The spice trail, whether it starts in India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East or the Caribbean, invariably ends up on the plate.
Today fragrant spices from the far reaches of the globe are easily accessible, gathered from the fruit of fragrant trees, bushes and vines that grow oceans away. The handful of traders, who for centuries forged dangerous routes to bring spices to larger markets, have been replaced by multinational companies that easily transport the seasonings in days, not months.
All of this so we can grind a little pepper on our steak and delight in a childhood treat as simple as cinnamon toast.
Americans consumed more than 1 billion pounds of spices last year, according to the American Spice Trade Association, which compiles statistics from the Department of Agriculture.
Yet because so many seasonings–even those as common as pepper and cinnamon–are imported from other countries, there often is little understanding of the lively nature of these plants.
Spice doesn’t merely mean heat. Every spice has more than one note to it, offering everything from hot to sweet to sour flavors–even, sometimes, a taste of other spices.
The great complexity offered by every home cook’s spice rack is worth appreciating more fully. At the end of Good Eating’s trip to search out the source of some of the world’s great seasonings, it’s time to take a last look at the right way to purchase and store these aromatics, to get a few ideas for using them and, yes indeed, to appreciate the spice they add to life.
Worldly riches
The spice trade changed the world.
Maybe not in every way, but in significant ones. The profitable business forged an international travel route that led from the saunalike temperatures of South Pacific islands to the cold dampness of the British Isles.
The end of the Middle Ages saw the consolidation of some of the great European kingdoms, and their prosperity allowed them to set sights on other parts of the world. European determination to control the source of spices led to an era of ship-building, of vessels that could travel vast distances, withstand monsoon rains and bring back great quantities of cargo.
Some of the greatest explorers and navigators in history–Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Sir Francis Drake and Vasco da Gama–had their eyes on the spice-producing lands as they left for strange territories.
The spice trade was an empire builder for some, involving colonial conquests for the English, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese; it was a disaster for others, bringing war and occupation, death and disease to the inhabitants of spice-growing areas.
Yet the unquestionably positive result of all this is that the world became a fragrant place, full of the sweet, hot, pungent, musky and dusty flavors that make everything we eat more interesting. The spice trade not only changed history and led to the creation of new maps, it also changed the landscape of our mouths. And that’s something to be grateful for every day.
Recommended reading
— “The Book of Spices,” by Alain Stella: Coffee-table beautiful but also useful. This book, an encyclopedia of the world’s best-known spices, provides information on how they’re grown, harvested and used. About 10 recipes.
— “The Indian Spice Kitchen,” by Monosha Bharadwaj: Cookbook with helpful information on spices from India.
— “Dangerous Tastes: The Story of Spices,” by Andrew Dalby: An in-depth look at the historical lure of spices and their appearance in literature through the ages.
— “A Mediterranean Feast,” by Clifford A. Wright: This traces the culinary development in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The history and recipes are equally interesting.
— “The Scents of Eden: A History of the Spice Trade,” by Charles Corn: The late author was an enthusiastic traveler to Indonesia, home of the fabled Spice Islands. In this book he recounts the European attempts to control the source of coveted seasonings.
— “Tropical Herbs & Spices,” by Wendy Hutton: A primer on various aromatics, with color photographs and a handful of recipes for seasoning blends.
— “Nathaniel’s Nutmeg,” by Giles Milton: The history of two 17th Century superpowers–England and Holland–and their battle for control of the Spice Islands.
How to choose, how to use and where to buy spices
If possible, buy whole spices and grind them as needed. Spices contain oils that deteriorate when exposed to air, and the smaller the piece has been ground the more quickly those aromatic, flavorful oils will go stale.
Whole and ground spices have a shelf life of up to 2 years, as long as they are kept in well-sealed jars in a dark, dry place, ideally one that never gets above 68 degrees. That means away from the stove and away from the sink and dishwasher: Forget about those attractive countertop spice racks.
It might seem like a bargain to buy a large jar of nutmeg or paprika, but ask yourself how often you will use them and in what quantity. If you’re only using a half-teaspoon here and there, most of that spice will go stale before the jar is empty.
Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Jean Georges and Vong restaurants in New York, recommends toasting whole spices before grinding them for any dish. Place whole spices in a small, dry skillet over low heat and let them cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until you can smell their fragrance rising from the stove.
