SPICES

1. SPICES One or other of various strongly flavoured or aromatic substances of vegetable origin, obtained from tropical plants, commonly used as condiments, spices are aromatic dried roots, bark, buds, seeds, berries and other fruits.

2. Spices are aromatic dried roots, bark, buds, seeds, berries and other fruit. The word ‘spice’ comes from the Latin word species, meaning specific kind , goods or merchandise. Most of the important spice plants – cinnamon, pepper, ginger, cloves, nutmeg – are native to the Asian tropics; allspice, vanilla and chilliescome from the West Indies and Central America; many of the aromatic seeds – coriander, fenugreek, fennel, poppy, mustard – come from the Mediterranean; caraway, dill and juniper come from the colder regions of Europe.

3. HISTORY Spices have been used for thousands of years throughout Asia, Arabia and the Mediterranean region. Once valued as highly as gold, they were much sought after in the West and the quest for spices influenced the course of history. Countries vied to win control over their production, navigators set sail to discover new sea routes to the East, which eventually allowed small nations to build large empires. Even though today the Spice wars have ceased, spices still play a major role in the economies of many countries.

4. Origins of the spice trade Mediterranean people traded spices from the earliest times. The Egyptians used spices for embalming, body ointments and for fumigating their homes. Records dating from 1550 BC show that frankincense from Arabia, myrrh from East Africa, spices and precious stones from the East were taken overland by donkey and then by camel caravans along the Incense Route. Spices are frequently mentioned in the Bible as a valuable commodity.

5. For centuries Arabs acted as middlemen in the trade with the Orient and Africa south of the Sahara. They were in exactly the right geographical position and kept the provenance of their wares secret from their buyers. Grisly tales were told about the location of spices to discourage them from trying to find the true source of supply and buying direct. In 332BC Alexander the Great defeated the Phoenicians who had been distributing spices around the Mediterranean from their great commercial centre Tyre. A year later he founded Alexandria which then became the meeting place for merchants from East and West.

6. The Romans started sailing to India from Egypt in the first century AD. It was a dangerous journey and took two years to complete. Fortunately a reek merchant sailor, Hippalus, discovered the monsoon winds. This then meant that ships sailed to India with the southwest monsoons from April to October and returned with the northeast monsoons from October to April. This cut the journey time down to less than a year. The Romans used spices in abundance for perfume, cosmetics, medicines and cooking. Pepper, ginger and turmeric were the most popular Oriental spices in Rome.

7. As the Roman empire expanded and crossed the Alps the inhabitants of northern Europe were introduced to, and gained the taste for, spices too. After the fall of Rome in 410AD, Constantinople became the new capital of the eastern empire and trade routes developed around the growing city. It was during this time that cloves and nutmegs were introduced to the West.

8. During the Middle Ages the spice trade dwindled and by the time the Arabs conquered Alexandria in 641AD it had virtually stopped. For 400 years very few spices reached Europe as there was very little trade between the Muslim Arabs and Christian Europe. Genoa and Venice to became very wealthy and powerful supplying the few spices that did get through to the great houses and palaces and the monasteries and cathedral priories. Eventually Venice won control of trade with the Orient.

9. Spices found their way back into Europe during the 11th century as a result of the Crusades. For 200 years the Crusaders and pilgrims to the Holy land brought back spices and other goods. Although still expensive they became available to the middle classes as well as the rich. In 1498 the Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama discovered the route to the most important port on the west coast of India. This enabled European merchants to go to India and purchase their spices directly. This led to a reduction in the price of many sought after spices.

10. Trade continued via the Portuguese then the Dutch and English. Eventually a French botanist smuggled clove and nutmeg trees out of the Spice Islands and successfully grew them in various French tropical colonies and then later in Zanzibar and the West Indies. As a result no one country had the monopoly on trade and spice prices started to fall. Columbus landed in the Caribbean and brought back new found spices, fruits and nuts. Plants were transported and planted in new colonies around the world.

11. Spices are imported by many countries the USA being the main importer, followed by West Germany, Japan and France. India exports the most spices followed by Indonesia and Brazil. More than 80% of spice exports come from developing countries.

12. ALLSPICE • Originates from West Indies and Central and South America. The best comes from Jamaica. • Reddish brown berry introduced to Europe by Columbus • Fragrant aroma and pungent taste resembling a peppery mixture of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg • Used in the food industry in ketchups, pickles, sausages and meat canning. Gives a gentle warm flavour to cakes, jams and fruit pies. • For centuries has been included in pot-pourris

13. CARDAMOM • One of most ancient and highly valued spices in the world • Comes from India & Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Tanzania & Vietnam. • Enhances both sweet and savoury dishes. The flavour is in the seeds • In India is used as one of main ingredients in curry powder & garammasala • Important as a flavouring in many Asian dishes, sweet meats, pastries, puddings and ice-creams • Arabs & Turks use it as a flavouring in coffee • Scandinavians use it for flavouring spiced cakes, pastries and breads • Chewing a few seeds cleanses the breath, particularly of excessive garlic

14. CINNAMON • Originally from Sri Lanka. Now grown in India, Brazil, West Indies & Indian Ocean islands • Is the dried bark of a tree of the ‘laurel’ family • Comes in Quill and ground form • Used in sweet & savoury dishes • Good with lamb – Morrocantagines, Iranian Khoraks • Rice dishes, fruit compotes, chocolate desserts, cakes, drinks, spice breads, cinnamon toast • Once commonly used to flavour ale and wine – good for mulled wine • Essential oil is used in food processing and soft drinks.

