The vanilla bean is an ingredient that is seldom used although many know the taste. Vanilla flavoring comes from the vanilla bean, a thin pod of the Vanilla genus, native to Mesoamerica and spreading to Europe by explorers.
Many attempted to migrate the plant, although pollination was very difficult because the plant requires the Melipona bee [...]
Ginger is the rhizome or root of the plant Zingiber officinale. It is native to South Asia and has spread to other Pacific tropics such as Hawaii. Varieties of the plant can flower and be used in landscaping although the good edible ginger is less appealing and more rugged.
Choosing ginger
The younger ginger rhizomes are usually [...]
Cumin is a great seasoning that every cupboard should have handy. The warm flavors are very distinct, and work well with many Indian and Mexican cuisines.
Origionally cultivated in the Mediterranean, cumin has spread all over the world for cultivation and is easy to find. The spice has also been noted in ancient Greece and Rome. [...]
The Cayenne pepper, or red pepper. It is a very common spice used in dishes all over the world. The uses are endless although the pepper is commonly seen in hot sauces and Szechuan cuisine. The pepper can be used whole, flaked and ground, ground being the most common form.
Although most carriers of the spice [...]
While saffron is commonly known to most cooks, there are people who do not know of the origin and history behind the most expensive spice by weight.
What is saffron?
Stigmas from the saffron crocus are picked and dried to create the spice we know as saffron. The plant is native to Southwest Asia, and flowers in [...]
