The fennel, with its yellow flowers,
And in an earlier age than ours
Was gifted with the wondrous powers,
Lost vision to restore.
It gave new strength, and fearless mood;
And gladiators, fierce and rude,
Mingled it in their daily food;
And he who battled and subdued,
A wreath of fennel wore.
-H. W. Longfellow, “The Goblet of Life”
H. W. Longfellow wrote “The Goblet of Life,” which initially bore the title “Fennel,” in 1841. However, as the poet indicates, the plant and its seeds were valued by civilizations that long predated his own. Foeniculum vulgare, has been used as a medicine and culinary spice for centuries, and the plant is also eaten as a vegetable.
A Mediterranean herb, fennel was eaten and taken as medicine in the ancient empires of that region. It even has a role in Greek mythology—when Prometheus stole fire from the gods for mankind, he did so using a stalk of fennel. The ancient Greeks called fennel “marathon,” a name which refers to weight loss and reflects fennel’s qualities as an appetite suppressant. The name is also connected to the Greek-Persian battle in 490 B.C. that named the modern marathon: the battle of Marathon was allegedly fought on a field of fennel plants, and fennel became known as a symbol of victory. Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates also believed that fennel could help wet nurses produce more milk for their infant charges.
Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder observed snakes rubbing against fennel plants, and concluded that they did so to improve their eyesight after shedding their skins. He went on to recommend fennel as a treatment for more than twenty ailments. Fennel was considered a stimulant and a carminative, and was prescribed for gastrointestinal and respiratory problems, as well as to treat loss of eyesight. Even in the ancient world, medicinal use of fennel spread far beyond Mediterranean Europe—in China and India, fennel was used to treat snake bites and other poisons.
Long after the decline and fall of the ancient empires, fennel’s popularity in Europe remained. Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne valued fennel, and encouraged its cultivation. A thirteenth-century text, the Book of Physicians of Myddvai, claimed that “he who sees fennel and gathers it not, is not a man but a devil.” Some households even bore fennel stalks above their doorways, to ward away evil, and seeds in their keyholes to prevent entry by ghosts. Even in the mid seventeenth century, physician Nicholas Culpepper suggested that fennel was an excellent seasoning for fish, and not merely for the flavour. Culpepper believed that fennel consumed “that phlegmatic humour, which fish most plentifully afford and annoy the body with.” (Medieval medicine held that the body contained and was controlled by four “humours”: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile.) Christians used fennel seeds to soothe hunger pangs during fasts (apparently eating the tiny seeds was not considered a violation), and this tradition arrived in the New World with the Puritans. In fact, eating fennel seeds during long church services was so common in New England, that they became known as “meetin’ seeds.”
Medicinal uses aside, fennel is also important culinarily. Fennel seeds are sweet, with a licorice aroma and taste similar to that of anise seeds, and are used in a variety of cuisine. Blending well with powerful spices like coriander, cumin, and pepper, fennel is a component of Chinese five-spice powder, and is commonly used in European fish dishes, sweet pickles, and Italian sausage. In India, fennel seeds are often toasted prior to use. Despite its ability to blend with other strong flavours, fennel can also be used in more delicate recipes. It is often used in breads, pastries, and various confectioneries. Infusing vodka with fennel makes aquavit, and the spice is also an ingredient in absinthe. Fennel can also be chewed after eating to freshen the breath—the seeds contain camphor and menthol.
Try toasting your Vanillablossom fennel seeds to encrust your salmon! Using whole spices is important, here. Trying to toast ground spices is asking for burned flavour!
Ingredients
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black peppercorns
2 filets salmon
2 tsp neutral oil, such as avocado, plus more for the skillet
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. While the oven warms up, heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and the coriander and fennel seeds to the dry skillet. Stir the seeds for approximately three minutes, or until they are fragrant and golden brown. Then, remove from heat and immediately transfer them to a mortar or spice grinder, so that they do not burn. Add the salt and pepper. Coarsely grind the spices using either a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Spread the spice mixture in an even layer on a plate. Brush a teaspoon of oil over each salmon filet, and place the filets oil side down onto the spice mixture. Heat additional oil (be generous with the amount) in an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the salmon, spice-coated side down, and sear for two minutes. Immediately transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and cook for six to eight minutes, or until the salmon has become opaque and flakes easily. Serve hot with desired sides.
]]>The Coriandrum sativum plant actually produces both a herb and a spice. Coriander leaves are often referred to in North America as “cilantro” and as “Chinese parsley” in Asian cuisines, while the seeds constitute the spice called coriander. The leaves and the seeds have entirely different flavours, and are not interchangeable.
Coriandrum sativum is native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Coriander has been discovered in ruins dating from 5,000 B.C., and legend has it that coriander was used to perfume the gardens of Babylon 3,000 years ago.
