Spice

The spices are parts of plants aromatic S with the strong Saveur or preparations, in particular of the mixtures made starting from these plants. They are used in minor amount in Cuisine like preserving, Assaisonnement or coloring. The spices are to be differentiated from other products used to scent the dishes, like the aromatic herbs or the Fruit S. It are for the majority of the exotic products. The spices were among the most expensive commercial products during the Antiquité and the Moyen-âge. A great number of spices were employed formerly in Médecine.

Common spices

See also: List of the spices

The salt is a seasoning extremely running, often considered as a spice; however, it is a product Minéral.

One can classify spices in various types:

  • the Sheet S and/or Branch S of the aromatic plants which one can use whole or part of the plant according to his aromatic interest. The basil, the Rosemary, the Thyme, the Parsley, the Tarragon or the bay-tree are good examples.
  • the Fruit S with maturity or of seeds of plants. One can quote the Piment, the Fenouil, the Aneth or the mustard.
  • the root S or the Bulb S of certain plants like the Ginger or the garlic.

History

The spices played a big role in the human Histoire. They belonged to the most invaluable goods in the trade of the ancient world, like the medieval one. In the Genesis, Joseph is sold like slave by his brothers to spice merchants. In the Canticle of the canticles , a biblical poem, the writer compares his beloved with the many spice shapes. More generally, of the sources of Egypt, of China, of India and Mésopotamie old refer to not identified spices.

The trade of spices developed especially in the the Middle East as from 2.000 years before J. - C. with the grooves, the Casse rack and the Poivre.

A recent archaeological discovery suggests that the introduction of the Girofle, Indigène in the island Indonesia of Ternate in the Moluques, with the the Middle East could have started early. Indeed, one found a clove among remainders calcined on the ground of a burnt kitchen of the site mésopotamien of Terqa in current Syria, gone back to 1700 before J. - C. the Indian epopee of the Ramayana, perhaps written towards 200 before J. - C., mentions the clove. It was in any case known Romans in Ier century after J. - C., since Pline Old the describes it in its writings.

In South Asia, the nutmeg, originating in the islands Banda in Moluques, is indicated by a name Sanscrit, the language of the crowned texts of the Hindouisme, which shows the seniority of its use in the area. Authors date the introduction from nutmeg in Europe of the Life century after J. - C.

The merchants indonésiens went as far as China, to India, in the Middle East and on the east coast of Africa. The Arab merchants controlled the roads between the Middle East and the India until the Roman epoch with the discovery of the sea routes. Then the town of Alexandria in Egypt becomes the center commercial of spices thanks to its port. 13th century at the 15th century, the town of Venice exerts the monopoly of the trade of spice with the the Middle East.

The control of trade route and the producing spice areas were the main reason of the forwarding of the navigator Portuguese Vasco de Gama towards India. The Spain and the Portugal found that the prices exerted by Venice were too high. About at the same time, Christophe Colomb after having unloaded on the New World, made gleam with investors the description of many spices then unknown available in America.

It is Afonso de Albuquerque (1453 - 1515) which will make it possible to the Portuguese to take the control of the Arab sea routes towards India. In 1506, it takes the small island of Socotra at the entry of the Red Sea and, in 1507, Ormuz at the entry of the Persian Gulf. Become viceroy of the the Indies, it takes Goa in India in 1510 and Malacca on the Malayan Péninsule in 1511. The Portuguese can from now on trade directly with the Siam, the China and the Moluques. The Silk route is doubled by the Portuguese sea routes, thus bringing by Lisbon in Europe the treasures of the Orient, of which so much coveted spices.

Common mixtures of spices

  • Bouquet furnished,

  • Five bays,
  • Five spices,
  • Colombo,
  • Curry,
  • Garam masala or Massalé,
  • Close-cropped el hanout,
  • Zahtar,
  • truth Four spices is not a mixture of spices, but this denomination can correspond in the trade to a mixture which imitates this spice.

Production

See too

Random links:Pittacos de Mytilène | Kiwi of Owen | Strawberry Alarm Clock | Armed Launis | Route main road 300 | Projet_de_documentation_de_Linux