Читать книгу Cumin, Camels, and Caravans - Gary Paul Nabhan - Страница 11

Spice Boxes

The spices profiled in this book embrace an eclectic assortment of herbs, incenses, gums, fruits, musks, and teas. Some are esoteric, such as frankincense and mastic, while others are familiar and beloved, like cumin and chocolate. Some might come as a surprise, since they are not widely thought of as spices, like pomegranate, caper, and Damascus rose. But what all of these have in common is that they were in high demand throughout history as flavorings, fragrances, and pharmaceuticals. Because many aromatics were specific to certain geographic areas, they had to be traded for rather than produced locally. These valuable commodities gave their names to the roads by which they were traded, which became collectively known as the Spice Routes. The spice profiles give an overview of the vernacular names, folk uses, medicinal applications, and local lore surrounding each of these global travelers.

Mastic

Frankincense

Turmeric

Cardamom

Saffron

Cassia cinnamon

Capers

Sesame

Cloves

Damascus rose • Rose of Castile

Melegueta pepper • Grains of Paradise

Musk

Ginger

Pomegranate

Sumac

Anise

Coriander • Cilantro

Star anise

Sichuan pepper

Tuocha pu-erh • Camel’s breath tea

Cumin

Chile peppers

Annatto • Achiote

Allspice • Jamaica pepper

Vanilla

Chocolate