An ancient spice related to parsley, caraway does not have the lurid or illustrious history that spice like cloves or black pepper do. To many the flavor is bitter, camphorous in an unpleasant way, and biting. (When raw it’s downright soapy.)

Caraway actually dates back about 5000 years ago when ancient Romans began to spread the seeds. Soldiers often used it to flavor their food and it became a popular peasant spice throughout Europe. It was mainly used as a medicine, but also in spirits such as aquavit and kummel.