An exception to the grind-just-before-using rule, Vongerichten said, is when making spice or curry blends. In this case, put toasted, ground spice mixtures in a tightly sealed container and let it sit for “at least two weeks to cure, or mature. It becomes like alchemy. It takes some time and a lot of tasting.”
Grind whole spices using a mortar and pestle or a small electric coffee grinder set aside for this use. To clean the grinder without using soap and water, put in a piece of stale bread and run the motor; the bread will sweep up lingering spices.
Although some supermarkets and natural food stores offer a good selection of spices, the best sources are specialty stores. Here are some local retailers that stock spices and grinding tools:
The Chopping Block, 1324 W. Webster Ave., 773-472-6700.
Let’s Spice It Up, 105 Washington Ave., Highwood, 847-433-6309. Catalog available at 800-659-6302. www.letsspiceitup.com.
Penzeys Spices, 1138 W. Lake St., Oak Park, 708-848-7772, and 235 S Washington St., Naperville, 630-355-7677. Catalog available at 800-741-7787. www.penzeys.com.
The Spice House, 1941 Central St., Evanston, 847-328-3711, and 1512 N. Wells St., 312-274-0378. Catalog available. www.thespicehouse.com.
Indian grocery stores also are a good source for whole spices and mortars and pestles for grinding. Some in the Chicago area:
Jai Hind, 2658 W. Devon Ave., 773-973-3400.
J.K. Grocers, 2552 W. Devon Ave., 773-262-7600.
Patel Brothers, 2610 W. Devon Ave., 773-262-7777.
Suchir, 661 N. Cass Ave., Westmont, 630-920-0115.
Modern spice hunters still revel in the exotic
Spices aren’t just dumped on our shores in sacks. There is a whole network of buyers and inspectors who travel the world looking for new suppliers and keeping up to date with the current ones. Here are two of the people responsible for bringing the seasonings to the store and your kitchen.
Al Goetz, McCormick Global Ingredients Ltd.: Now 50 years old and the managing director for spice procurement, Goetz’s first exposure to the food trade was in the family’s meat business in Baltimore. Goetz also worked as a waterman on the Chesapeake Bay before joining the Maryland-based McCormick company in the late 1970s. He is still close to the water; his office now is in the Cayman Islands.
After working his way up through the manufacturing and extract departments, Goetz made his first buying trip in 1984, to Belem, Brazil, “Right where the Amazon dumps into the Atlantic,” he said. “It is very much black pepper country there.”
Now Goetz makes regular visits to India, Indonesia, Spain, Turkey, Egypt and South America. The main purpose, he said, is to gain information.
“The industry is so small that it’s important to be the first to know the right time to buy. It’s like any commodity.”
Even when traveling in countries with political problems, Goetz said he often feels safer there than in the U.S. “I know that sounds strange to people,” he said. “But there is someone meeting you there who knows his way around and you get to see parts of the country that tourists wouldn’t see.”
Carol Kitchen, Tone Brothers Inc.: Kitchen, 38, had never been out of the country before her first trip as a research manager for Tone’s Spices, the Iowa company that produces the Spice Islands and Durkee brands.
Raised in Kingdom City, Mo., Kitchen had a degree in food and nutrition when she accepted a technical position doing microbiology, chemical and physical inspection of spices when she joined Tone 12 years ago.
Then, after a promotion to research manager, Kitchen made a tour of the spice- and herb-growing regions of Israel, Egypt, France and Turkey. She now takes up to four international trips a year to such destinations as India and China.
The spice-growing regions are “a very fertile, rich environment,” Kitchen said. “In many places the farmers grow everything on less than an acre of land. It’s amazing how many farmers it takes to make one container of spices.”
Why spice is nice
People enjoyed the taste of spices long before they developed a whole food culture.
This was obvious to many people, including Cornell University biology professor Paul Sherman. What Sherman has been further trying to establish, with a series of studies first published in 1998 and a more recent one in May, is that humans come by their taste for spice naturally because spices inhibit bacteria.
“Traditional recipes using spices were developed before the widespread use of refrigeration,” Sherman said. “Spices were used because they made food taste better. The question is, why do spices taste good to us?”
It’s not just a matter of people drawing sustenance from the plant life that grows around them, Sherman said. “In Chicago, you don’t eat oak leaves. They have a tannin that can be poisonous.” What humankind learned instead, he said, was to like the taste of plants that had health-preserving qualities.