In the ancient Mediterranean empires, coriander had medicinal, culinary, and perhaps ritual purposes. Coriander grew wild in the Nile region, and the ancient Egyptians infused their wine with coriander (and garlic) and included coriander in many dishes. They also added coriander to lukewarm baths to ease fevers. Coriander was apparently also offered to the pharaohs in death, as some was unearthed in the tomb of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. The Israelites also used coriander. It was a common addition to the Passover table, and is mentioned in the Book of Exodus in comparison to manna: “And the House of Israel called the name of manna; and it was like the coriander seed, white.” The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates recommended coriander as a medicine, and the ancient Greeks also used coriander for the more frivolous purposes of perfume and weight loss. Pliny of ancient Rome praised the coriander grown in Egypt, saying that “the best coriander, as is generally agreed, is the Egyptian.” The best for what? Well, Pliny informs us that coriander could help heal sores, relieve cholera, and expel intestinal parasites. The Romans also loved coriander as a culinary spice, using it to flavor bread as well as in other dishes.
The Romans brought coriander as far west as Britain, where it was used as a spice and as a meat preservative. Whether or not the coriander actually helped preserve the meat or simply helped to mask the taste of rot is anyone’s guess. The spice was beloved in medieval Europe. Banquet guests were often offered sugar-coated coriander seeds after meals. In France, coriander oil was used to make Eau de Carnes, which was used as both a liquor and a cologne.
As European colonists invaded the world, coriander travelled with them, arriving in the Americas in the 1600s. Coriander found a new home in the New World, and is now integral to American Southwestern, Mexican, and Latin American cuisines. It remains popular in Europe as an ingredient in sausages and some Scandanavian pastries, and is occasionally used in the brewing of certain beers.
Coriander is extremely prominent in Indian cooking. It is a key ingredient in garam masala and other Indian spice blends. Coriander’s warm, nutty, citrus flavor is robust enough to stand beside the other bold spices, such as cumin, that give Indian dishes their marvelous flavour. In eastern Asia, coriander leaves and roots are perhaps more commonly used; however, coriander seeds are a frequent ingredient in Thai curries.
In Ayurvedic medicine, coriander is used to aid digestion. Traditional Chinese medicine uses coriander to soothe nausea, hernias, measles, toothaches, dysentery, and piles. Iranian folk medicine recommends coriander for anxiety and insomnia.
Vanillablossom carries whole coriander seed from India. Whole coriander seeds should be toasted in a hot saucepan and kept moving to prevent burning. Then, they can be ground with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. A less time consuming alternative is Vanillablossom’s ground coriander.
When most people think of the history of garlic, they likely think of the people of medieval Romania wielding garlic against suspected vampires. However, garlic was used long before the middle ages. So long before, in fact, that the actual origins of garlic (Allium sativum) are uncertain. It has been used historically in the Middle East and much of Asia to treat bronchitis, hypertension, tuberculosis, liver ailments, dysentery, colic, intestinal worms, rheumatism, diabetes, and fevers. Garlic has been used as a medicinal plant in India since the beginning of recorded history. The herb may have originated in central or southern Asia, or even southwestern Siberia. It’s known to have been used medicinally by the Sumerians, who lived in ancient Mesopotamia, and some historians believe that the Sumerians brought garlic to China, where it became a popular herbal remedy.
Garlic is known to have been used in ancient Egypt as early as 5,000 years ago, when it was important in the diet of lower class ancient Egyptians and slaves, especially those involved in heavy labour, as garlic was meant to help keep up their strength. Builders ate mostly nutrient-poor foods, making garlic consumption absolutely vital. The herb is even mentioned in the bible as being a food missed by Jewish former slaves after they left Egypt with Moses. Garlic was also used by the ancient Egyptians as a treatment for abnormal growths, circulatory problems, and infestations of parasites. The Talmud also recommends garlic as a treatment for parasitic ailments, and to promote sexual relations between married couples.
Like their Egyptian contemporaries, the ancient Greeks associated garlic with physical strength. The herb was an important part of the Greek military diet, and may have been consumed by athletes of the first Olympics prior to competition. Garlic was also believed to have great medicinal value, and was used to combat intestinal parasites, snakebites, and rabid dog bites, as well as to regulate the menstrual cycle. The ancient Greeks also laid garlic bulbs at main crossroads as an offering to the gods. However, those individuals with garlic breath were banned from entering temples.
The ancient Romans continued the Egyptian and Greek tradition of feeding garlic to those engaged in hard work, namely soldiers and sailors. As popular as garlic was among the working people of these ancient empires, garlic was not popular with the upper classes. The herb’s pungency and its association with workers and slaves made it inappropriate food for the wealthy. Thanks to the writings of ancient Greek physician Pliny the Elder, who listed 23 medical uses for garlic, the herb was also a popular remedy in the Roman Empire, particularly for toxins and infections.
Garlic use spread from the Roman Empire throughout Europe, where it remained a popular herbal remedy through the Middle Ages. Garlic was brought from the Middle East by returning crusaders, and the herb was grown in monasteries by monks who had particular knowledge of medicinal plants. Garlic was mentioned in the writings of St, Hildegard, a twelfth-century abbess who was also a leading physician. She believed raw garlic to be a stronger medicine than cooked garlic. As well as being a food fed to labourers and scorned by the upper classes, garlic was believed by medieval Europeans to be a remedy for constipation, dropsy, animal bites, and a preventative of heat stroke. It was used in wintertime to prevent pulmonary illnesses, and was also used to combat the Black Plague. In fact, the use of garlic is credited with saving 1,000 lives from an outbreak of plague in Marseille in 1720. Garlic was also valued by the Vikings, who took large quantities with them on their voyages.
