A Survey of Tropical Spices

Among the tropical spices, family relationships don’t readily translate into flavor relationships. I’ve therefore listed them all in simple alphabetical order. It’s interesting to note, though, that the ginger family includes turmeric, galangal, cardamoms, and grains of paradise; and that allspice and clove are members of the myrtle family, and thus relatives of each other and of two strong-scented fruits, guava and feijoa.