Sherman’s team initially studied 4,500 meat recipes from countries around the world and, recently, 2,200 vegetable recipes.
“In 36 out of 36 countries, the vegetable recipes were not as spicy as the meat,” Sherman said. “You might say that spices don’t taste as good in those vegetables. Well, why don’t they taste as good?”
It may be because when an animal dies, its immune system dies along with it, he said. Cut plants are still protected through various chemical compounds and have a lower Ph than that which microbes need to flourish. “So meat recipes need to be spicier than vegetable recipes,” Sherman concludes.
The professor said he is not arguing the culinary merits of seasoning one group of ingredients over the other. But his research continues into how our tastes were formed, long before chefs, food writers and the food industry began to define taste for us.
Chefs guide home cooks to a fusion of spices
Professional kitchens are an obvious place to look for a sure hand with spices. Ethnic restaurants may be the traditional source of well-seasoned recipes, but chefs with a fusion flair are taking spices in new directions. Here are some of the ways the flavors are used in restaurants around the country, with a hint on translating the ideas for home use.
Shawn McClain, Spring, Wicker Park: McClain does the best of East and West at his newest venture in such dishes as a lobster spring roll with a curried passion fruit sauce and warm eggplant masala with tempura squash blossoms and coriander-yogurt sauce. At home: The eggplant masala takes time to make but no extraordinary cooking skills. If you’d rather, make a slow-cooking stew of eggplant and the seasonings used by the restaurant (see recipe on this page).
Ian Winslade, BluePointe, Atlanta: Curries take center stage on a number of dishes at this restaurant, including lobster with yellow red and green curries; soy-marinated duck breast sauced with a Penang curry of lime, red chili and galangal (a ginger relative); and peanut-crusted grouper with a ginger- and turmeric-seasoned Massaman (Muslim) curry. At home: Try any prepared curry paste, available at Asian groceries and some supermarkets, and mellow it with coconut milk and palm or brown sugar. Serve with stir-fried poultry or fish.
Gerhard Doll, Avenues, The Peninsula Hotel, Chicago: Ginger is a popular guest in Doll’s kitchen, giving fragrance to his Thai gazpacho (further jazzed up with lemon grass and chilies) and pan-seared langoustines sauced with a ginger-chicken jus. At home: Steam fillets of sea bass with ginger, peppercorns, lime juice and a little soy sauce for an easy, light meal.
Raji Jallepalli, Tamarind, New York, and Maison Raji, Memphis: Jallepalli’s cookbook, “Raji Cuisine,” includes her recipes for chicken with coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and chilies, as well as a rich saffron- and spice-scented crab soup (see recipe on this page). At home: The soup is an elegant starter for a dinner party. Or roast a whole chicken with a glaze of ground spices, butter and honey.
Grant Achatz, Trio, Evanston: One of the dishes by this chef, new to Trio, is a cardamom-infused foie gras. Whole foie gras is poached with salt, pepper and toasted cardamom, making the liver particularly fragrant. At home: Consider adding ground cardamom to a chicken-liver pate.
John Beardsley, Ponzu, San Francisco: The multicultural influence of the Bay area can be seen in this restaurant’s shrimp-stuffed Thai chicken wings with black pepper caramel sauce and seared scallops with pickled plum and seven spices. At home: Broil sea scallops with a brushing of plum jam, ground coriander, cumin and ginger.
Floyd Cardoz, Tabla, New York: This native of Goa, India, puts spices in his recipes “across the board,” he said. A signature dish is a crab cake seasoned with coriander, cumin and chilies and served with a tamarind chutney. Currently on the menu are lamb chops served with Kashmiri spices, including red chili, black cardamom and fried ginger. At home: Make your own lamb chop rub with ground black pepper, chili powder and black cardamom. Grate and fry fresh ginger to scatter over the chops.
Clifford Wharton, TenPehn, Washington: He dresses lump crab cakes with soy-ginger butter and gives crunch to a tossed salad with five-spice pecans. At home: Whole nuts can be brushed with oil or butter, rolled in crushed spices and added to salads, stir-fries and soups.
