The subject of spices, like herbs, needs a lifetime to explore. That is the lure of the herbalist. It is time to examine closer and harder the spices that have been so important in the history of the world. They seem to have more going for them than even the ancients knew. Science will find the active ingredients — like gingerol — and we will continue to enjoy the magic of the colors, perfumes, and tastes.
I neglected the aphrodisiac qualities of spices. Some provide erotic - it is said - smells and others enhance male's virility. That will have to be another article. I suggest experimenting with it yourself. If you don't have any success, just sprinkle lots of cinnamon on your mate and find some fun way to take it off. I promise it will have an aphrodisiac effect. If not, it will taste good and be healthy. Blogcritics is never X-rated, so do it on your own.
Bon appetit, provecho, enjoy!
Photographs ©Beringer-Dratch.
.jpg?t=20120527181101)
Article comments
1 - Christopher Rose
Chiles, Cinnamon, Coriander, Garlic and Ginger - these are a few of my favourite things!
2 - Nancy
Garlic...cumin...coriander...cinnamon...cardamom. Mmmmmm. And vanilla - does vanilla count?
3 - Lisa McKay
Howard, I wish this article could be presented in aroma-vision. It is indeed remarkable that something so filled with sensual delight could also be good for us!
Nancy, I would most certainly count vanilla if it were used in bean form -- what a heavenly scent!
4 - Nancy
I've got a vanilla bean tucked in my clothes drawers instead of a perfume sachet. You know, I always have guys telling me how good I smell. LOL - I once put a dab of vanilla mixed w/cinnamon behind each ear & practically had marriage proposals all day! It was a joke, but everyone loved it.
Cinnamon....ummmm...how I could wax poetic over cinnamon. Or cassia, its cheap cousin. Either one is heavenly, and especially if you've just ground it fresh from sticks. Ditto cardamom. That's another man-trap spice.
Maybe I'll just have myself cremated on a pile of cinnamon like the phoenix. My funeral would sure smell good!
5 - Byflickr
Thought of adding spice to an allready spiced article;-)
From ancient times other cultures have been in contact with Sri Lanka to obtain the spices that grow there. The best cinnamon, cloves and other spices are indigenous to Sri Lanka. People arrived to trade in spices and also left some of their culinary practices as well. Sri Lankan cooking has evolved by combining culinary practices of many of these cultures. The most noticeable impacts have been the Portuguese, Dutch, Moor and Malay influences.
6 - Karthik
Really Informative... No doubts..
Nancy, thanks for ur input.. i'm planning to follow u ;). Never mind, just to use vanila in my draws..
7 - Zoe
A lot of people who love to cook are very fond of herbs and spices and look for every opportunity to present them into a dish.
Some cooks go overabundant, and sprinkle them in everything on the off chance they will find something new.
Then there are those who avoid seasonings altogether for fear they will ruin an entire dish by over-seasoning, or worse, adding the wrong seasoning.
One such herb is thyme; its most active ingredient - thymol - is a well-known ingredient in products like Listerine and Vicks.
Thymol has antibacterial and antifungal properties, which makes it useful for a number of things.
Its oil, when inhaled, can help to loosen phlegm and relax the muscles in the respiratory tract and when made into a tea, thyme is helpful for colds and flu. Adding thyme to a dish infuses a whole new flavor and fragrance; its dry aroma and slightly minty flavor allow it to pair perfectly with minced garlic in rubs for lamb, pork, or even beef roasts, or by itself to enhance cheese, tomato, and egg dishes.
Try adding some thyme to stuffing, spaghetti, pizza sauces or chilli.
Thyme retains its flavor on drying better than many other herbs, and dried thyme, especially powdered, occupies less space than fresh, so less of it is required when substituted in a recipe.
As a rule of thumb, use one-third as much dried as fresh thyme, a little less if it is ground.
Thyme is slow to release its flavors so it is best added early in the cooking process to ensure proper flavor penetration.
Thyme is great on roast beef, which makes a great Kummelweck.
Kummelweck or a weck is a roast beef sandwich made famous in Buffalo, New York by being served on a special Kaiser roll topped with lots of pretzel salt and caraway seeds.
Its name comes from its creator who is believed to have been William Wahr, a German baker from the Black Forest, an area of Germany where bread rolls are known as wecks.
View video of how to grow Thyme here.