Caraway, also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin (''Carum carvi''), is a

biennial plant A biennial plant is a flowering plant that, generally in a temperate climate, takes two years to complete its biological life cycle. Life cycle In its first year, the biennal plant undergoes primary growth, during which its vegetative structures ...

in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa.

Etymology

The etymology of "caraway" is unclear. Caraway has been called by many names in different regions, with names deriving from the Latin ''cuminum'' (

cumin Cumin ( or , or Article title
) (''Cuminum cyminum'') is a

Greek ''karon'' (again, cumin), which was adapted into Latin as ''carum'' (now meaning caraway), and the Sanskrit ''karavi'', sometimes translated as "caraway", but other times understood to mean " fennel".Katzer's Spice Pages
Caraway Caraway (''Carum carvi'' L.)
/ref> English use of the term caraway dates to at least 1440, possibly having Arabic origin.Walter William Skeat, Principles of English Etymology, Volume 2, page 319. 189
Words of Arabic Origin
/ref>

Description

The plant is similar in appearance to other members of the

carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', nat ...

family, with finely divided, feathery leaves with thread-like divisions, growing on stems. The main flower stem is tall, with small white or pink flowers in compound umbels composed of 5-16 unequal rays 1-6 cm long. Caraway fruits, informally called seeds, are smooth, crescent-shaped, laterally compressed

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not ope ...

s, around long, with five pale ridges and a distinctive pleasant smell when crushed.Tutin TG. 1980. Umbellifers of the British Isles. BSBI Handbook No. 2. It flowers in June and July.

History

Caraway was mentioned by the early Greek botanist Pedanius Dioscorides as a herb and tonic. It was later mentioned in the Roman '' Apicius'' as an ingredient in recipes. Caraway was known in the Arab world as ''karauya'', and cultivated in Morocco.

Cultivation

The only species that is cultivated is ''Carum carvi'', its fruits being used in many ways in cooking and in the preparation of medicinal products and liqueurs. The plant prefers warm, sunny locations and well-drained soil rich in organic matter. In warmer regions, it is planted in the winter as an annual. In temperate climates, it is planted as a summer annual or biennial. It is widely established as a cultivated plant. The Netherlands, Poland and Germany are the top caraway producers. Finland supplies about 28% (2011) of the world's caraway production from some 1500 farms, the high output occurring possibly from its favorable climate and latitudes, which ensure long summer hours of sunlight.

Nutrition

Caraway seeds are 10% water, 50% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 15% fat (table). In a reference amount, caraway seeds are a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of protein, B vitamins (24-33% DV), vitamin C (25% DV), and several dietary minerals, especially iron (125% DV), phosphorus (81% DV), and zinc (58% DV) (table).

Phytochemicals

When

ground Ground may refer to: Geology * Land, the surface of the Earth not covered by water * Soil, a mixture of clay, sand and organic matter present on the surface of the Earth Electricity * Ground (electricity), the reference point in an electrical c ...

, caraway seeds yield up to 7.5% of volatile oil, mostly D-carvone, and 15% fixed oil of which the major fatty acids are

oleic Oleic acid is a fatty acid that occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is an odorless, colorless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. In chemical terms, oleic acid is classified as a monounsaturated omega ...

linoleic Linoleic acid (LA) is an organic compound with the formula COOH(CH2)7CH=CHCH2CH=CH(CH2)4CH3. Both alkene groups are ''cis''. It is a fatty acid sometimes denoted 18:2 (n-6) or 18:2 ''cis''-9,12. A linoleate is a salt or ester of this acid. L ...

, petroselinic, and

palmitic Palmitic acid (hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature) is a fatty acid with a 16-carbon chain. It is the most common saturated fatty acid found in animals, plants and microorganisms.Gunstone, F. D., John L. Harwood, and Albert J. Dijkstra. The Li ...

acids.

Phytochemical Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants, generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections, and also consumption by insects and other animals. The name comes . Some phytochemicals have been used as poisons ...

s identified in caraway seed oil include thymol, o-cymene, γ‑terpinene, trimethylene dichloride, β-pinene, 2-(1-cyclohexenyl),

cyclohexanone Cyclohexanone is the organic compound with the formula (CH2)5CO. The molecule consists of six-carbon cyclic molecule with a ketone functional group. This colorless oily liquid has an odor reminiscent of acetone. Over time, samples of cyclohexan ...

β-phellandrene Phellandrenes are a pair of organic compounds that have a similar molecular structure and similar chemical properties. α-Phellandrene and β-phellandrene are cyclic monoterpenes and are double-bond isomers. In α-phellandrene, both double bon ...

