Caraway Seed

No, although they look very similar in appearance, caraway (Carum carvi) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum) come from entirely different plants and have distinctly different flavor profiles. Caraway has a strong, sweet, and slightly peppery flavor with hints of anise, whereas cumin is warmer and more earthy.

Caraway is native to Europe and western Asia and is considered one of the oldest cultivated spices on the continent. Archaeological evidence shows that caraway seeds have been utilized by humans for thousands of years, with seeds actually recovered from Neolithic archaeological sites.

Caraway seeds are most famously used to flavor traditional European breads like Irish soda bread and German rye bread. They are also a primary ingredient in Central European dishes like sauerkraut and various pork dishes, as well as in liqueurs like kümmel and aquavit.

Botanically speaking, what we commonly call a caraway seed is actually the dried fruit of the caraway plant. The tiny, crescent-shaped halves are schizocarps, which split into two mericarps that we recognize as the whole "seeds" used in cooking.