Top 10 Best-Selling Ingredients of 2020 🏆

Another year has come to an end and we're recapping our most popular ingredients of 2020!

10. Lemon Peel Coarse Cut 🍋

First up is our Coarse Cut Lemon Peel! This ingredient has a pleasant lemony taste that we all know and love...

Suggested Use: You can add dried lemon peel as a kindling to start BBQ’s the fragrance from the dried lemon peel will lend its fragrance to chicken and fish. Add to dry potpourri blends and to simmering potpourri, they can also be added to bath teas and a decoction of the peels can be added to lotions, creams and shampoos. An infusion of the herb can be used to wash floors and surfaces as lemon is believed to be antibacterial. Dried lemon peel can also be added to a pepper or salt grinder along with salt or pepper to make freshly ground lemon salt/pepper.

9. Oregano 🌿

Oregano is a kitchen cupboard essential. It’s an incredibly versatile herb and although it’s most commonly associated with Italian dishes, it lends itself well to a number of different cuisines. We understand why the slightly earthy tasting herb with minty notes is so popular!

Suggested Use: Oregano works well with eggs, cheese, fish, meat and poultry; use it to flavour quiches, frittatas, savoury tarts, pizzas and pasta. Add to stuffing’s and savoury crumbles, sprinkle onto salads and into salad dressings, oregano enhances the flavour of vegetables including carrots and works especially well with tomatoes. The leaves can be added to potpourri and sachets to help deter moths and other flying insects. Dried leaves can be added to herbal sleep pillows and bath sachets.

8. Ground Ginger 🧡

We're not surprised that our Ground Ginger made it's way onto the list... Who doesn't love the sweet and zesty yet hot and spicy flavour of ginger?!

Suggested Use: Ginger is a store cupboard essential that lends itself to use in both savoury and sweet dishes. It is a popular spice in Asian cuisine; and can be added to soups, curries, jams, pickles, puddings, biscuits, breads and scones. Stir into marinades, dressings, sauces and dips. It works particularly well with chicken and fish and blends well with fruit and vegetable dishes. Ginger powder can be used to make the classic drink ginger beer; it can also be made into a tea to help relieve dyspepsia and morning sickness.

7. Angelica Root Cut 🤎

The roots of Angelica are long, twisted, thick and fleshy. This popular ingredient has an earthy flavour that's slightly bitter and a little herbal.

Suggested Use: The root is prized for its aromatic properties and is used in incense and in the perfumery industry. It is one of the ingredients of several French liqueurs including absinthe and can be used as a substitute for juniper berries when making gin. It can also be used as a fixative in pot-pourri.

6. Orange Peel Coarse Cut 🍊

Say hello to the dried cut peel of the fruit Citrus Aurantium Sinensis (also known as orange!)

Suggested Use: You can add dried orange peel as a kindling to start BBQ’s, the fragrance from the fruit peel will lend its fragrance to meat and fish. Add to dry potpourri blends and to simmering potpourri. It can also be added to bath teas and a decoction of the peels can be added to lotions, creams and shampoos. An infusion of the herb can be used to wash floors and surfaces. Dried orange peel can also be added to a sugar, pepper or salt grinders to make freshly ground orange sugar/salt/pepper. We use it to whip up batches of Mulled Wine at Christmas Time.

5. Smoked Paprika 🌶️

Coming in at fifth place is our Smoked Paprika! Made from peppers that are smoked and dried, this process gives the red powder a rich, smoky flavour.

Suggested Use: Smoked Paprika can be used to add authentic Spanish flavour to your stews, casseroles and soups; it is one of the primary spices used to flavour chorizo. It can be added to most savoury dishes including eggs, meat especially pork, poultry, fish, shellfish, vegetables, sauces, dressings and marinades. Add to coatings and batters for fish and chicken, stir into paella and goulash. Sprinkle over potato salad, devilled eggs and rice dishes and also onto potatoes prior to roasting. It’s also nice stirred in to baked beans with a little dried onion and served on top of a baked potato for a quick filling lunch or supper.

4. Turmeric 💛

Of course Turmeric has made it's way onto our top 10 list for another year! All of our Turmeric contains a natural active ingredient called Curcumin. As curcumin is a natural ingredient, the level of curcumin can change from batch to batch. The average percentage of curcumin normally ranges from 2 – 5%

Suggested Use: Add this spice to curries, soups, stews, sauces and marinades and any dish you wish to colour yellow such as rice. Turmeric has been used as a substitute for saffron and is one of the traditional ingredients used to give piccalilli its yellow colouring. Turmeric is the ultimate healthy spice. Try mixing some turmeric powder in your tea with some milk and honey for a super healthy and tasty warm drink.

3. Coriander Seeds 🌿

We knew these seeds would be high up on this list because they are just oh so versatile! Often used whole or ground, coriander seeds have a mellow flavour with a slightly citrusy note of sweetness. Dry-toasting coriander seeds in a pan allows the spice to take on a more robust floral aroma as the oils release from the seeds.

Suggested Use: Coriander seed has a mild sweet, citrus flavour which works well with sweet and savoury dishes. Add to curries, soups, stews and tagines, ground coriander is used in middle eastern and Indian cuisines. It compliments pork, chicken and vegetables, sprinkle over sweet potatoes prior to roasting, add to rice and grain dishes such as couscous. Coriander can also be added to bread, puddings, biscuits, cakes and dumpling mixes. Mix together coriander seed, allspice berries and peppercorns into your pepper grinder to season meat and vegetables for an aromatic seasoning with a difference. The seeds can also be used to flavour oils such as walnut oil, lightly crush the seed and add to the oil along with thinly pared orange rind and a cinnamon stick. Use to make salad dressings and marinades.

2. Black Peppercorns 🖤

Second place is classic Black Peppercorns! This popular ingredient has a sharp, penetrating aroma and a characteristic woody, piney flavour.

Suggested Use: Black pepper is one of the most versatile spices and can be used in all kinds of savory recipes, it can also be used in sweet recipes, try dusting strawberries or watermelon lightly with black pepper to bring out their flavours. Black pepper can also be added to biscuits and sugar cookies. Add to salad dressings and sauces and use as a condiment a long side salt.

1. Juniper Berries

Drum roll please... Our most popular ingredient of 2020 is... JUNIPER BERRIES! (The key ingredient for making gin🍸) These popular berries have a slightly piney flavour with a touch of both fruitiness and pepperiness.

Suggested Use: An ideal ingredient to add to rich gamey dishes containing venison, duck and pheasant. They also work well with pork and lamb, and are excellent when added to dishes such as potato gratin, sauerkraut and pickles. The berries can also be used to make sweet syrups to poach fruit in or to use as a base for a fruit salad. To get the best results, lightly crush juniper berries before adding to a dish to help release their flavour.