Dill oil, however, contains less carvone than caraway oil. English-distilled oils usually have the highest specific gravity, from 0.910 to 0.916, and are consequently held in the highest esteem. As a sweet herb, Dill is not much used in this country. When employed, it is for flavouring soups, sauces, etc., for which purpose the young leaves only are required. The leaves added to fish, or mixed with pickled cucumbers give them a spicy taste.
Dill vinegar, however, forms a popular household condiment.
It is made by soaking the seeds in vinegar for a few days before using. The French use Dill seeds for flavouring cakes and pastry, as well as for flavouring sauces. Like the other umbelliferous fruits and volatile oils, both Dill fruit and oil of Dill possess stimulant, aromatic, carminative and stomachic properties, making them of considerable medicinal value. Oil of Dill is used in mixtures, or administered in doses of 5 drops on sugar, but its most common use is in the preparation of Dill Water, which is a common domestic remedy for the flatulence of infants, and is a useful vehicle for children's medicine generally. Oil of Dill is also employed for perfuming soaps.