A sachet (say “sa-SHAY”) is a small bag or packet, usually made of fabric or paper, that holds something fragrant or flavorful. You might find a sachet of lavender tucked in a drawer to keep clothes smelling fresh, or a paper sachet of hot chocolate mix ready to stir into warm milk.

Sachets have been used for centuries to store spices, herbs, and perfumes. In cooking, a sachet d'épices (spice sachet) is a small cloth bundle of herbs and spices tied together and dropped into soup or stew to add flavor, then removed before serving. It is like a fancy, reusable tea bag for your dinner.

Today you'll see sachets everywhere: fancy teas come in sachets, drawer sachets make linens smell nice, and instant soup might come in a foil sachet you tear open. The key idea is always the same: a small, convenient package holding something you'll use a little bit at a time or want to release gradually, like fragrance into your closet or flavor into your cooking pot.