This is one of my favorite spices. Cardamon always brings to mind thoughts of my grandmothers Finnish pulla bread, and holidays spent inside near a crackling fire with good company. It is the sweet good cheer in my Five Pillars of Greatness blend, and used sparingly in a lot of my cooking. It is versatile enough to be used in anything from serious meaty dishes to light deserts, with a flavor reminiscent of true cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, but with with none of the bite. I use the green, but I find the pods to be more trouble than they are worth for most applications. The ground product loses flavor fast. Buy it in seed form and grind on demand.