Adding Spice to the Pantry;
- 'Turmeric' ground, the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia herb
- 'Paprika' ground, the Mythological Ichor a mineral that was present in the blood of the Greek gods and helped to keep them immortal
- 'Cardomon'The Spice in political document
- 'Cassia Bark' The forgotten fools cinnamon
I find Culinary Myth and history absolutely fascinating, and have decided to share some little tid bits to get your imaginations going. Be enticed to explore more flavour as-well as your health, enjoy :D
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| ... A Shopping expedition |
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| ... Spices ground round up |
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| ... Turmeric ground |
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| ... Paprika smoked, ground and stored. Best used in Rice dishes and vegetable bakes. I love roasting my wedges with an abundance of smoked paprika. Paprika is a red spice made from dried bell peppers that have been ground into tiny particles. While many people typically think of Hungarian foods when they think of the spice. Especially since the name comes from the Hungarian . There are many European countries that use the seasoning regularly to both colour and flavour foods. It is added to soups and stews, sprinkled over the tops of meats, or forms part of many grilling rubs or seasoning's. Paprika is also a common ingredient sausages, especially those produced in Spain, Portugal, and Germany. Smoked paprika is usually associated with Spain. Smoked Spanish paprika is classified mild, medium or hot. Paprika that has been prepared so it has a distinct smoky flavour is called smoked paprika. Smoked paprika and sweet paprika are the most common types of paprika used on paprika potatoes, but some chefs use spicier paprika blends. In Greek mythology, Ichor was a mineral that was present in the blood of the gods and helped keep them immortal. Ichor is the extract of capsicum/chillis to be exact (heat) an ethereal fluid taking the place of blood in the veins of the ancient Greek gods. It was sometimes said to have been present in ambrosia and/or nectar. When a god was injured and bled, the Ichor made their blood poisonous to mortals. |
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| ... Turmeric ground and stored. Used in egg salad, mixed with brown rice with raisins cashews cumin and coriander, as a staple ingredient in curry powder, when preparing curries, on sautéed apples, and steamed cauliflower and/or green beans and onions or in dips with some mixed with dried onion and mayonnaise, add to raw cauliflower celery sweet pepper jicama and broccoli florets. Great with lentils, adds a orange-yellow hue naturally to dressings. My fav is baking my cauliflower sprinkled in turmeric. Turmeric was traditionally called Indian saffron since its deep yellow-orange colour is similar to that of saffron. It has been used throughout history as a condiment, healing remedy and textile dye. Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant and has a tough brown skin and a deep orange flesh. Its flavour is peppery, warm and bitter while its fragrance is mild yet slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger, to which it is related. Turmeric is native to Indonesia and southern India, where it has been harvested for more than 5,000 years. It has served an important role in many traditional cultures throughout the East, including being a revered member of the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia. While Arab traders introduced it into Europe in the 13th century, it has only recently become popular in Western cultures. The leading commercial producers of turmeric include India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Haiti and Jamaica. |
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| ... Cardamon Pods Brown dried, the Queen of Spice, second only to black pepper the king of spices. Used in garam marsala mixes, rice biryanis, soups, casseroles and mainly in savoury cooking. The seeds actually acts as meat tenderizers in meat when lightly crushed. It is one of the most valued spices in the world, native to the Middle East, North Africa, and Scandinavia. They are dried fruits of the ginger family. There are three types of cardamom – green cardamom, brown cardamom and Madagascar cardamom. Cardamom pods were chewed as a mouth refresher from ancient times in India. They have a pleasant aroma with a characteristic, slightly pungent taste and leave a warm feeling in the mouth. It is the seeds, taken out from the fruit, which produce the warm sensation. A document, the Ebers Papyrus, dated to about 1500 BC, chronicles that ancient Egyptians were using it for medicines, embalming and other ritualistic practices. They also chewed the pods to clean their teeth and freshen their breath. The Greeks and Romans used cardamom spice for perfumes, ointments and aromatic oils. It was also a supposed cure for overindulgence. It's been used as trade by the Indians for at least two thousand years, and even before then you'll find mention of it in some historical Indian texts like the Taitirriya Samhita which is a political document. Some of these writings date back to the 4th century BC where it's documented as being used for flavourings and medicinal purposes as well as religious offerings. At around the same time, the Greeks were using two varieties from the East which they called amomon and kardamomon. It's not quite clear whether these two are what we today call true cardamom. In Alexandria in A.D 176 it was listed among the Indian Spices liable for duty. |
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| ... Cassia Bark dried, a cheaper alternative to cinnamon with more pungency, intriguing yet less delicate in taste. Used in in 5 spice powders, other spicy mixes, Indian dishes, and dishes that don't have to be broken up. Cassia is the name given to the bark of several trees such as Cinnamonum cassia, C. aromatium, C. loureirii, C. burmannii, etc. These varieties have a wide distribution, but in ancient trade cassia used to come mainly from China, hence the name Chinese cinnamon or bastard cinnamon. The bark is coarser than that of true cinnamon, and the taste is more astringent and harsh, although a variety C. burmannii from Indonesia is similar to the Sri Lanka product. Cassia is more widely used today than is cinnamon, although most people are unfamiliar with the name cassia; moreover, the word can be confused with Cassia angustifolia – a very different plant, namely senna! Cassia as a spice is favored by the Chinese for incorporation in Five Spice Powder (along with Szechuan pepper, cloves, fennel and star anise). Cassia leaves (tejpat) are currently used as a spice in Indian cooking, while cassia leaves and buds were a favored import (with the name malabathrum) in ancient Rome and also during the Middle Ages. The spice in the case of both cinnamon and cassia come from bark of the plants. Medicinal Properties Cinnamon and cassia extracts have been used medically to treat gastrointestinal problems and as a specific for diarrhea, but their value is marginal. Their use as antimicrobials is of limited relevance, and it is dubious if the presence of cinnamon or cassia in cooked foods retards spoilage if left unrefrigerated in a tropical climate. Nevertheless, cinnamon along with many other spices has antibacterial properties that may be worth exploiting. “The properties of cassia are similar to those of cinnamon; but it is commonly regarded as somewhat more astringent. Its uses are the same as those of cinnamon" |
Pantry Additions;
- Turmeric ground
- Paprika ground
- Cardomon
- Cassia Bark
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