The world of spices has occupied an important place in human life since ancient times. People used them not only to flavor food, but also for cosmetics, perfumery or for medical purposes.
Already in the Stone Age, people flavored their food with herbs and roots of various plants, traces of which can be found in settlements that existed 6,000 years ago. The history of universal consumption of spices began in the Middle East. 2800 Ave. Cr. Ancient Egyptian papyri mention spices such as mint, marjoram and cinnamon. In that country, spices were also used for healing purposes: marjoram for headaches, cumin for sharpening the mind, embalming. Spices were believed to be antiseptics that ensured the longevity of mummies.
Pepper was the most widespread in ancient times - it is one of the oldest spices of mankind. In the Roman Empire, he had almost the status of a saint. In fact, the Romans did not use any spices at all until they conquered Greece. After conquering Greece and Egypt, the Romans discovered a wealth of spices there, and since then, in a hurry to make up for the "spicy" period of their history, they began to use spices so often that they added whatever they could find to the food they were preparing. However, the Romans liked pepper the most, in whose honor the emperor Domitian ordered the construction of a hall. Until today, there is a pepper street in the Eternal City - Rome - "Via Piperatia".
Annoyed by the high prices of aromatic spices imported from Arabia, the Roman Empire even annexed the southern part of Arabia, called "Terra Aromatic", where most of the spices came from.
During the Crusades, Europeans who went to Palestine to command the "Coffin of Christ" widely used garlic, which the poets of that time called, not particularly romantically, the stinking rose. In the conquered territories, the crusaders discovered new types of spices, which they eventually began to use in their homes. However, the consumption of spices was considered a luxury, they themselves were considered a substitute for hard currency. For example, at the end of the 4th century, 500 g of nutmeg cost seven oxen, and 500 g of ginger cost one sheep.
When a market demand arose, Venetian merchants rushed to meet it. The main medieval sea expeditions were conducted to expand the spice market. 1292 the famous traveler Mark Paul returned from a trip to Asia with news of a limitless spice market in the East - according to him, there were as many as 7,448 islands south of Java alone where spices grew. Since then, all famous seafarers have sailed to discover new routes to those fantasy spice islands. in 1492 Christopher Columbus set off on the ship "Santa Maria", hoping to discover the riches of India - gold and spices. That's how he got to America. He could not find gold there, but Columbus brought a new spice from America to Europe - allspice.
What are spices?
Spices are substances intended to improve the taste of food or drinks and give them an appropriate aroma. According to their nature and use, spices can be divided into three groups: basic spices, aromatic plants and spice mixtures.
The first group includes:
- Fruits (coriander, nutmeg, black, white and green pepper, paprika, vanilla);
- Roots (ginger, turmeric, garlic, horseradish, onion);
- Flowers (hops, cloves, saffron);
- Bark (cinnamon, sandal);
- Leaves (bay leaves);
- Seeds (mustard seeds, sesame, poppy seeds).
The second group - aromatic plants - green or dried herbs or their parts (leaves, tops, inflorescences) - cumin, basil, tarragon, marjoram, lemon balm, mint, rosemary, dill, celery.
Spice mixes are prepared from various mixed spices.
About the quality of spices
Today, quality spices are considered to be those that do not contain unwanted impurities - dust, stones, sand, they contain the highest amount of essential oils and aromatic substances, they also retain their color, have the right humidity, are not moldy, and do not contain harmful microorganisms. Thus, in order to produce high-quality spices, the quality must be checked during the entire production process, the technological process itself is constantly improved in order for the spices to maintain their good properties.
High-quality spices contain a lot of essential oils and aromatic substances, so you need less of them than low-quality ones. The raw material of spices must be carefully selected, tested in laboratories, then impurities are removed, crushed or ground and packaged. The quality of the spices also depends on the quality of the packaging. Evaluating the geography of the supply of raw materials and their growing conditions, the quality of the received raw materials occupies the most important place in the production of ready-made spices.
Spices and food
Spices give food the desired taste and aroma, so by using them we can change the taste of various dishes.
A person perceives taste with three sense organs - eyes, nose and tongue. First of all, the food must be presented in a visually beautiful way - only then will you want to taste it. The chemical compounds in the food irritate the sense of smell, and the taste buds on the tongue capture the chemical compounds dissolved in the food.
Taste varieties can be divided into four parts: saltiness, sourness, bitterness and sweetness. Different parts of the tongue feel them differently - sweetness is best felt by the tip of the tongue, and bitterness by the back of the tongue. Acidity and saltiness are recorded by receptors located on the sides of the tongue.
There is a relationship between the chemical composition of a dish and the taste sensation it evokes. The sensation of sweetness arises from the reaction of substances in a non-ionized mixture (sugar, glycerin).
Alkaloids (piperine in black pepper) have a pungent taste. The sensation of saltiness is related to ionization (potassium chloride, ammonia, salt), the sensation of acidity is related to the concentration of hydrogen ions.
The absorption of food in the human body depends on the taste, smell, appearance and variety of food. Beautifully presented food is appetizing and easier to digest and absorb.
The taste and smell of spices are determined by the essential oils they contain, as well as complex etheric compounds (aldehydes, terpenes). Depending on the quality of the spices, their essential oil content varies from 1% to 6% of the dry weight (the higher the quality of the spices, the more essential oils they contain). Some spices (for example, cloves) can contain up to 20% essential oils.
Today, we use spices primarily for their taste. In addition, spices give dishes an appetizing appearance and improve digestion. Spices have antiseptic, disinfectant and antibacterial properties. Before refrigerators were invented, spices protected food from the growth of harmful bacteria (for example, the traditional method of infusing pork with cloves prolongs the life of the pork - clove oil prevents the fat from spoiling).
How to use spices?
Spices do not play a decisive role in the flavor of food. Their mission is to emphasize and complement the taste.
If you use several spices in cooking, it is necessary to maintain their consistency. Be careful if you add a lot of spices. By adding spices to food in small quantities, their excess can be avoided. It is also necessary to remember individual taste.
Coarse spices are added to dishes that take longer to prepare. Ground spices "give their flavor" faster, so they can be added to food both before serving and during eating.
Spices can be added to food at the beginning, middle or end of cooking. Just remember that aromatic plants cannot be heated for a long time, so they are best added at the end of cooking.
It is not advisable to taste the dish immediately after adding the spices, as the aromas will not have absorbed into the food yet. Impatient tasting can be the reason for an excess of spices in a dish. Finely ground spices, such as fine leaves, impart flavor more quickly than coarse spices such as black peppercorns.
Starchy products (rice, potatoes, pasta) absorb more spices. In order for the final result to be good, more spices from these products should be added to the dishes.
Spices can also change the color of the food being cooked. To extract the color, the following are used: curry, which gives a dark yellow color, saffron - golden, yellow), paprika - light brown, turmeric - yellow. The best result is achieved when the spice is heated in fat before adding it to the food.
Storage of spices
The storage time of spices is determined by the amount of essential oils and the level of grinding. The more essential oils and the more finely ground the spices, the faster the spice loses its aroma. Properly stored spices can preserve their aroma for five years, and ground spices for three.
The biggest enemies of spices are sunlight, heat, air and moisture. The aroma of improperly stored spices can disappear within a few weeks. Sunlight is able to change the color of spices in a short time. The rack with spices should not be close to the stove. The best place to store spices is a closed, cool and dry cupboard.
Source: The Gourmet Guide
Prepared by Modestas Kučinskas