15. CLOVES • From Indonesia, Madegascar, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Malaysia & Grenada • Unopened flower buds of a small evergreen tree • Traditionally used in clove pomanders to scent clothes or rooms • Used in both sweet and savoury dishes – baked ham, spiced breads, bread sauce, rice dishes • Clove essence is used as a food preservative • Very strong, pungent taste and aroma so used sparingly • Essential oil is an antiseptic and analgesic. Diluted oil of cloves can be used as a mouthwash or gargle. Rubbed on the gums it relieves toothache

16. CORIANDER • Native to the Mediterranean, now grown worldwide • Leaf used as a herb and garnish, whole and ground seeds used as a spice • Used in both sweet and savoury dishes • Essential ingredient in curry powder • Popular in minced meat dishes, sausages (merguez) and stew in the Middle east • Pickling and baking in Europe and America • Essential oil flavours chocolate; liqueurs and other drinks and is used in incense and perfumes • Used in pharmaceutical preparations for migraine and indigestion

17. CUMIN • Originally from the Nile Valley, now grown in N. Africa & Asia, Iran, India, Indonesia, China, Spain & N. America • Seeds are left whole or ground • Essential in garammasala mixes. • Used in pickles, relishes and salads • Flavours many couscous, minced meat and vegetable dishes and merguez sausages. • Taken in India as a remedy for diarrhoea, flatulence and indigestion

18. GINGER • One of oldest and most important spices • Originally from tropical forests in Asia now grows almost everywhere in tropical regions • Used fresh, ground, pickled, crystallised, preserved (stem ginger in syrup) • Jamaican ginger said to be the best • Used a lot in both sweet and savoury dishes • Essential ingredient in curry powder and other spice blends • Used in gingerbread, biscuits, cakes, puddings, pickles and many Asian vegetable dishes • Used in drinks – ginger beer and wine • Used widely in Asian medicine as a digestive. It also eases travel sickness.

19. NUTMEG & MACE • Cultivated in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and the West Indies • Fruit ripens 6 – 9 months after flowering and is gathered when falls to the ground • Mace is the lacy covering surrounding the seed • Nutmeg lies within the shell of the seed • Similar in taste to one another warm and aromatic – sweetish in nutmeg, more bitter in mace • Used in both sweet and savoury dishes – potatoes, cabbage, macaroni, stews, honey cakes, fruit cakes, punch, egg and cheese dishes • Used in perfumery, soaps and shampoos

20. PEPPER • Most widely used spice in the West • Originally from the monsoon forests of the Malabar coast in southwest India. Was once as expensive as gold. • Black pepper is the unripe fruit. White, green and pink peppercorns are berries from the same vine, picked at different stages of maturity • Has a warm woody smell. White pepper tastes hotter and less subtle than black; green pepper is not as hot and has a clean, fresh taste. • Neither sweet nor savoury, just pungent, can be used in both types of dish. • Use peppercorns whole to flavour stocks and liquids; crush coarsely when adding to dry mixtures or marinades. • Said to help relieve flatulence and to have diuretic properties

21. TURMERIC • Mainly from India. Also grown in Indonesia, China, Bangladesh, S. America and Caribbean • Member of the ginger family • Used whole – fresh or ground - dried • Essential ingredient in curry powder • Important as a flavouring and colouring in many Asian dishes • In the West used commercially in sauces and processed foods & often added to mustard blends • Used as a traditional textile dye • In paste form used as a beauty mask in India • Medicinally taken as a tonic and remedy for liver problems. Added to ointments, it is applied to treat skin diseases

22. SPICE BLENDS Spice blends are used all over the world to add a distinctive flavour to a dish. All vary in the types of spices used and the texture of the mix. Some are pastes based on fresh ingredients such as chillies, others are dry mixtures of whole or ground spices.

23. Far Eastern Spice Blends • Shichimi Togarashi & Gomasio – Japan • Five-spice powder & Spiced salt – China • Sambal Oelek & Sambal Badjak – Indonesia • Roasted Nam Prik & Nam Prik – Thailand • Red & Green Curry pastes – Thailand • Basic curry powder, Sambhar powder, Bengali Panch Phoron, Garam Masala, Chat Masala, Green Masala – India • Sri Lankan curry powder – Sri Lanka

24. African & Middle Eastern spice blends • Baharat & Zhug – Gulf States & Yemen • Berbere, Wat spices – Ethiopia • Tabil, Harissa & Tunisian Five spices – Tunisia • Ras el Hanout & Zahtar – Morocco • Dukka - Egypt

25. European Spice mixtures • Scappi’s spice mix – Italy • Quatre-Epices & melange Classique – France • Pickling spice & Pudding spice - England

26. American spice mixtures • Cajun Seasoning – Louisiana • BBQ basic spice, Juniper spice, Paprika spice, Fennel spice • Crab boil & Fish seasoning