Garlic’s medical efficacy has been proven in more modern times, as well. In 1858, Louis Pasteur described garlic as being effective against even bacteria that resisted other measures. The herb proved itself as an antiseptic against cholera, typhoid fever, and diphtheria. Garlic’s use by the Russians as a battlefield antibiotic during the Second World War earned the herb the nickname “Russian penicillin.”
But what about vampires?? That vampires are repelled by garlic is a common aspect of the modern vampire myth, and garlic was used as a protective measure in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Vampires have existed in one form or another in European folklore for hundreds of years, especially in Eastern Europe, which is likely where our modern understanding of vampires is rooted. Though Stoker’s Dracula is, of course, fictional, Transylvania, in central Romania, is a real place, and Romanians really do use a lot of garlic—and not just in their food. According to Romanian folklore, garlic offers protection against evil spirits. Hanging rows of garlic cloves and smearing garlic on windows and doors to protect homes, and smearing the horns of cows with garlic to deter evil milk-sucking spirits are all old practices.
Garlic arrived in the Americas with European colonists, and it remains popular as both a cooking herb and as a supplement. It contains vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, selenium, and fiber, as well as a compound called allicin, and other sulfur compounds. These compounds give garlic its antibiotic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Taken in large quantities, garlic can help prevent ailments like common colds and flu. Garlic can also aid in reducing LDL cholesterol, and in preventing blood clots and fat deposits in arteries. Garlic is also an antioxidant and an antihypertensive.
Needless to say, everyone should eat more garlic! Fresh garlic is delicious, but peeling and crushing or slicing the cloves can be tedious and time consuming. Vanillablossom granulated garlic (sourced from China) is an easy alternative, and is generally superior to the garlic powder found in most grocery stores. Granulated garlic has a coarser texture than garlic powder, which makes it less likely to clump and easier to combine with both liquids (for various dressings, sauces, and soups) and other spices (for spice rubs).
Try Vanillablossom granulated garlic in this easy tahini dressing recipe! It takes only minutes to make, and will be a delicious topping for your next salad.
⅓ cup sesame tahini
2 tbsp olive, sesame, or peanut oil (depending on your flavour preference)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp cumin
Warm water
Combine ingredients in a small bowl and stir. Add water tablespoon by tablespoon, stirring after each addition, until dressing reaches desired consistency. Drizzle over salad and serve.
Try Vanillablossom granulated garlic in this delicious hummus recipe! Eat it with nan, or try it with veggies.
3 cups canned chickpeas
½ tsp granulated garlic
⅓ cup sesame tahini
4 tbsp lemon juice (approximately the juice of one lemon)
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for garnish
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of sumac
1 ½ tsp baking soda (for peeling chickpeas, if desired)
Add chickpeas to a medium–large-sized pot and add water until the chickpeas are covered by about two inches of liquid. Bring to a boil. Simmer chickpeas for 20 minutes. Peel chickpeas, if desired (hummus with peeled chickpeas will be creamier, while unpeeled chickpeas create a more “rustic” texture). To peel, cover chickpeas with hot water and add baking soda. Let sit for five minutes. Rub handfuls of chickpeas together under running water to remove skins. Rinse well. Allow chickpeas to cool completely. Once chickpeas are cool, add to food processor and blend until the chickpeas have become a smooth paste. Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Blend for 4-5 minutes. Add the resulting hummus to a serving bowl, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, cumin, and sumac. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.
Spicy Tip: If a recipe calls for fresh garlic, you can substitute ¼ tsp granulated garlic for each clove.
]]>Had Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman actually walked the streets of Morocco while filming Casablanca—rather than the streets of a Warner Brothers Studios film set in California—the air around them would have been filled with the scent of Moroccan street food, with cumin being one of the chief aromas.
However, though strongly associated with Moroccan street cookery, cumin is not actually native to that country. The cumin plant, Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family, is indigenous to Egypt and the Levant, where the spice has been used since ancient times in both cookery and mummification. “Cumin” is the only English word that can be traced back to the Sumerian language, one of the languages spoken in ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), and the Sumerian word gamun, meaning “cumin,” was written down in cuneiform script more than 4,000 years ago. Tablets dating to 1750 BC (the Yale Culinary Tablets) show that the ancient Mesopotamians enjoyed food containing plenty of onions, garlic, and kamûnu, which means “cumin” in the Akkadian language. More than 800 years after the culinary tablets were written, cumin was mentioned in an inscription displayed in the palace of an Assyrian king. The inscription boasted of a feast the king served to celebrate the construction of his new capital.
Cumin was popular as a culinary spice among the ancient Romans. It is listed as a “pantry essential” in a cookbook dating to the late fourth or early fifth century, and is mentioned in a first-century Roman novel. In both the ancient Greek and Roman empires, the spice was also associated with women’s reproductive health. Ancient Greek medical texts from the late 500s and early 400s BC include cumin in a prescription meant to prevent the uterus from moving around the abdomen. A wandering womb was said to cause “hysteria.” According to Pliny the Elder’s Natural History, a Roman volume dating to the first century, a woman is more likely to become pregnant if she smells cumin during sex. Cumin also made its way into both the Old and New Testament.
