Did you know that there was a time when spices were worth their weight in gold and were as highly prized as precious metals and stones?
In addition to being used to enhance flavor, add color, aromatize foods, preserve food, for the preparation of cosmetic substances, and to ferment drinks, spices had important functions in medicine, religion, and commerce, with which they also had a role in politics and were a sign of social status. We are going to dedicate this equitably sourced spices post to telling you about the properties and uses of the main spices, the ones that are most used in cooking recipes. I also invite you to visit our recommended site that you will find at the end of the article in which I summarize the main qualities of some popular spices, do not miss it!
What are spices
With very small quantities of some parts of plants, it is possible to aromatize, give color and flavor to multiple dishes, both from traditional cuisines and from the most innovative and alternative cuisine recipes. Is it the same spice as seasoning? Although nowadays they are often used interchangeably, the terms seasoning, aromatic herb, and spice are different products.
While those of mineral origin (such as salt ) can be included in the category of condiments, spices and aromatic herbs are exclusively vegetables. The dividing line between spices and aromatic herbs is more subtle. Except that herbs do not have woody organs, they are also often distinguished by their ancestral origin; spices accumulate the extensive historical route of oriental origin. Spices include the hard parts ( seeds, buds, bark, roots, berries, shoots ) which, being the parts that are preserved the longest, could be marketed during ancient times in vast territories without their properties deteriorating. Thus, not all seasonings are spices, although all spices can be seasonings.
The origins and journeys of spices
The first archaeological evidence of the use of Natural spices dates back to 5,000 years BC and, through writing, reaches the Sumerian tablets found in Mesopotamia, which testify to medical recipes and information on the use of spices. In Spices switzerland, its uses for embalming techniques and brewing were also collected, knowledge later collected by Phoenicians and Greeks.
Around the 1st century, the Greek botanist Pedanius Dioscorides drew up a catalog of herbalism and pharmacopeia with the preservative and therapeutic properties of some spices. For his part, the Roman gastronome Marco Gavio Aparicio, also in the 1st century, reported on the uses of spice mixtures, referring especially to pepper, highly coveted in Rome.
What are natural spices used for?
The uses of spices have been, throughout history, many and varied. Its incorporation into procedures for food preservation is also used to mask unpleasant flavors from fermentation to applications in cosmetic products and natural dyes. The Naturally grown spices are healthy for use. However, it can be said that currently its main use is associated with gastronomy, to give aroma and a distinctive flavor to preparations, and even to prevent ailments associated with the digestive process or improve the digestibility of some ingredients. Spices give a special and characteristic stamp to meals, especially when it comes to traditional preparations.
Among the most recognized accents that spices provide are, for example, those of Asian cuisine. Even when, in the preparation of what is generally called curry or curry in the West, the use of different spices in each of the different regions stands out.
Another of the distinctive accents provided by spices in traditional recipes is that of Arab food which, as happens with curry, in each town has a distinctive touch with spices typical of the regions where the towns transited or settled. nomads in since ancient times.
How spices are used
Despite their attractive aroma and flavor, spices must be used carefully, for which it is necessary to know their flavors and how they combine, both with food and with each other, to achieve balanced and tasty dishes. Culinary specialists assure that the spices, as well as the rest of the condiments, must provide contrast without canceling the flavor of the main ingredient. As a general rule, as these are foods that are eaten raw and in very small quantities, they are added to the preparation shortly before the end of cooking or just before serving the dish.
In this way, the original flavor of the spice is maintained, as well as its properties, which would be lost if it were cooked. In the case of the seeds, they are usually lightly crushed and roasted over low heat for a few minutes. Then they are added to the dish already served. A key to adjusting the use of spices in preparations is knowing the types of use – base, mild, harsh, or filler – according to the proportion in specific preparations.
Spices, like aromatic herbs, can be classified into two groups: those that modify the flavor of food (including cinnamon, thyme, and rosemary); and those that excite the palate (such as pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg).
Spices: a guide to know and take advantage of the properties and uses of these condiments
Spices min properties
Did you know that there was a time when spices were worth their weight in gold and were as highly prized as precious metals and stones?
In addition to being used to enhance flavor, add color, aromatize foods, preserve food, for the preparation of cosmetic substances, and to ferment drinks, spices had important functions in medicine, religion, and commerce, with which they also had a role in politics and were a sign of social status. We are going to dedicate this post to telling you about the properties and uses of the main spices, the ones that are most used in cooking recipes. I also invite you to watch a video that you will find at the end of the article in which I summarize the main qualities of some popular spices, do not miss it! For further details visit our recommended site by clicking on highlighted links.
