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MORTAR & KETTLE
APOTHECARY OF FLAVOR
THE PANTRY · TRACED TO ITS CHEMISTRY

Every ingredient, and what's inside it

The spices, herbs, flowers, and roots the index is built from, each one traced to the molecules it carries into the cup.

64TRACED55COMPOUNDS38RECIPES

Spices

14 ITEMS

Seeds, barks, and pods, toasted and ground for their aromatic oils.

green cardamom

green cardamom

spice

Cracked green pods, cool and camphoraceous.

cineoleC₁₀H₁₈O

warm, spiced

limoneneC₁₀H₁₆

bright citrus

β-caryophylleneC₁₅H₂₄

peppery, warm-woody

black peppercorns

black peppercorns

spice

The pungent king of spice.

piperineC₁₇H₁₉NO₃

sharp pepper heat

β-caryophylleneC₁₅H₂₄

peppery, warm-woody

cloves

cloves

spice

Dried flower buds, intensely warm and almost numbing; a little goes far.

eugenolC₁₀H₁₂O₂

clove-warm, numbing

β-caryophylleneC₁₅H₂₄

peppery, warm-woody

APPEARS IN · 1
coriander seeds

coriander seeds

spice

The citrus-floral seed of the cilantro plant.

limoneneC₁₀H₁₆

bright citrus

linaloolC₁₀H₁₈O

soft floral-citrus

allspice

allspice

spice

Dried pimento berry, clove, pepper, and cinnamon in one.

eugenolC₁₀H₁₂O₂

clove-like, warming

APPEARS IN · 2
anise seeds

anise seeds

spice

Sweet licorice seed, a classic after-dinner carminative.

anetholeC₁₀H₁₂O

sweet, soothing

cinnamon stick

cinnamon stick

spice

Sweet, warming bark.

cinnamaldehydeC₉H₈O

warm, sweet-woody

cumin seeds

cumin seeds

spice

Earthy, toasted backbone of many a rub.

cuminaldehydeC₁₀H₁₂O

cumin's warm aldehyde

fennel seeds

fennel seeds

spice

Sweet anise seed that settles the gut.

anetholeC₁₀H₁₂O

sweet, licorice-like

nutmeg

nutmeg

spice

Warm, sweet, resinous seed, grated fresh for the brightest oils.

myristicinC₁₁H₁₂O₃

warm, woody-sweet

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star anise

star anise

spice

Star-shaped pod with a deep licorice sweetness.

anetholeC₁₀H₁₂O

sweet, licorice-anise

turmeric

turmeric

spice

Golden rhizome, earthy and faintly bitter.

curcuminC₂₁H₂₀O₆

earthy, golden

vanilla bean

vanilla bean

spice

The whole cured pod: split and steeped, it gives up vanillin and a hundred trace aromatics.

vanillinC₈H₈O₃

vanilla, drawn slowly

paprika

paprika

spice

Ground sweet pepper for pigment and a gentle warmth.

No compound traced yet.
APPEARS IN · 1

Herbs & Leaves

10 ITEMS

Green, volatile leaves that give up their oils to a gentle steep.

kale

kale

herb

A dark, bitter brassica leaf, the smoothie's vitamin and antioxidant load.

sulforaphaneC₆H₁₁NOS₂

the crucifer's defence

β-caroteneC₄₀H₅₆

provitamin A pigment

APPEARS IN · 1
sage

sage

herb

Savory, resinous, faintly medicinal.

rosmarinic acidC₁₈H₁₆O₈

green, savory

thujoneC₁₀H₁₆O

camphor, herbaceous

bay leaves

bay leaves

herb

Dried bay, resinous and faintly eucalyptus-cool.

cineoleC₁₀H₁₈O

cool, aromatic

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dried mint

dried mint

herb

Cooling mint, dried for the shelf.

mentholC₁₀H₂₀O

cooling, herbaceous

fresh cilantro

fresh cilantro

herb

Fresh coriander leaf, bright, green, and faintly citrus-soapy.

(E)-2-decenalC₁₀H₁₈O

the cilantro note

fresh mint

fresh mint

herb

Bright, cooling leaf.

mentholC₁₀H₂₀O

cooling, minty

molokhiya

molokhiya

herb

Jute-mallow leaves, grassy, green, and gently thickening.

cis-3-hexen-1-olC₆H₁₂O

cut-grass green

thyme

thyme

herb

Bracing, phenolic garden herb.

thymolC₁₀H₁₄O

sharp, antiseptic

APPEARS IN · 1
ginkgo biloba

ginkgo biloba

herb

Fan-leafed tonic for circulation and focus.

No compound traced yet.
APPEARS IN · 1
marjoram

marjoram

herb

Sweet, delicate cousin of oregano.

No compound traced yet.