Didier Virot, Virot, New York: This French-and-fusion restaurant features cardamom-scented lobster served over fragrant basmati rice cakes; another winning dish is chicken sauteed with star anise and dandelion honey. At home: Turn the cardamom lobster into a shrimp dish (see recipe) or make a home-style variation of the chicken by roasting chicken legs and breasts brushed with a glaze of honey and crushed star anise.
Katrina Markoff, Vosges Haut-Chocolat, Chicago: Markoff and partner Julie Lang produce a variety of unusual sweets at their chocolate boutique. One bonbon is the Naga, where milk chocolate and coconut are filled with a sweet Indian curry cream. Their Aztec Elixir Cocoa warms drinkers with two opposite spices, chili peppers and vanilla. At home: Sprinkle a tiny bit of ground red pepper into your hot chocolate for a true Aztec kick.
Spicy highlights
Allspice: It tastes like a combination of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. May be used in savory and sweet dishes, from rubs for grilled pork to holiday breads.
Ginger: This knobby light brown root is one of the warmest spices around. Both hot and sweet, ginger lends a bold but not overwhelming aroma to savory dishes as well as drinks and desserts.
Cardamom: Lemon and clove undertones make this a refreshing spice. Cardamom pairs beautifully with coffee, so use it to infuse mocha-based drinks and desserts.
Mustard seed: Black mustard, native to Europe, is used in Dijon mustard; another European mustard, this one yellow, is used for American mustard and pickles. Brown mustard, used in India and Southeast Asia, has a nutty flavor when cooked, and is added to pastes, chutneys and curries.
Cinnamon: Although the oils from this spice can be quite hot, the perfume of ground cinnamon lends itself best to sugary foods, from cookies to rolls to cakes. Cinnamon is one of the components of five-spice powder, though, so consider it for braised Asian-style meats and noodle dishes.
Nutmeg: There is a nutty flavor to nutmeg, but also a dash of pepper and bergamot (as you would taste in Earl Grey tea). When added to sweet breads and pastries, nutmeg lends an earthy note to its sugary surroundings.
Cloves: Cloves have been used for centuries for everything from pain relievers to tobacco flavorings and insect repellent. As a food, cloves find multiple uses in seasoning salty hams, Indian curry blends, sauerkraut, mincemeat and cookies.
Pepper: Good, fresh pepper offers more than bitter and hot flavors to food. Grind it just before using to savor aromas that include alcoholic notes and occasionally, citrus. Pepper is most widely used in savory dishes, but also can be found spicing up marinated fruits and ice cream.
Coriander: Coriander seeds are from the same plant whose fresh leaves we call cilantro, though the two taste nothing alike. Their mild flavor is described as a combination of lemon, sage and caraway, according to the “Food Lover’s Companion.” Ground coriander is great with meats and seafood.
Star anise: Star anise is a dried flower head from a tree that is a member of the magnolia family, according to “Tropical Herbs and Spices.” Each leaf of the eight-pointed star shape contains a brownish black seed. Star anise has the same essential oil found in anise and fennel and is added whole to curries and stews.
Cumin: From a foot-high plant native to the Mediterranean region, cumin carries “the distinct tang of aniseed and lemon,” Alain Stella writes in “The Book of Spices.” Breads; grilled and roasted meats, particularly lamb and chicken; and root vegetables are nicely seasoned with cumin.
Turmeric: This is a root from a plant related to ginger, according to the “Food Lover’s Comp-anion,” and lends a bright yellow-orange color as well as a slightly sour taste to food. You will see turmeric widely used in curry throughout India and Southeast Asia.
Cardamom shrimp with ginger-caramel sauce and basmati rice cakes
Preparation time: 1 hour
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 10 servings
Chef Didier Virot of Virot restaurant in New York City is a fan of combining spices with Asian and classic French techniques. This recipe, perfect for the first course of a company dinner, tops rice cake rounds with spiced shrimp and a caramel-ginger sauce. Panko are sturdy bread crumbs favored in Japanese cooking and can be found at many supermarkets.
Rice cakes:
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup basmati rice
1 1/4 cups whipping cream or half-and-half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 egg, beaten with 2 teaspoons water
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs, preferably panko
Caramel-ginger sauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup roughly chopped ginger root
2 cups chicken or shrimp broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
Shrimp:
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine water and basmati rice in small saucepan. Heat to boil; reduce heat to simmer. Cover; cook 15 minutes. Stir in cream, butter, salt and ground red pepper. Spread rice evenly, about 1/2-inch thick, on parchment-lined baking sheet. Cool in refrigerator at least 30 minutes.
