What Are Culinary Essential Oils?

Vibrant Liquid Herbs & Spices...

Squeeze the peel of a ripe orange, then breathe in the blissful fragrance on your hands. What you are smelling is the essential oil of the plant, which is the source of each plant’s unique flavor distilled from flowers, leaves, roots, and berries, to name a few. Approximately 75 to 95 percent of the flavor you experience comes from the aromas that enter the olfactory system which are simply complemented by the taste on your tongue. Scent has an emotional connection, which is why we form strong attachments to things that smell or taste especially good.

With the hundreds of essential oils out there, it was difficult for us to narrow down what we believe are the key aromatics to enhance cooking & crafting. Our Culinary Essential Oils are biodynamically farmed, unadulterated, botanical varietal essential oils that we source directly from reputable suppliers. For best practices, we are also under the guidance of the FDA "GRAS" list.

Essential Oils with different origins often possess slightly different aromatic qualities and flavors as a result of a concept called “Terroir,” or the environment in which it is grown. Terroir is the geography, geology, and microclimate of a certain place interacting with the plant’s genetics and is reflected in certain qualities of the plant. A concept invented by French winemakers, Terroir can be very loosely translated as “a sense of place”.

Essential Oils can easily replace your fresh or dried herbs and spices, since they are 50-70 times more concentrated. For a little perspective, one drop of essential oil is equivalent to a whole ounce of dried herbs, because dried herbs lose most of their essential oils and up to 90% of their nutrients and aromatic compounds through irradiation and evaporation. On the other hand, essential oils retain the beneficial molecules of the plant along with the plant’s flavor, and if stored properly they have a shelf life of several years. This makes Culinary Essential Oils an economical and efficient way to add pure flavor.

Use these delectable citrus, floral, herbal & piquant aromatics to elevate jams, jellies & marinades, or vinaigrettes, soups & sauces. Make chocolate truffles and frosting, frozen desserts or milkshakes. Embellish homemade mayo or aioli, syrups, honey, nut milks, nectars, oils. Add them to beverages, water and ice cubes, or even use them to make bitters and cordials.

Creating a beautiful flavor is like writing a poem, scoring a piece of music or painting a picture. It requires both skill and sensitivity to the beautiful world around us. In some small way, we hope to pass these time-honored traditions on to you.