Cooking with Herbs and Spices

A short history of SPICES and the SPICE TRADE

The story of the SPICE TRADE – being the oldest trade known – is a long and romantic one.
Overland trade routes across Asia happened already before recorded history and SPICES moved over sea routes between China (Cathay), the SPICE ISLANDS and Arabia long before Europeans ever heard of, never mind used, SPICES.
The SPICE TRADE in those historic times was a financially very rewarding one and even King Solomon’s enormous income was partly due to the trade in SPICES.
Arabia and China dominated the trade from time immemorial and jealously guarded the secrets of where those so much in demand SPICES could be found.
With the advent of Egypt becoming a major power, the trade with India expanded and was later dominated for three centuries by the Romans.
By the 6th century Ceylon (Sri Lanka) had become a major trading post and with Venice coming into the picture a monopoly in SPICE TRADE from Alexandria via Venice to northern and western Europe was established, which lasted well into the 15th century.
Europe was well aware of the origin of the SPICES and towards the end of the 15th century, being tired of having to pay exorbitant prices to Venice, finally decided to break the back of the SPICE monopoly and so the fabled travels of discovery began.
Name like Bartholomeu Diaz, Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus come to mind, although Columbus failed to find the famed SPICE ISLANDS but stumbled onto a new continent and a welcome addition to world as it was known then instead.
One of the best known name in the SPICE TRADE is of course the East Indian Company formed in London on the 31st Dec 1600. It was prompted by the successes of the Dutch Mariners who sailed to the SPICE ISLANDS at the end of the 16th century and brought back shiploads upon shipload of the coveted SPICES like cloves, nutmeg and pepper.
By 1602 the Dutch East Indian Company came into being and the trade between the eastern SPICE ISLANDS and Europe was well established.
It was an age of adventure, risk, hardship and riches for Mariners, an age of defeat and conquest for nations. For the Europeans it turn out to be a time of commercial successes that had broken the Venice monopoly and the domination of the muslim empires that stretched from the red sea to the china sea and it opened up a new world.
For centuries people have fought and died for a commodity that today is freely available without us having to face danger and adventure to get our hands on it. So lets take advantage, use the SPICES freely as they are deemed to be used.
Next time you use SPICES, don’t just take them for granted, appreciate them, there is a lot of history, stories and romance in SPICES and the SPICE TRADE as it used to be.

SPICES and their uses
MEAT DISHES – caraway seed, cayenne pepper, chilli powder, cloves, coriander seed, cumin seed, curry powder, ginger, marjoram, mustard, paprika, pepper (white, red, black)
FISH & SEAFOOD – cayenne pepper, chilli powder, curry powder, mustard, paprika, pepper (white, red, black), marjoram, turmeric
POULTRY – caraway seed, cumin seed, curry powder, marjoram, paprika, pepper (white, red, black)
EGG DISHES – cayenne pepper, chilli powder, cumin seed, curry powder, marjoram, paprika, pepper (white, red, black)
CHEESE DISHES - caraway seeds, cumin seed, turmeric
CAKES, COOKIES, DESSERTS – allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, nutmeg, saffron

The above list is just a guideline and please be invited to experiment with your SPICES.
The use of SPICES is a journey of discovery an adventure in itself. Let your taste buds experience and enjoy new flavours.

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