subtle, with woody, fresh notes Curry leaves are added to stews or other simmered dishes, or briefly sautéed to flavor a cooking oil They are also remarkable for containing unusual alkaloids (carbazoles) with antioxidant and antiin-flammatory properties Curry Plant Curry plant is a Mediterranean member of the lettuce family, Helichrysum italicum, that has been said to be reminiscent of Indian curries It does contain a number of terpenes that give it a vaguely spicy, pleasant aroma; it’s used to flavor egg dishes, teas, and sweets Epazote Epazote is a scented member of the large “goosefoot” family, which also provides us with spinach, beets, and the grain quinoa Chenopodium ambrosioides is a weedy native of temperate central America that has spread throughout much of the world, and lends a characteristic aroma to Mexican beans, soups, and stews That aroma is variously described as fatty, herbaceous, and penetrating, and is due to a terpene called ascaridole Ascaridole is also responsible for the use of epazote in folk medicine; it is toxic to intestinal worms Hoja Santa This herb’s name is Spanish for “holy leaf,” and refers to the large leaf of New World relatives of black pepper, Piper auritum and P sanctum It’s used from southern Mexico to northern South America to wrap foods and flavor them while they’re cooked, and is also added directly to dishes as a flavoring The main aromatic in hoja santa is safrole, the characteristic note of sassafras familiar from root beers, and a suspected carcinogen Houttuynia Houttuynia is a small perennial Asian plant, Houttuynia cordata, in the primitive lizard’s-tail family (Saururaceae), a relative of black pepper Its leaves are used in Vietnamese and Thai salads, stews, and other dishes There are two main varieties, one with ... “holy leaf,” and refers to the large leaf of New World relatives of black pepper, Piper auritum and P sanctum It’s used from southern Mexico to northern South America to wrap foods and flavor them while... cordata, in the primitive lizard’s-tail family (Saururaceae), a relative of black pepper Its leaves are used in Vietnamese and Thai salads, stews, and other dishes There are two main varieties, one with... them while they’re cooked, and is also added directly to dishes as a flavoring The main aromatic in hoja santa is safrole, the characteristic note of sassafras familiar from root beers, and a suspected