The Romans brought cumin to much of Europe, and, after the demise of the Roman Empire, cumin’s popularity lasted throughout the Middle Ages. Cumin was believed to prevent both chickens and sweethearts from straying, and carrying cumin seeds throughout a wedding ceremony was meant to ensure marital bliss. King Henry III of England kept large quantities of cumin in his kitchens, and, throughout the thirteenth century, rent could be paid in cumin. By the time Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas, cumin was being cultivated in the warmer regions of the European continent. After introduction by Europeans, cumin became popular in Mexican and South American cooking. Cumin’s popularity spread east of the Levant as well as west. Cumin became an essential spice in Indian cuisine, and it is also used in southeast Asian dishes.
In fact, researchers consider cumin to be one of the spices that is most illustrative of culinary globalization. Throughout history, as people migrated around the world, they brought their own ingredients and recipes with them. Wherever cumin landed, it quickly found a place in local dishes, making it one of the most commonly used spices in the world.
Today, Cuminum cyminum is grown in North Africa, the Middle East, and India. Vanillablossom ground cumin is sourced from Egypt.
Cumin is a powerful spice best paired with other strong flavours that are not easily overwhelmed. In the Middle East and North Africa, where cumin originated, it is used in fish and meat dishes, stews, and couscous. In Europe, cumin is used in Portuguese sausages, and is added to wood burned to smoke certain cheeses and meats. It is used in pickling sauerkraut and in chutneys. Cumin is even one of the flavours in the German liqueur Kummel. In the Americas, cumin is popular in chili-based dishes, such as chile con carne. In India, cumin is commonly used in garam masala.
Though cumin can be purchased as a whole seed, these seeds need to be toasted in order to bring out the best of cumin’s warm, earthy flavour, making ground cumin more practical. Ground cumin does not need time or heat to deliver its flavour to food, and can be added at any point during cooking. In fact, cumin is commonly used as a table spice—like salt and pepper—in the Middle East.
Cumin is also still associated with women’s health; it is used as a herbal remedy to promote menstruation and relieve morning sickness. Cumin is also diuretic and antispasmodic, and can aid in relieving abdominal gas, indigestion, and diarrhea. It also contains antioxidant compounds, and is high in iron. Cumin may even improve blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and may promote weight loss.
Try Vanillablossom cumin in this stovetop chicken recipe!
4 tsp cumin
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp garlic
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
½ picante sauce
¼ cup chicken broth
Salt to taste
Combine 2 tsp cumin, with all the oregano and garlic, and sprinkle the spice mixture over both sides of the chicken breast halves. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet, and add the chicken. Cook until chicken is browned. While the chicken cooks, mix remaining cumin with picante sauce and broth. Pour this mixture over the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8-12 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and cover to keep warm. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until thickened, stirring to prevent sticking. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.
Try Vanillablossom cumin in this cumin rice recipe! This dish is a perfect way to *ahem* “spice up” an otherwise ordinary side dish.
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water (plus extra for soaking)
1 tbsp butter
1 bayleaf
1 inch cinnamon stick
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp cloves
½ tsp salt
1 green chili pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Rinse basmati rice in a sieve until water runs clear. Soak rice in enough water that there is an inch of water on top. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain water. Melt butter in a pot and add green chili, cumin, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and rice. Saute rice in butter for two minutes. Add water and salt to rice and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer until the water has evaporated. Remove cinnamon stick and bayleaf. Top with chopped coriander and serve.
Spicy Tip: Try using cumin as a table spice. Sprinkle sparingly on meat and vegetable dishes to add warmth and flavour.
Nutmeg, like cinnamon, is a spice that many people associate with hot drinks and desserts. But its history isn’t so sweet. The colonial policies of Europe’s erstwhile empires were driven in part by the profits that could be derived from the spice trade—and European colonizers did not tend to treat indigenous populations well. As a result, the history of many spices is marred by war and subjugation; however, nutmeg’s history is considered to be one of the more tragic tales.
Though nutmeg would become incredibly popular amongst the European nobility during the Middle Ages, the spice was far less well known in the ancient empires. First century Roman author and naturalist Pliny mentioned a tree whose nuts have two flavours, which is believed to be a reference to nutmeg (nutmeg comes from the seed of the fruit of the tree Myristica fragrans, while another spice, mace, is made from the membranes surrounding the seed), and nutmeg may have been used to flavour beverages. Nutmeg became better known in the sixth century, when Arab traders brought the spice to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). Over the next 600 years, nutmeg became a favourite of European elites—Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI even had nutmeg spread throughout the streets of Rome before his coronation in the twelfth century.
Why was nutmeg valued so highly by Europeans? During the Middle Ages, nutmeg was believed to have the power to ward off mild illnesses, like colds, as well as devastating diseases such as bubonic plague. The spice was also popular as an additive to food and drink at medieval banquets. Grinding nutmeg into alcoholic drinks was fashionable among wealthy European gentlemen. Some gentlemen even carried their own nutmeg grinders, in order to conspicuously improve upon meals served by their hosts.
