SPICEography – Page 188

Gumbo File Powder: The Choctaw Spice

True gumbo file powder is made entirely from ground leaves of the sassafras tree. Note that there are gumbo file seasonings that may include sassafras along with other spices. Sassafras is considered by many to be the only truly North American spice. The use of sassafras began with native Americans. In particular, the Choctaw people were known to grind the leaves and add them to their soups and stews. use of the leaves was later on adopted by settlers from Europe and would eventually become associated mainly with the Acadians.

In the early 17th century, sassafras was considered a wonder drug and was used as a remedy for a host of diseases. Its popularity was such that it would become the second most popular American export after tobacco. The popularity of sassafras as a herbal remedy lasted all the way up to the early 20th century.

Anise Seed: More Than A Flavoring For Italian Sausage

Anise got its name in Latin from the Greek term for dill due to being confused with that herb. As a result, all languages that descended from Latin have retained the Latin word for the spice without much alteration.

The anise plant most likely originated in Egypt but may come from the Eastern Mediterranean or Western Asia. Anise was being used in ancient Egypt as early as 1500 BC. Anise was later popular in Rome. Mathematician Pythagoras was one of the spice’s Roman fans and he extolled the virtues of all parts of the plant including the seeds. Both Hippocrates and Dioscorides suggested its use as a cough remedy while most Romans used it primarily as a digestive aid. It was popular for use in spiced wedding cakes. It is thought that this anise-flavored wedding cake was the first wedding cake.

What’s A Good Citric Acid Substitute?

Citric acid is a weak acid with quite a few culinary applications. It is used in cheese-making to acidify the milk and it is added to borscht to give it a tart note. Citric acid is also an effective preservative that you can find in many beverages. Due to its very specific and important role, it is not an ingredient that you can simply omit. To replace it, consider one of the citric acid substitutes below.

What’s A Good Curing Salt Substitute?

Curing salt’s role is to prevent food-borne illness and spoilage by killing microbes in the food it is used to preserve. The sodium nitrate it contains breaks down into sodium nitrite, which draws out the moisture that the bacteria need to survive. While the different types of curing salt are very effective for preservation, there are times when you may need a substitute. You may unable to find curing salt in stores near you or maybe you prefer to cure your meat without the use of nitrates. In either case, consider the alternatives below.

Citric Acid: An Ancient Souring Agent And Preservative

Citric acid was discovered around the 8th century. According to historians, its discoverer was the Persian alchemist Jabir Ibn Hayyan. It would not be isolated until 1794 when a Swedish chemist named Carl Wilhelm Scheele discovered how to isolate citric acid from lemon juice. Scheele was the first to isolate a variety of acids, including tartaric acid. In 1890, the Italian citrus industry would become the basis of industrial-scale citric acid production.

The next big milestone in citric acid history occurred in 1893 and would come as a result of C. Wehmer’s discovery that Penicillium mold could be used to make citric acid from sugar.

Curing Salt: More Than Just A Preservative

Salt has been used as a preservative for much of human history. The first recorded use of salt in meat preservation actually began with the ancient Sumerians around 3000 BC. The Sumerians were the first recorded people who salted and dried meat for curing purposes. Salt with nitrite was also used to preserve meat by the ancient Greeks; however, their use of it was not deliberate as they were unaware of the presence of nitrite since it was an impurity in the salt. The ancient Romans would learn of curing meat from the Greeks and would note the reddening effect of the nitrite but no one would understand its role until much later in history.

Curing salt is also known as Prague Powder or pink salt; however, it is not to be confused with pink Himalayan salt and should not be used in the same way. If you were to look up recipes containing it, you would find that many specifically refer to it by the Prague powder name rather than as curing salt. While there are many who speculate that Prague powder came from the city of Prague in the Czech Republic, its roots (and the roots of the name) are much less exotic. Curing salt was actually invented at the start of the 20th century as scientists identified the nitrites that could be used to preserve meats. Salt was also used during the Middle Ages in Europe, where salt beef became a popular food.

Confectioners’ Sugar Vs. Powdered Sugar: SPICEography Showdown

In some contexts, the term powdered sugar is used to indicate all forms of refined sugar that have been ground or powdered. In other words, it encompasses any sugar with a fine grain including confectioners’ sugar. Confectioners’ sugar is a powdered sugar though not all powdered sugar is confectioners’ sugar.

In other cases, confectioners’ sugar may refer to a specific fineness, or the extent to which the sugar has been ground. The fineness of sugar is denoted by a number between 3 and 10 followed by an X. The higher the number, the finer the grind. Confectioners’ sugar is 10x sugar. Note that not all packages of sugar will have the fineness of the grind indicated on the label. Let’s review more of the similarities and differences between confectioners’ sugar and powdered sugar in another SPICEography Showdown.

What’s A Good Nutritional Yeast Substitute?

Nutritional yeast is a great way to add cheesy, nutty notes to a variety of dishes. It is a dairy free seasoning that also happens to be highly nutritious. You can use it as a vegan substitute for Parmesan cheese and as a nutritional supplement; however, it may not be available on your local grocery store’s shelves. If you are having a hard time finding it and need some in a hurry, try one of these nutritional yeast alternatives.