2018 – Page 15 – SPICEography

Horseradish: For More Than Just Cocktail Sauce

Horseradish was being used by the Egyptians in 1500 BCE. It would later be used by the Greeks as well. They used it topically and it also had a reputation as an aphrodisiac. It would be among the bitter herbs consumed during Passover by the Jews and they used it as a medicine as well.

The name is believed to have originated with the Germans who referred to it as meerrettich. The meer part refers to the sea because horseradish typically grows on the coast. The English began referring to it as mareradish, which would eventually become horseradish. The horse in this usage denoted something that was coarse or large. The radish part of the name comes from the Latin word for root.

The European consumption of horseradish as a food began in the central part of the continent and spread north to Scandinavia and west to the UK. It would first be eaten by rural British laborers and the working class in the mid-1600s. By the end of the century, it had become a staple condiment for British roast beef and for oysters. It was also the main ingredient in a tonic served to travelers lodging at inns.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): The Controversial Savory Flavor Enhancer

For many people, monosodium glutamate is better known by its acronym: MSG. The spice has had a lot of controversy surrounding it in the past and some of that still lives on today. The chemical was first isolated from seaweed by Ikeda Kikunae, a Japanese chemist and would be introduced …

Galangal: Ginger’s Milder Cousin

Galangal is a relative of ginger that originated in Indonesia but that is now cultivated throughout Asia. The earliest reports of its use come from Java and from China. It is a rhizome, just like ginger and bears a close resemblance to it. Galangal was known to the ancient Romans; it was one of the spices imported into Europe during the early spice trade and Apicius included it as an ingredient in his recipes.

The name galangal is thought to have evolved from an Arabic word, khalanjan. Khalanjan means mild ginger and may have come from Liangtiang, which means the same thing in Chinese. Its Latin name is Alpinia, which was given as a commemoration of Prospero Alpini, the Italian botanist.

Galangal was brought to Europe in the 9th century by Arabs who used it as a medicine. It was referred to as the spice of life by the 9th-century mystic Hildegard of Bingen. It shows up in English recipes from the Middle Ages; at this time, its name was written as galangale. Despite its centuries-long usage in both Asia and Europe, it was not formally recognized and given a biological classification until the late 19th century.

These days, most of the galangal in the world comes from India or Thailand. The Netherlands imports a significant amount of this spice.

Charoli: An Indian Spice With Nutty Qualities

Charoli is the name for the seeds of the Buchanania lanzan plant. The seeds are also commonly known as chironji seeds or almondettes. The Buchanania lanzan plant grows wild in forests all over India. Charoli is commonly identified with food from the state of Maharashtra, which spans western and central India. The seeds are harvested by the state’s tribal population, for whom they are a source of income.

According to practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine, charoli can enhance your life force and purify your blood. Charoli has been used for centuries in India and is mentioned in ancient Sanskrit texts.

These days, the Buchanania lanzan trees in India are considered a vulnerable medicinal plant due to excessive deforestation and over-exploitation.

Chia Seeds Vs. Hemp Seeds: SPICEography Showdown

Chia seeds and hemp seeds are often listed alongside flax seeds as superfoods. If you are trying to choose between them, you will need to consider what each has to offer. Our chia seeds vs. hemp seeds SPICEography Showdown will show you how the two seeds compare to each other. Let’s break things down.

Nigella Seeds: The Oregano-Flavored Spice

Nigella seeds are also called black seeds or black cumin, among several other names. The plant from which this spice comes is a relative of the buttercup that originated in the Mediterranean region. Historians believe that it was first used as a culinary spice in Turkey and Syria. You can find the nigella plant growing wild in Egypt and India, but it is also cultivated in those places. It can be found elsewhere in Northern Africa as well, in addition to the southern parts of both Asia and Europe.

Nigella seeds were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun; interestingly, they were still usable. The seeds were used by Cleopatra because of their health- and beauty-enhancing properties. Nefertiti was praised for her perfect complexion and is said to have been an avid user of the oil from nigella seeds. It was commonly recommended by the physicians of ancient Egypt as a treatment for colds and headaches among many other ailments.

Many believe that nigella seeds have been mentioned in the Bible. The Book of Isaiah documents a spice that many interpret to mean nigella seeds.

Amla Powder: Ancient, Tart, And Nutritious

Amla powder is made from the amla fruit, which is also known as the Indian gooseberry. The fruit is dried and ground to make amla powder. Despite the Indian gooseberry name and the fact that it resembles the common gooseberry, amla is actually unrelated to it. The fruit comes from a tree native to India and is mentioned extensively in Ayurvedic texts. Sushruta, considered the father of Indian medicine made mention of Amla’s health benefits. Sushruta is believed to have lived between 1500 and 3000 BCE, indicating that the fruit has been used in India for millennia.

Amla is found all over Asia but primarily grows in India and China. While the amla is used in Myanmar and other parts of Asia, its use is far more extensive in India. The deciduous trees that produce the fruit grow best at high elevations and thrive in northern states including Kashmir. In India, amla season lasts from October to April. During this period, products made with it are widely available. For the rest of the year, the dried amla used to make amla powder is widely available.

Long Pepper: Black Pepper’s Predecessor In Europe

Long pepper is also known as Piper longum and was being used in India in 1000 BCE. It is believed to have originated in the subcontinent, much like Piper nigrum (black pepper). It showed up in Europe around 6 BCE and was readily adopted by Greek cooks. Long pepper’s distinctive bite was completely unknown in European cuisine at the time. One could say that it was the first of a long line of Far Eastern spices to dominate European cuisine. In India, the spice had certain health benefits ascribed to it that made it a popular spice in Ayurvedic medicine.

Later on, the spice would become popular with the Romans as well. Pliny the elder would write about its benefits. Long pepper became a fixture in Roman cuisine as their traders learned to navigate through monsoons to reach India. Both long pepper and black pepper were readily available to the Romans, but long pepper was three times more expensive due to its relative scarcity. The pepper would continue to be a much-desired spice and one of the core spices in the spice trade between Europe and the Far East. The pepper was so universally loved that it became an important part of both European and Chinese dishes.