Nutmeg wasn’t only popular for medicinal and culinary purposes—the spice was also a recreational drug! Thanks to a psychoactive chemical, myristicin (a relative of amphetamine), nutmeg can produce hallucinogenic effects if taken in large quantities. The myristicin in nutmeg acts on the human body in a similar way as mescaline, the psychoactive compound in peyote, does. Myristicin is present in smaller amounts in parsley, dill, and star anise.
Disclaimer: Vanillablossom does not condone the use of nutmeg for hallucinogenic purposes. Consuming too much nutmeg leads to dizziness and nausea. The small amounts used in cooking are perfectly safe.
Until the sixteenth century, Europe’s only source of nutmeg was Arab traders, who protected their monopoly over the nutmeg trade by spinning tall tales about the spice’s source. In fact, Myristica fragrans is indigenous only to the tiny Banda Islands (also called the “Spice Islands”), which are an island group in the Maluku Islands—an Indonesian archipelago. Secrecy paid off for Middle Eastern and Indian spice traders, who became wealthy buying nutmeg from the Bandanese and selling it to traders who would carry it from the shores of the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean world. Then, 1511, the Portuguese found the Maluku Islands. Though the Portuguese force was too small to exert total control (attempts over the next century to build a fort were thwarted by the Bandanese), they were able to purchase nutmeg (as well as mace and cloves) at its source, breaking the Arab monopoly.
This is where nutmeg’s story becomes tragic.
The Portuguese were not the only Europeans who sought to profit from Indonesia’s spices. The Dutch soon followed—and they were unwilling to simply buy spices alongside the Arab, Indian, and Portuguese traders. Unlike the Portuguese before them, the Dutch succeeded in building a fort on the largest of the Banda Islands. Then, over the first two decades of the seventeenth century, the Dutch exerted more and more control over the archipelago, pressuring the Bandanese into signing a treaty that enshrined a Dutch East Indies Company monopoly over the spice trade, and seizing one of two British-controlled nutmeg-producing islands, slaughtering the British defenders.
In 1621, the Dutch decided to solidify physical control over the Spice Islands, massacring possibly as many as 14,000 Bandanese and enslaving the survivors on nutmeg plantations, alongside labourers brought from other Indonesian islands. Any plantations outside of the Bandas were destroyed. In 1667, the Dutch received the last Bandanese island from the British in exchange for Manhattan (yes, that one), which, at the time, was merely a colony called New Amsterdam. This completed the Dutch monopoly over nutmeg, which was brutally enforced. To ensure that the trade remained profitable, the Dutch kept prices artificially high, even burning warehouses of nutmeg in Amsterdam to reduce the amount of nutmeg available in Europe (they did the same thing with cinnamon).
Dutch Indonesia became French—and was invaded by the British—during the Napoleonic Wars of the early nineteenth century, when Holland became part of Napoleon’s empire. A treaty returned the Spice Islands to the Dutch, but not before the British transplanted seedlings of nutmeg trees to areas under their control: Singapore, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Bencoolen (southwest Sumatra), and Penang (in Malaysia). The spice then spread to Zanzibar, East Africa, and Grenada. Decades prior, French traders had smuggled seedlings from the Bandas to their colony of Mauritius. The Dutch monopoly was broken for good.
Vanillablossom ground nutmeg is sourced from Indonesia. Today, Indonesia and Grenada are the world’s primary producers of nutmeg. Grenada even showcases a nutmeg fruit on the national flag.
Like cinnamon, nutmeg is used in both sweet and savoury dishes. In baked goods, nutmeg pairs well with cinnamon, cloves, anise, cardamom, and ginger. In savoury dishes, nutmeg is complemented by cumin, black pepper, coriander, sage, thyme, chili pepper, mustard seed, and turmeric. Nutmeg is one of the spices in garam marsala, and is essential to the popular “pumpkin spice” flavour.
To make a pumpkin spice latte that rivals Starbucks, try Vanillablossom nutmeg in this pumpkin spice latte recipe! (There’s less coffee in this drink than you might think, but you didn’t think the Starbucks drink was primarily coffee, either, did you?)
1 cup milk or non-dairy alternative
2–3 tbsp pumpkin puree
½ tsp cinnamon (heaping)
¼ tsp ginger
1 large pinch nutmeg
1 large pinch allspice
1 large pinch cloves
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 shot espresso (or ¼ – ½ cup strong brewed coffee)
Sugar or honey to taste
Optional garnishes: cinnamon, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, whipped cream (flavoured with a dash of Vanillablossom vanilla extract)
Warm pumpkin puree and spices in a small saucepan. Stir in milk and vanilla. Process mixture in a blender (carefully, mixture will be hot!) until frothy. Prepare coffee in a mug and add the frothed milk and pumpkin mixture. Sweeten to taste. Add the garnishes of your choice.
8 medium-sized Granny Smith apples (or tart red apples)
¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
⅛ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp Ceylon cinnamon
2–3 tbsp water
In a saucepan, heat all ingredients over medium heat until simmering. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and serve with toppings of your choice.