2. Remove rice from refrigerator. Cut rice into 2-inch rounds with biscuit cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Brush each cake with egg wash and dust with 1/2 teaspoon of the bread crumbs. Bake until firm and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, for caramel-ginger sauce, heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until dark golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add garlic; cook 5 minutes. Set aside.
4. Place sugar and water in heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sugar is melted and dark brown, about 8 minutes. Add ginger to caramel. Cook until ginger is soft, about 5 minutes. Add onion mixture, broth and lime juice. Simmer 10 minutes. Transfer caramel sauce to blender; puree. Return to saucepan; keep warm over low heat.
5. For shrimp, toss shrimp with cardamom, and salt and pepper to taste in small bowl; set aside. Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat until bubbly. Add shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 4 minutes. To serve, pour about 3 tablespoons of caramel sauce on each plate. Set 2 rice cakes on each plate and top with shrimp.
Nutrition information per serving:
365 calories, 46% calories from fat, 19 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 205 mg cholesterol, 465 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 18 g protein, 0.4 g fiber
Garam masala
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1/3 cup
This is just one of countless variations on an Indian spice mixture that can blend as many as a dozen spices. Black cumin seeds can be found at specialty spice stores and ethnic markets. Garam masala blends also can be purchased ready-made.
3 tablespoons cardamom seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon each: whole cloves, black cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon each: coriander seeds, ground nutmeg
1. Place spices in small dry skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until toasted and very aromatic, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
2. Place in spice grinder; process until fine. Can be placed in tightly covered container and stored in cool, dark place up to 3 months.
Nutrition information per teaspoon:
7 calories, 14% calories from fat, 0.1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 mg sodium, 1.5 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g protein, 0.8 g fiber
Warm eggplant masala with coriander yogurt sauce
Preparation time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 12 servings
Chef Shawn McClain of Spring restaurant in Wicker Park calls this dish an “Indian-style eggplant Parmesan.” It is best made one day ahead and refrigerated overnight. Reheat in low oven or microwave to serve.
Eggplant masala:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 plum tomatoes, chopped
3 carrots, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon each: garam masala (store-bought, or see recipe), ground coriander, cumin, cardamom
Pinch saffron threads
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup flour
6 medium eggplants, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cilantro-yogurt sauce:
3/4 cups plain yogurt
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Freshly ground pepper
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add tomatoes, carrots, onions, 3 tablespoons of the curry powder, garam masala, coriander, cumin, cardamom, saffron, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add wine; cook until most of liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer vegetable mixture to blender; puree; set aside.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour with remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Dredge eggplant in flour; shake off excess. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side, adding oil as necessary. Place on paper towels to drain.
3. Place one layer of pureed vegetables in 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Cover with layer of fried eggplant; sprinkle with one third of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat with two more layers. Bake until top is browned, 1 hour.
4. For sauce, mix together yogurt, cilantro, salt, lemon juice and pepper to taste. Cut eggplant into portions; place on sauce to serve.
Nutrition information per serving:
355 calories, 59% calories from fat, 24 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 385 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein, 10 g fiber
Crab soup with sweet spices
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
The delicate flavor of shellfish can easily be overwhelmed by hot spices. In this recipe, adapted from one by Raji Jallepalli, executive chef of Tamarind restaurant, New York City, crab meat swims in a full-flavored broth of spices, including fresh ginger, but turns into an elegant, mild soup with the addition of cream.
1 tablespoon each: vegetable oil, finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced ginger root
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 fresh hot red chili pepper, seeds removed, minced
2 teaspoons garam masala, see recipe
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 cups whipping cream or half-and-half
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 pound lump or backfin crab meat, picked over for shells
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Minced chives
1. Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, garlic and chili pepper. Cook until onions begin to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garam masala and saffron; cook 1 minute.
2. Add cream and broth; heat to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Add all but 1/2 cup of the crab meat; cook 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Divide soup among serving bowls. Garnish with reserved crab and chives.
Nutrition information per serving:
490 calories, 86% calories from fat, 47 g fat, 28 g saturated fat, 205 mg cholesterol, 535 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 14 g protein, 0.4 g fiber
