People have been using herbs and spices to cook for thousands of years. They were not only used as seasonings but as preservatives before the times of refrigeration. Much time, money and energy were invested in securing spices and the routes by land and sea that brought them to consumers.
European spices
Garden thyme is native to southern Europe from Spain to Italy and is a perennial bushy herb with wiry stems and tiny leaves. It’s used in soups and stews. Chives are also indigenous to Europe. They are a fast growing perennial, grown widely in cool and warm climates. The hollow leaves grow to 2 feet or more and, when chopped, are popular in salad dressings, sauces, cheeses, omelet, soups and other meals. Chives are propagated by division.
Asian spices
Star anise is from an evergreen tree found in China. Star anise has a spicy, appetizing aroma and a sort of licorice flavor. It’s used to flavor simmered dishes. Cloves are the unopened flower buds of the tree Eugenia caryophyllus, which is native to the Spice Islands. They’re used whole to stud hams, and also used powdered in stews and game.
Spices of the Americas
Vanilla is made of pods from the orchid Vanilla planifolia and was used to flavor chocolate by the Aztecs. It is still used to flavor chocolate as well as cakes and other baked goods. The plant, which is found in Mexico south to Bolivia, has yellow pods, or vanilla beans, that are picked unripe and allowed to dry and sweat until they darken to a dark brown.
American angelica grows in wet fields from Newfoundland to Minnesota and south to West Virginia. It grows from 4 to 6 feet or higher and has a dark purple hollow stem. The entire plant is aromatic and has a strong, somewhat bitter flavor. The stems and stalks are peeled and eaten in salad and the leaves are added to fish, soups and stews.
African spices
Kola nuts are members of the Sterculiaceae, or Cacao, family and native to tropical West Africa. The seed comes from an 80-foot tall tree with glossy leaves and small red or white flowers. The seeds have more caffeine than coffee and a little theobromine, which is also found in chocolate. The kola nut extract is crucial in the manufacture of carbonated cola type drinks and it’s also used in ice cream, candy, baked goods and liqueurs.
Calabash nutmeg is native to west tropical Africa. It isn’t a nutmeg, but was brought to Jamaica by slaves and deemed to have a nutmeg taste. The dried seeds are sold throughout Africa as a seasoning in soups and other foods.
Resources:
- Conran Cookbook; Terence Conran et. al.; 1986
- Herbs and Spices; Julia F. Morton; 1976
- Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art; Shizuo Tsuji; 1980
- An Encyclopedia of Chinese Food and Cooking; Wonona W. Chang, et. al.; 1979
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