3-carene 3-Carene is a bicyclic monoterpene consisting of fused cyclohexene and cyclopropane rings. It occurs as a constituent of turpentine, with a content as high as 42% depending on the source. Carene has a sweet and pungent odor, best described as a ...

, α-thujene, and linalool.

Potential toxicity

The leaves of caraway are mildly toxic, with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea.

Uses

The fruits, usually used whole, have a pungent,

anise Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, licorice, and ta ...

-like flavor and aroma that comes from essential oils, mostly carvone, limonene, and

anethole Anethole (also known as anise camphor) is an organic compound that is widely used as a flavoring substance. It is a derivative of phenylpropene, a type of aromatic compound that occurs widely in nature, in essential oils. It is in the class of p ...

. Caraway is used as a spice in

bread Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...

s, especially rye bread.Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs
/ref> In the United States, the most common use of caraway is whole as an addition to rye bread – often called ''seeded rye'' or ''Jewish rye'' bread, where the recipe itself owes to East Slavic

coriander Coriander (;

and caraway flavoured rye bread (see

Borodinsky bread Borodinsky bread (russian: бородинский хлеб ''borodinskiy khleb'') or borodino bread is a dark brown sourdough rye bread of Russian origin, traditionally sweetened with molasses and flavored with coriander and caraway seeds. Prepa ...

). Caraway seeds are often used in

Irish soda bread Soda bread is a variety of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as "baking soda", or in Ireland, "bread soda") is used as a leavening agent instead of the traditional yeast. The i ...

and other baked goods. Caraway may be used in desserts,

liquor Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or hard ...

casserole A casserole ( French: diminutive of , from Provençal 'pan') is a normally large deep pan or bowl a casserole is anything in a casserole pan. Hot or cold History Baked dishes have existed for thousands of years. Early casserole recipes ...

s, and other foods. Its leaves can be added to salads, stews, and soups, and are sometimes consumed as herbs, either raw, dried, or cooked, similar to

parsley Parsley, or garden parsley (''Petroselinum crispum'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to the central and eastern Mediterranean region (Sardinia, Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, southern Italy, Greece, Por ...

. The root is consumed as a winter

root vegetable Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as food. Although botany distinguishes true roots (such as taproots and tuberous roots) from non-roots (such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers, although some contain both hypocotyl a ...

in some places, similar to

parsnips The parsnip ('' Pastinaca sativa'') is a root vegetable closely related to carrot and parsley, all belonging to the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is a biennial plant usually grown as an annual. Its long taproot has cream-colored ski ...

. Caraway fruits are found in diverse

European cuisine European cuisine comprises the cuisines of Europe "European Cuisine."sauerkraut, and the United Kingdom's caraway seed cake. In Austrian cuisine it is used to season beef and, in

German cuisine The cuisine of Germany () is made up of many different local or regional cuisines, reflecting the country's federal history. Germany itself is part of the larger cultural region of Central Europe, sharing many culinary traditions with neighbo ...

, pork. In

Hungarian cuisine Hungarian or Magyar cuisine is the cuisine characteristic of the nation of Hungary and its primary ethnic group, the Magyars. Traditional Hungarian dishes are primarily based on meats, seasonal vegetables, fruits, bread, and dairy products. ...

it is added to goulash, and in Norwegian cuisine and

Swedish cuisine Swedish cuisine () is the traditional food of Sweden. Due to Sweden's large north-to-south expanse, there are regional differences between the cuisine of North and South Sweden. Historically, in the far north, meats such as reindeer, and other ...

it is used for making caraway black bread. In Latvian cuisine whole caraway seeds are added to the Jāņi sour milk cheese. Caraway oil is used to for the production of Kümmel liquor in Germany and Russia, Scandinavian akvavit, Icelandic

brennivín Brennivín () is considered to be Iceland's signature distilled beverage. It is distilled from fermented grain mash and then combined with Iceland's very soft, high-pH water, and flavored only with caraway. A clear, savory, herbal spirit, the ta ...

. Caraway can also be infused in a variety of cheeses such as havarti and

bondost Bondost (sometimes spelled bond-ost, Swedish for "farmer cheese") is a Swedish cheese, also made in the United States, chiefly in New York. This cow's-milk cheese is cylindrical in shape, about across and high. After the milk (either raw or p ...

to add flavor. In Oxford, where the plant appeared to have become naturalised in a meadow, the seeds were formerly offered on a tray by publicans to people who wished to disguise the odour of their drinker's breath.Mabey R. 1996. ''Flora Britannica''. Sinclair-Stevenson

References

External links

* {{Authority control Carum Edible Apiaceae Flora of Europe Flora of North Africa Flora of Western Asia Root vegetables Spices Medicinal plants of Africa Medicinal plants of Asia Medicinal plants of Europe Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus