An example of the European aristocracy's demand for spice comes from the King of Aragon, who invested substantial resources into bringing back spices to Spain in the 12th century. In addition to being desired by those using medieval medicine, the European elite also craved spices in the Middle Ages. Given medieval medicine's main theory of humorism, spices and herbs were indispensable to balance "humors" in food, a daily basis for good health at a time of recurrent pandemics. Spices were among the most demanded and expensive products available in Europe in the Middle Ages, the most common being black pepper, cinnamon (and the cheaper alternative cassia), cumin, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Illustration from a French edition of The Travels of Marco Polo. In the Song of Solomon, the male narrator compares his beloved to many saffron, cinnamon, and other spices. In Exodus, manna is described as being similar to coriander in appearance. In Genesis, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers to spice merchants. Spices were prominent enough in the ancient world that they are mentioned in the Old Testament. Sailing from Eastern spice cultivators to Western European consumers gradually replaced the land-locked spice routes once facilitated by the Middle East Arab caravans. The most important discovery prior to the European spice trade was the monsoon winds (40 CE). This resulted in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria being the main trading center for spices. Arab merchants facilitated the routes through the Middle East and India. Indonesian merchants traveled around China, India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. Historians believe that nutmeg, which originates from the Banda Islands in Southeast Asia, was introduced to Europe in the 6th century BCE. describes some eight hundred different medicinal remedies and numerous medicinal procedures. The Ebers Papyrus from early Egypt dating from 1550 B.C.E. The earliest written records of spices come from ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Indian cultures.
The Romans had cloves in the 1st century CE, as Pliny the Elder wrote about them. The ancient Indian epic Ramayana mentions cloves. Ĭloves were used in Mesopotamia by 1700 BCE. Early uses were connected with magic, medicine, religion, tradition, and preservation. By 1000 BCE, medical systems based upon herbs could be found in China, Korea, and India. The Egyptians used herbs for mummification and their demand for exotic spices and herbs helped stimulate world trade. The spice trade developed throughout the Indian subcontinent by at earliest 2000 BCE with cinnamon and black pepper, and in East Asia with herbs and pepper. Europe's demand for spices was among the economic and cultural factors that encouraged exploration in the early modern period. This is reflected culturally through their cuisine historically, the spice trade developed throughout the Indian subcontinent, as well as in East Asia and the Middle East. India contributes to 75% of global spice production.
Small seeds, such as fennel and mustard seeds, are often used both whole and in powder form.Īlthough health benefits are often claimed for spices, there is not currently good evidence for this. Some spices are not always available either fresh or whole, for example turmeric, and often must be purchased in ground form. A fresh spice, such as ginger, is usually more flavorful than its dried form, but fresh spices are more expensive and have a much shorter shelf life. A whole dried spice has the longest shelf life, so it can be purchased and stored in larger amounts, making it cheaper on a per-serving basis. Spices may be ground into a powder for convenience. Ī spice may be available in several forms: fresh, whole dried, or pre-ground dried. For example, vanilla is commonly used as an ingredient in fragrance manufacturing. Spices are sometimes used in medicine, religious rituals, cosmetics or perfume production. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. An assortment of spices used in Indian cuisineĪ spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food.
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