Spicy tip: Making a stew that needs to simmer for hours, and that calls for cinnamon? Try infusing with a cinnamon stick instead of using ground cinnamon. Cinnamon sticks release their flavour over a longer period of time, and are better suited to lengthy cook times.
Sourced by Natasha Simpson
Paprika is paprika is paprika, right? Wrong! The red spice actually comes in three varieties: sweet, smoked, and hot. Sweet paprika is generally just called “paprika,” with the other two varieties being labelled accordingly.
Paprika is made by grinding the pods of Capsicum annuum peppers, which belong to the nightshade family, and are indigenous to Southern Mexico, Central America, South America and the Antilles. However, the name “paprika” is Hungarian, and stems from the Greek peperi and the Latin piper—both of which mean pepper. Why, you may be wondering, is a spice from Mexico and Central America known by a Hungarian name?
The answer is simple. Unlike other common herbs and spices—like basil, Mediterranean oregano, thyme, and black pepper—paprika spread east, not west. Like beaver pelts, fish, and timber, Europeans found the peppers used to make paprika in the New World, and took them home with them. Rumour has it that Capsicum annuum peppers journeyed to Spain with Christopher Columbus. The peppers eventually made their way to Hungary, where paprika became an essential ingredient in Hungarian cuisine. Hungary later adopted paprika as the country’s national spice.
Before becoming known to Europeans, paprika was used medicinally by Indigenous Mexicans, Central Americans, South Americans, and Antillians. Upon arriving in Europe, Capsicum annuum was first used as an ornamental plant, before being used as a spice. Cultivation of the plant spread from Spain to southern France and England. By the 16th century, cultivation was widespread, and in the 18th century, the Ottoman Turks introduced paprika to the Balkans.
Until the 20th century, the paprika produced in Central Europe was of the hot variety. An old Hungarian film at a museum in the city of Szeged shows women describing dousing their hands in water to cool the burning caused by handling hot peppers. A machine to remove the capsaicin-containing seeds and white veins from the peppers was only invented in the late 19th century. In the early 20th century, scientists began grafting sweet paprika plants onto the hot Hungarian plants, and eventually bred out the intense heat.
Depending on the variety of paprika used, the spice’s effect on food can vary enormously. Regular paprika is mild, and is often used to add colour and pepper flavour to dishes without adding heat. Smoked paprika, as its name suggests, is made from peppers that are sun-dried and then smoked over oak fires. While smoked paprika adds rich flavour, it does not add heat. Hot paprika packs a heat similar to that of cayenne pepper. While paprika and hot paprika can be substituted to accommodate differing heat tolerances, adding or removing smoked paprika will drastically change the flavour of the dish.
Paprika is used in a wide range of foods from different countries and cultures, such as Hungarian paprikash and goulash, Spanish chorizo sausages, and sometimes even Indian tandoori chicken. The spice can also be used as an emulsifier, allowing oil and vinegar to form a smooth mixture for salad dressing, and as a garnish for eggs, hors d'oeuvres, and salads.
The peppers used to make paprika are extremely high in vitamin C—even more so than oranges—and also contain vitamins A and E. Like other peppers, Capsicum annuum contains the compound capsaicin. Capsaicin is an antioxidant and an analgesic. It can reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, may improve fat metabolism, and is a common ingredient in topical pain treatments. Some studies support the idea that consuming paprika may help protect the skin from UV damage.
Vanillablossom carries paprika and smoked paprika, sourced from Spain and Hungary, respectively. Curious about trying hot paprika? Well, Vanillablossom doesn’t carry that—but the good news is, you don’t really need it. Just add a little cayenne pepper to your paprika.
Try Vanillablossom smoked paprika in this easy dip!
Ingredients
1 cup full-fat Greek yoghurt
Olive oil
Instructions
Put the Greek yoghurt in a shallow dish and liberally drizzle olive oil. Sprinkle the yoghurt with smoked paprika, and serve to friends and family with your choice of side.
Try Vanillablossom paprika (or smoked paprika, depending on the desired flavour) in this Hungarian goulash recipe!
Ingredients
2 medium onions
2 tsp butter or lard
1 tsp caraway seeds
2 tbsp paprika
¼ cup flour
1 ½ lb stewing beef (in 1” cubes)
2 cups beef broth
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 ½ cups carrots
3 cups potatoes
Optional: add cayenne pepper to taste, for heat
Instructions
In a large pot, melt butter and add onion. Cook until the onion is translucent. Stir in caraway seeds and paprika. In a bowl, combine stewing beef and flour. Add floured beef to the onion mixture, and cook for 2–3 minutes. Slowly add ¼ cup of beef broth to lift browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add remaining broth, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, salt, and pepper. Add cayenne pepper, if desired. Bring goulash to a boil. Simmer for 1 ½ –2 hours. Serve with crusty bread.
Spicy tip: To spice up your brunch, add a sprinkle of paprika and a dash of chili flakes to your avocado toast.
