Baking Spices

• Associated with European American baked goods, the word "spice" most often triggers thoughts of "sweet" spices such as cinnamon, a tree bark; nutmeg, a seed; clove, a bud; ginger, a root; and allspice, a berry that tastes a bit like all the others. Baking spices are most often used dried then ground into powder.
  
  

Table Condiments

• The peppercorn holds a place on the table at nearly every American restaurant and in many private homes. They're berries that are sometimes preserved when they're green and eaten whole. More commonly, they're dried and turn either black or white. Dried peppercorns hold their flavor best stored whole and ground as they're being added to food. Ground mustard mixed with vinegar turns into an all-American condiment, ubiquitous at baseball stadiums around the country. It also adds piquancy to sauces. Dried mustard seeds are used whole in pickling liquids and relishes.
  
  

Herbs' Siblings

• Several seeds thought of as spices come from plants whose leaves are generally classified as herbs, a softer type of seasoning. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant. The dill in pickles is usually the round seed, while the hairlike leaves give a milder flavor to sauces and dips.