. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/57 "2024-05-07T13:27:16Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > Just don’t keep your cash in a bucket. (from the clean version of the limerick that starts “There once was a man from Nantucket”) What’s the clean version? There once was a man from Nantucket Who kept all his cash in a bucket In anticipation Of a Thailand vacation He looked forward to visiting Phucket There once was a man from Nantucket Who kept all his cash in a bucket He didn’t trust banks And taxes? No thanks He really was hoping to duck it ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/58 "2024-05-07T17:33:44Z")
> [@solost](#): > > What’s the clean version? Well, the dirty version includes autofalatio. There actually were a series of limericks involving New England city names: There once was a man from Nantucket Who kept all his cash in a bucket His daughter named Nan Ran away with a man. And as for the bucket, Nantucket He followed the two to Pawtucket The girl, the man, and the bucket He said to the man You can keep daughter Nan But as for the bucket, Pawtucket (there’s one about Manhasset; don’t remember that one as well.) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/59 "2024-05-07T17:44:37Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I roll up the remaining paste in plastic wrap and freeze it. What I was going to suggest. Additional benefit: you can just slice off whatever you need from the frozen chunk and toss the rest back in the freezer. > [@CairoCarol](#): > > I now only buy Vietnamese cinnamon, as it seems to be hands down the best. I use that quite often, but it is noticeably stronger than other cinnamons and it’s easy to overdo it. I’ve found that Penzey’s Baking Spice is a really nice substitute for cinnamon in a lot of recipes. It’s more complex and very warm (not in terms of heat). Been using it for years and have never been disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041/60 "2024-05-07T17:47:32Z")
And I’ve never been disappointed in any of the cooking tips/recipes I’ve gotten from @Chefguy, so I am going to try the Penny’s baking spice! ETA: my current primary use of cinnamon is to make upside down cakes with whatever tropical fruit we have on hand - mango, jaboticaba, papaya, etc. Depending on how strong/tart the fruit is, I add varying quantities of fresh lime juice and cinnamon (papaya usually benefits from a fairly heavy hand; jabotica needs just a little). The Baking Spice sounds great with that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culinary-ingredient-nomenclature-spices-and-what-to-do-with-them/1001041.md?page=4)