Sourced by Natasha Simpson
]]>Today, “black gold” refers to crude oil. However, once upon a time, the term was used in reference to a spice that today is found in nearly every North American kitchen: black pepper. The spice was so valuable that at least one ancient Egyptian emperor was buried with it, and when the city of Rome was besieged in 410 AD, part of a ransom offered to the attackers was 3,000 lbs of pepper.
Though black pepper is now grown in nearly every tropical region in the world—with Vietnam exporting approximately 35% of the world’s supply—the spice is only indigenous to what is now the state of Kerala on India’s Malabar Coast. Until well after the Middle Ages, the Malabar region was the sole supplier of black pepper to Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Though pepper was also grown in Java, Sumatra, Madagascar, Malaysia, and elsewhere in Southeast Asia by the 16th century, these peppercorns were primarily used locally, or exported to China.
Black pepper has been used to season food in India since prehistoric times. It also had medicinal uses, and, according to a book of medicines from the 5th century, was believed to treat constipation, diarrhea, earache, gangrene, heart disease, hernia, hoarseness, indigestion, insect bites, insomnia, joint pain, liver problems, lung disease, oral abscesses, sunburn, tooth decay, and toothaches. Pepper poultices and salves were even recommended to treat eye problems. This likely did more harm than good—imagine applying pepper directly to your eye!
Pepper wasn’t exclusive to India for very long. In fact, the spice must have reached Egypt at some point before 1213 BC, as that was the year that the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II was buried with peppercorns in his nostrils. The spice was available to the extremely wealthy in ancient Greece, and, thanks to more direct trade routes, became more common, though still expensive, in ancient Rome. A 3rd century Roman cookbook uses black pepper in roughly one third of its recipes, and 18th century English historian Edward Gibbon wrote that the spice was “a favourite ingredient of the most expensive Roman cookery.”
After the fall of Rome, black pepper travelled over Arab-controlled trade routes to the Mediterranean, and then via the Venetians and Genoese to the rest of Europe. In fact, the rise of Venice and Genoa as powerful city-states was largely due to the profits of the spice trade. The great distance and number of middlemen involved in transporting pepper from the Malabar region, as well as the Italian monopoly on the pepper trade, ensured that black pepper remained a luxury good affordable only to Europe’s elite throughout the Middle Ages.
Despite the cost, pepper was popular, and dodging the Italians’ high prices was a driving force behind the European search for new sea routes to India. So, while we can’t place the entirety of the blame for European colonialism on black pepper, seeking a more direct and less expensive route to the spice was a factor in the explorations of the likes of Christopher Columbus.
So what, exactly, is this black gold that dominated the spice trade for so long, and still accounted for roughly 20% of global spice imports in 2002? Peppercorns are actually the fruits of the Piper nigrum vine, which grows in tropical areas with high temperatures and long rainy seasons. These berries have very little flesh, and are mostly seed. The “heat” comes from a chemical compound called “piperine.”
Black pepper is actually the entire pepper fruit, harvested unripe, boiled to blacken the skin, and dried. White pepper, which has a different flavour from black pepper, is made from fully ripened berries, which have been soaked in water and have had the skins removed before drying. The jury is still out on which pepper is “hotter,” and this may be a matter of personal taste. That said, while black pepper may dominate most kitchens, white pepper does have a specific culinary role—in predominantly white dishes, white pepper may be preferred. White pepper is also used in many Vietnamese soups and pork dishes. Vanillablossom carries both black and white pepper, so you can try both for yourself!
The region in which pepper is grown impacts the flavour of the peppercorns. Pepper farming is no longer restricted to the Malabar Coast, and vendors and consumers have a range of choices. Available in both whole peppercorn and ground form, Vanillablossom’s black pepper comes from Indonesia. Peppercorns from this region have a strong aroma, which is fruity and smoky, and a slow burn. Vanillablossom also carries Tellicherry black peppercorns. These peppercorns are larger than the rest of the crop and usually only make up 5–10% of the yield. Though they come from the same vines of the same plants, and their size is the only visible difference, Tellicherry peppercorns have a more pungent aroma and a more intense, complex flavour than smaller black peppercorns.
Try Vanillablossom’s black pepper in this black pepper sauce—perfect to serve drizzled over steak!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp canola oil
½ tbsp ground garlic
½ tbsp ground ginger
¼ cup red wine
¼ cup chicken stock
¼ cup oyster sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
Instructions:
Heat the canola oil over medium heat, then add the garlic, ginger, and wine. Allow the alcohol to cook off for two minutes, then add the chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and black pepper. As the sauce returns to a simmer, mix the water and cornstarch together to form a slurry. Once the sauce is simmering, stir in the slurry. Let simmer for two more minutes. Drizzle over desired meat to serve.
Not a sauce fan? To spice up your meat rub, try using Vanillablossom’s Tellicherry peppercorns.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp coarsely ground Tellicherry peppercorns
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground onion
1 tbsp ground garlic
1 tbsp dehydrated bell pepper, red or green
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp parsley flakes
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp dried rosemary
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
Instructions:
Mix spices together, and rub on chicken, turkey, pork, or beef.
Spicy tip: mix black and Tellicherry peppercorns in your pepper grinder to add some intensity to your table pepper.
Spicy tip: Want to add a little heat to your creamed soup or white sauce? Try white pepper, to maintain the colour of your dish.
