Whole coriander seed 60 g

Luka Šarić gathers ripe juniper berries around Lovinac and air-dries them whole. The pine and gin scent comes out when you crush a berry.

Marija Kovač dries and grinds the paprika near Đakovo in small batches, with nothing added. Freshly ground paprika is red and sweet.

The Radin family near Buzet dries the fennel seed and cleans it by hand. Seed left to ripen on the stem is sweeter than seed picked early.

Ana Jurić near Benkovac dries the bay leaves flat so they do not break. A whole leaf releases its flavour slowly and is easy to take out of the dish.

Whole mustard seed is mild and turns hot only when you crush it into liquid. Marija Kovač sieves it clean near Đakovo and packs it unground.