Flowers & Petals

5 ITEMS

Blossoms steeped for colour, perfume, and calm.

chamomile flowers

chamomile flowers

flower

The classic calming daisy.

apigeninC₁₅H₁₀O₅

floral, calming

α-bisabololC₁₅H₂₆O

soft, soothing

dried lavender

dried lavender

flower

Fragrant buds for calm and sleep.

linaloolC₁₀H₁₈O

floral, soothing

linalyl acetateC₁₂H₂₀O₂

soft, clarifying

jasmine pearls

jasmine pearls

flower

Green tea pearls scented with jasmine bloom.

benzyl acetateC₉H₁₀O₂

sweet, jasmine

linaloolC₁₀H₁₈O

floral, soothing

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butterfly pea petals

butterfly pea petals

flower

Petals that steep an electric indigo.

anthocyaninsC₁₅H₁₁O₆⁺

blue pigment, antioxidant

rose buds

rose buds

flower

Dried buds, all petal-perfume.

citronellolC₁₀H₂₀O

floral, calming

Roots & Rhizomes

4 ITEMS

The deep, resinous underground: warming and grounding.

fresh ginger

fresh ginger

root

Pungent rhizome with a radiant inner heat.

gingerolC₁₇H₂₆O₄

warm, pungent

lemon valerian

lemon valerian

root

Sedative root that deepens rest.

valerenic acidC₁₅H₂₂O₂

deeply sedating

APPEARS IN · 1
licorice root

licorice root

root

Intensely sweet root, soothing and rounding.

glycyrrhizinC₄₂H₆₂O₁₆

sweet, soothing

spikenard root

spikenard root

root

Resinous, earthy root long prized for sleep.

jatamansone

earthy, sedative

Fruit & Sour

12 ITEMS

Dried fruit and sour pulp, for sweetness, acid, and pigment.

grape juice

grape juice

fruit

Deep, sweet-tart concord-grape juice, the body of the pour.

anthocyaninsC₁₅H₁₁O₆⁺

grape-skin ruby

catechinC₁₅H₁₄O₆

grippy tannin

tartaric acidC₄H₆O₆

the wine acid

strawberry

strawberry

fruit

Frozen berries, the sweet-tart red half of the blend, and its colour.

citric acidC₆H₈O₇

the bright tartness

fructoseC₆H₁₂O₆

fruit sugar

furaneolC₆H₈O₃

the strawberry note

pomegranate molasses

pomegranate molasses

fruit

Reduced pomegranate juice, the dark, sweet-sour tang at the heart of the dish.

citric acidC₆H₈O₇

the sour lift

ellagic acidC₁₄H₆O₈

pomegranate tannin

APPEARS IN · 1
tamarind

tamarind

fruit

Sour pod pulp, the backbone of coolers.

citric acidC₆H₈O₇

bright, cooling

tartaric acidC₄H₆O₆

sharp, sour

APPEARS IN · 1
banana

banana

fruit

Soft, sweet, and potassium-rich, the natural sugar that sweetens without a spoonful.

isoamyl acetateC₇H₁₄O₂

the banana note

dried lumi

dried lumi

fruit

Pierced dried lime, all fermented-citrus tang.

limoneneC₁₀H₁₆

bright, citrus

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goji berries

goji berries

fruit

Ruby dried berries, sweet and carotenoid-rich.

zeaxanthinC₄₀H₅₆O₂

fruity, protective

green chili peppers

green chili peppers

fruit

Fresh green chilies with clean, grassy heat.

capsaicinC₁₈H₂₇NO₃

clean, green heat

jujube

jujube

fruit

Red date, a mellow, calming sweetness.

jujubosidesC₃₀H₄₈O₄

sweet, calming

lemon

lemon

fruit

Bright, sour citrus.

citric acidC₆H₈O₇

bright lift

mango

mango

fruit

Golden tropical flesh, carotenoid-rich, bringing sweetness and colour.

β-caroteneC₄₀H₅₆

provitamin A pigment

APPEARS IN · 1
pomegranate

pomegranate

fruit

Ruby arils, jewels of tart-sweet crunch scattered over each bowl.

anthocyaninsC₁₅H₁₁O₆⁺

ruby arils

APPEARS IN · 1

Tea

1 ITEM

The oxidised leaf that carries caffeine and theanine.

black tea

black tea

tea

Fully oxidized leaf, brisk and caffeinated.

caffeineC₈H₁₀N₄O₂

alert, energizing

catechinC₁₅H₁₄O₆

grippy tannin

l-theanineC₇H₁₄N₂O₃

calm, sweet-savory

Pantry & Staples

45 ITEMS

Carried for body, texture, and nutrition as much as for flavour, from dairy to protein and seeds.

cocoa powderlambparmigiano reggianopecorino romanoall-purpose flouralmondsayranchia seedschicken brothcollagen peptidesgarlicground flaxseedlamb brothlentilsonionspine nutspita breadplain yogurtpsyllium huskraw sugarwhey proteinagar agarbaking powderbasmati riceCalrose ricechickencondensed milkcornfloureggevaporated milkfiltered waterfresh milkfrying oilgheeground raw sugarmonk fruit extractmullet filletsoatsolive oilpastapeanut butterpumpkin seedssea salttomato pastevegetable glycerin