Cardamom Essential Oil, Cardamom Spice Bread, Spicy Rose Cologne and more

Cardamom Loaf

It took awhile for me to like Cardamom spice.  Still today if a curry dish or lamb rub has too much cardamom I find it overwhelming, the aroma taking over the dish.  But I can't deny when Cardamom is used correctly, it offers a unique, slightly smoky fragrance which adds a wonderful element to a meat dish, dessert or perfume.

Cardamom is a perennial herb and belongs to the same plant family as Ginger.

Cardamom spice has a unique taste, slightly smoky and at times pungent.  The oil offers a sweet, spicy, fresh fragrance, clear to pale yellow in color and slightly watery in viscosity.  The green cardamom is used in sweet foods while the black cardamom is used in curry powders.

{Spicy Rose Cologne}
Simply combine the following essential oils with their corresponding formula:
- 3 drops each of cardamom
- 2 drops of jasmine essential oil
- 2 drops of frankincense essential oil
- 3 drops of rosewood essential oil 

Blend all together with 1/2 cup of rose water in a dark amber bottle with a spray mist.  Shake well. It should last quite awhile since it is made with rose water.  Cardamom is a middle note.  To understand notes in perfume making, read our article on Notes Primer. 

{Health Uses}
Cardamom is noted to be particularly effective in relieving the discomfort caused by stomach gas and abdominal bloating.  (Avoid during pregnancy. Consult a certified aromatherapist before taking it internally and read our Essential Oil Safety Guide!)

{Chef Cat Cora Recommends}
"For a delicious dry rub for lamb, I combine cardamom with coriander and fennel," says Chef Cat Cora, host of Food Network’s Kitchen Accomplished.

{Blending Flavors and Aromas}
- Allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric and coriander
- Fennel and black pepper
- Ginger
- Paprika and coriander
- Red pepper, coriander and ginger
- Black pepper, mustard seeds, cumin, fennel, cayenne (Makes a nice Curry Powder)
- Grapefruit, Lemon, Mandarin and Jasmine
- Jasmine, Sandalwood
- Roman Chamomile (I love this aroma)
- Lavender, Sandalwood, Bergamot


{Cardamom Bread}

From Lacy at Razor Family Farms
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Tbsp instant yeast
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk or water
• 3/4 cup melted butter or oil
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cardamom

1. Mix flour, yeast, and cardamom in mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat milk and stir in sugar until dissolved.
3. Melt butter (or oil)
4. In a mixer bowl, add the milk and sugar to the flour mixture. Add 1/2 cup melted butter (or oil) at this time.  Put the mixer setting on low and blend until a nice sticky dough forms.
5. Change the mixer blade to a dough hook. Knead for only a few minutes. Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes.  Ensure dough is covered,  you can use a plate over the top of the mixing bowl.  Let the dough rest to allow the gluten to absorb the moisture.
6. When the twenty minutes is up, begin kneading again and knead in the salt.
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into three equal parts. Let them rise for about 30-45 minutes. Roll the dough balls into ropes and braid them on the greased baking pan. Tuck the ends of the braid under.
8. Preheat oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the braided loaf with egg and sprinkle it with sugar. Bake until golden brown (about 30 minutes).

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Enjoy!