A writing prompt listicle.

First of all, this is a ridiculous premise, the idea of finding differences between three different things. It’s easy to compare two things in myriad ways, but three things? I don’t know enough about any three things to write a good comparison article.

So, here is the most random listicle you will ever read, all about the 7 differences between ginger, rosemary and cumin.

They come from different parts of the plant.

Ginger is a rhizome. Rosemary is a leaf/needle/greenery(?). Cumin is a seed.

They are used in different cuisines.

While both cumin and ginger are used in curries, cumin really shines in South and Central American cuisine while rosemary is more commonly used in western dishes. And ginger brings its spicy warmth to baked goods and east Asian recipes alike.

They grow in different parts of the world.

Cumin grows natively from the Middle East to India, while ginger originated in the East Indies and spread throughout the Indo-Pacific region as far as Hawaii. Rosemary is a Mediterranean plant.

They require different preparations.

For the best flavor, I like to crush and toast cumin. Ginger can also be toasted or sautéed, but bites just the same when grated and used fresh. Rosemary is most aromatic when crushed as well, but I like it heated as little as possible. Unless I’m roasting poultry or baking bread.

They start with different letters.

G. R. C.

Different letters.

They have different numbers of letters in the name.

Ginger has six. Cumin only has five. And Rosemary has eight.

Only two of them are used as names for people.

Rosemary used to be a common name, even if now it makes one think of a maiden great-great aunt. And there’s an occasional Ginger. Never heard of a person named Cumin, though; at least not in English.

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If you take anything away from this, let it be: don’t be afraid of adding flavor to your food, and beware strange writing prompts.