Condiments, Spices and FlavorsGreen, Mary Elizabeth
History
Condiments, Spices and Flavors
Green, Mary Elizabeth
Spices
Coriander is a small umbelliferous plant native to the eastern of the
Mediterranean countries but now cultivated quite generally in both
Europe and America. The fruits, erroneously called the seeds, are
nearly always mentioned in the earlier recipes for meats and puddings
and to this day many a country housewife considers them indispensable
to the flavoring of dried apple pies. The plant grows wild in all parts
of Palestine, especially in the Jordan valley.
[Illustration: Coriander.]
Fenugreek is an herbaceous plant allied to the clover. It is native to
the Asiatic countries and is still cultivated in France and Germany.
The seeds were formerly used as a spice, but now only as an ingredient
of curry powder, owing to their strong, bitter and unpleasant flavor.
Grains of Paradise are the dried seeds of a reed-like plant allied to
the ginger family and indigenous to western Africa. The fruit which
contains the seeds is four or five inches in length and of a bright red
color. The seed are now never used, excepting occasionally by brewers.
Formerly they were esteemed as a spice for cookery and were one of
the ingredients of the famous Norwich herring pies of old England. In
flavor they are extremely hot and pungent.
Anise is a little annual of the order umbelliferæ and scarcely more
than a foot in height. It is indigenous to Europe, although cultivated
in many of the northern Mediterranean countries. The seeds are powerful
aromatics, used both medicinally and in the preparation of a _liqueur_
called “anisette,” which is to the Italians what kümmel is to the
Germans. The star anise is a tree allied to the magnolias, the seeds of
which are stronger and less pleasant of flavor than those of the common
anise. They are called star aniseed from the star-like shape of the
fruit. The anise mentioned in the New Testament as part of the tithes
is a different plant, believed to be dill.
Dill is a small herb, native to Spain, which produces umbelliferous
stalks of yellow flowers. It is still cultivated in portions of
temperate Europe. An aromatic oil is extracted from the tiny seeds
which are also used, whole, for flavoring pickles.
[Illustration: Caraway.]
Caraway is also an umbelliferous plant growing wild in the meadows
and pastures of both Europe and Asia. It is cultivated for its mildly
aromatic seeds, although in the northern countries of Europe the root,
which resembles the parsnip, is also eaten. No aromatic of temperate
climates is more common than the dainty, white-blooming plant growing
in the kitchen gardens of both hemispheres. Its seeds are used for the
spicing of cheese, cakes and candies, and in Germany in the rye bread
called “kümmel-brod,” which is universally eaten. The seeds are also
used in the making of an aromatic cordial called “kümmel.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account