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Spice Guide

Cooking Schools Guide: Cooking with Spices

For many gourmet chefs, the meal isn’t finished unless it’s been touched off with just the right kind of spice. Spices have been around for centuries, turning drab meals into delicious works of art, and sometimes even starting wars. But what are they, really, and how can you use them to your advantage in your own kitchen at home?

What are they?

Spices have been around as long as cooking. Historians have found evidence of spice trade in the Bible as well as in Greek and Roman mythology, and Egyptians are believed to have used spices in their embalming process. In fact, spices had many uses that didn’t involve getting eaten. They were used in magical rites and ceremonies, to make fragrant perfumes, to preserve foods for long trips, and sometimes they were even used as aphrodisiacs or poisons. The Aztecs are even believed to have used chocolate pods as a form of currency, because they were so valuable. In fact, spices were incredibly valuable throughout most of their history, and barons often used foreign, exotic flavors at their table to prove how wealthy they were and intimidate their rivals.

For a long time, most of the valuable spices came out of Asia and the middle east, which meant that Venice was able to establish a monopoly on the trade of spices in Europe. That’s the reason that Columbus originally set out on his voyage across the world—he was trying to get to India, to bypass Venice’s taxes on spices.

Spices are differentiated from herbs in their origins. While herbs are made from the leaves of temperate-climate plants, spices grow in tropical areas and are made from almost every other part—the root, flower, seed, fruit, buds or bark. Herbs are also usually used more liberally, while spices tend to get used in small amounts. Spices may be fresh or dried, depending on the spice and on personal taste.

Using the Right Spice

There are many different spices in the world, and each has a wide range of uses. However, there are some spices that work better with some foods than with others. Here is a short guide to when you should use certain spices:

Allspice
Made from the berry of an African plant, Allspice tastes a little bit like cinnamon or nutmeg, and is one of the spices that comes out at Christmas time. It is best used in sweet foods, like pumpkin pie, apple cider, cakes, cookies and fruit dishes. However, you can also use it with beef or fish.

Basil
This warm-weather plant is used widely throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, and goes especially well in pasta dishes, both tomato and pesto-based. It is also a staple spice for Thai curry.

Chili Powder
Chili is one of the more well-known spices for its hot, spicy taste, although some varieties are actually quite mild. It is made from ground chili peppers, and no Mexican dish is complete without it, whether it’s beans or rice.

Cumin
This spice originated in the Mediterranean, and features in Mediterranean, Mexican and Indian dishes. It is particularly good with lamb dishes, like kabobs and gyros, but also works with beef. It is one of the ingredients in curry powder.

Garlic
Garlic is one of the most common spices, because it grows easily all over the world. It was often used by European peasants to spice up otherwise dull or spoiled dishes, while the aristocrats stuck with their imported spices. Garlic is thought to have medicinal properties, especially as the poor man’s poison antidote. Just about every type of cuisine uses garlic, and it works particularly well in salad dressings.

Licorice
Originating from China and Russia, licorice is actually sometimes classified as an herb due to its long history with Chinese traditional medicine. It was incorporated into many medicinal treatments, though no actual medicinal value has ever been proven. Licorice has a very strong taste that is not for everyone, but those who like it eat it like candy. Indeed, it exists most commonly in candy form, and is sometimes used to flavor tobacco products.

Mustard
Another of the most common spices, mustard actually belongs to the cabbage family, and is used worldwide, with the leaves sometimes used in salads. It is more commonly used with meat or fish, or in pickles or relishes.

Nutmeg
Nutmeg has a long history of being highly valued and sought after. Originally growing only in the spice islands, it is now cultivated across Asia, and its warm, spicy flavor means that it works great for either sweet or savory foods. Nutmeg is another Christmas favorite, and it is used heavily with squashes, cakes and pies as well as in many cola drinks and egg nog. Additionally, Nutmeg has some psychedelic properties when taken in too high of a dose, though it is extremely unpredictable and the side effects can quickly land you in the hospital with severe liver damage, or even kill you.

Vanilla
Vanilla is one of the most well-known spices, and also one of the most expensive. It originated in both Central America and the West Indies, and is made from the crushed bud of an orchid flower. It is very difficult to grow, and was used as a medical treatment starting in the 17th century. Today, most people use artificial vanilla, which is quite a bit cheaper, and only the most experienced palate can tell the difference. It is mostly used in high-quality baked goods, though perfume and tobacco companies also use it as a flavoring scent.

For a more comprehensive list, visit BBC’s recipe book or the University of Georgia’s spice guide.

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