Sourced by Natasha Simpson
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Combine lemon juice, zest, oil, thyme, garlic, and salt in a large resealable bag. Add salmon and turn until coated. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes (note: do not marinate for longer than one hour, or salmon will become mushy). Grill on medium-high heat for approximately 4 minutes per side. Brush salmon with marinade from the bag once after placing on the grill. If using lemon wedges, squeeze fresh lemon juice over each fillet right before removing from heat.
Spicy tip: when making salad, set aside chopped tomatoes and sprinkle liberally with salt and dried thyme. Allow tomatoes to sit while the rest of the salad is prepared, then add the herbed tomatoes into the salad for extra flavour.
Sourced by Natasha Simpson
]]>Basil’s Latin name, basileus, means “king,” so it’s no wonder the fragrant green plant is known as the King of Herbs. People have used basil for a variety of purposes for 4,000–5,000 years, and over time it has been associated with death, love, religion, and virginity.
Modern North Americans tend to associate basil with Italian cooking, but basil is actually native to the tropical regions of central Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. In India, a variety of the plant known as “holy basil” or “tulsi,” is sacred in Hinduism. Tulasi, or Tulsi, the wife of the Hindu god Vishnu, was said to have taken the form of basil when she came to earth. Tulsi (the basil, not the god’s wife) was planted around Hindu temples, and placed with the dead to protect them in the afterlife. In fact, the herb was considered sacred enough that the British in India offered swearing on basil as an alternative to swearing on the bible when taking an oath. To this day, tulsi is used in Ayurveda, traditional Indian herbal medicine.
The spice trade brought basil through the Middle East to the Mediterranean, where the herb had a variety of uses and associations in the ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman empires. In Egypt, basil was used as an embalming ingredient, and is found in tombs and with mummies.
Though considered a love charm in ancient Greece, basil was also associated with death and considered a symbol of mourning. According to Greek mythology, the herb appeared when the warrior Ocimus fell in combat with another gladiator. The Greeks called basil basilikon phuton, meaning “kingly herb,” perhaps because it was used in royal medicine. However, the name basilikon may also be linked to the mythical basilisk. Basil was supposed to protect against the deadly stare and bite of the basilisk and was believed to be an antidote for snake bites.
Pliny, an ancient Roman scholar, described the then-common belief that basil must be cursed at when planted in order for it to grow (which must have led to some entertaining gardening practices). Pliny also refuted some negative beliefs about the herb, such as that it caused madness, and listed its benefits. According to Pliny, basil relieved fatigue, inflammation, and headache, and acted as an aphrodisiac. Basil is also mentioned in the only known cookbook from ancient Greece or Rome, in a recipe for fresh or dried peas seasoned with herbs and wine.
Basil also has a place in some Christian traditions. Christians who follow the Eastern Orthodox Church believe that Saint Helena (the mother of the first Christian Roman emperor, Constantine, who is also worshipped as a saint) discovered fragments of the cross on which Jesus was crucified buried underneath a basil plant. Supposedly, the basil grew where Jesus’s blood fell. To this day, Basil is a popular boy’s name among Eastern Orthodox Christians.
Beliefs about basil in the medieval world were no less strange than those of ancient times. Some African legends claimed that basil could protect against scorpion stings, and medieval Europeans believed that scorpions could actually be created from basil. Supposedly, basil sprigs placed under a flowerpot would turn into scorpions. In the 16th century, a French doctor took this link between basil and scorpions a step further, determining that smelling basil would cause scorpions to develop in the brain. A completely unrelated belief about basil was that the herb would wither in the hands of an “impure” woman.
Basil arrived in Britain sometime in the 16th century, and from there travelled to North America.
Basil is a member of the mint family and is related to rosemary and lavender. There are several varieties of basil, and different cultures have specific favourites. Over the centuries, basil has been supposed to help alleviate a huge variety of ailments, including cancer, convulsion, deafness, diarrhea, epilepsy, gout, hiccups, impotency, insanity, nausea, sore throat, toothache, and whooping cough. There are also reports that basil can be used in insect repellant. The types of basil most commonly used in North America are varieties of “sweet basil.” This is the basil that was grown in ancient Greek and Roman gardens and is also the type used in the Italian dishes with which western cultures tend to associate basil.
Though essential oil of basil has antioxidant, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties, today both dried and fresh basil are usually used in food. However, basil plants need hot sun, so while they grow in France, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Morocco, Arizona, California, and New Mexico, the chilly, cloudy weather on British Columbia’s “wet coast” makes dried basil a simpler—and more economical—alternative. Basil is a key ingredient in tomato-based pasta sauces, and is also used in stews, on poultry, and on grilled or roasted vegetables. When making a cooked dish, substituting dried for fresh basil is easy. Flavour is more concentrated in dried herbs, so if a recipe calls for fresh basil, simply use one third of that amount of dried basil. Dried basil should be added early in the cooking process, so that the flavour can combine with the other ingredients, whereas fresh basil should be added near the end, because lengthy cooking ruins the herb.
Try our pesto recipe using our popular Dried Basil!
Sourced by Natasha Simpson
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