Wikipedia:WikiProject Food and drink/Herbs and Spices task force/Template

Introduction

 * Give the full name of the plant in bold
 * What plant it comes from and provide a link to that plant.
 * What part of the plant is it from? root? seed? fruit? leaf?
 * What is it? an herb? a spice?
 * Anything else interesting about it that needs to be said right off the top? say it here.

Flavour

 * Is it hot? mild? aromatic? bitter? sweet? in one or two sentences, summarize this spice/herb. Are there two types with different flavour?

Active compounds

 * describe which chemicals a plant contains; give a reference if possible
 * which of them are most probable responsible for the flavor/possible toxicity/ other important properties of the spice?

Preparation and form

 * What form is it available in? Powder, whole, peeled, etc...
 * How can you store it? Can it be ground up?  frozen? dried? etc.
 * How do you use it? Do you roast it first?

History

 * Provide the history of the spice/herb here.
 * Include where it was originally used/grown, according to what we know (provide fact to back this up)
 * Did this spice cause any wars? (I think cloves did for example)
 * Anything else interesting about its history
 * Present history: where is it grown NOW

Culinary uses

 * General uses, no specific recipes
 * How it used in different countries?
 * What kinds of dishes is it used in?
 * Any advice for users? (i.e. don't use too much, use within 6 months, VERY HOT, etc...)

Recipes

 * If it is a KEY ingredient is some sort of mix/curry or some powder mix, then give it here.
 * Put some links to recipes which use this spice on Wikipedia and on the web here. If you search on google, put the ingredient/spice as well as this in the search string: (site:allrecipes.com | inurl:epicurious | inurl:recipesource | site:cooking.com | inurl:Recipezaar )

Medicinal properties

 * Many culinary herbs and spices also have medicinal uses, e.g.:
 * as folk remedies
 * in ayurvedic medicine
 * in homeopathy
 * as a source of allopathic pharmaceuticals
 * Omit this section if not applicable

Warnings

 * is the spice toxic in huge doses? How much of it is needed to produce the toxic effect? Are there special issues with kids/pregnant women/people with special diseases?
 * Is there a high incidence of allergies to it?
 * Are strong associations (Example red rose petals =>love) with it or even cultural taboos?