Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2011 20:56:50 GMT -5
Though the word "spice" didn't appear until the end of the 12th century (a derivative of the Latin word "species,"), the use of herbs dates back to early humans. Primitive peoples wrapped meat in the leaves of bushes, accidentally discovering that this enhanced the taste of the meat, as did certain nuts, seeds, berries--and even bark. In ancient times, spices and herbs were used as a way to mask the often unpleasant taste and odour of food, and later, to keep food fresh. This preservative property was very important to store meat for the frigid winters of northern Europe & thus became a costly substance.
At the crossroads of land trade from India and sea trade from the Mediterranean, spices played a huge role in Phoenician trade. The Phoenicians were expert merchants and smooth navigators; so much so that at the end of the 14th century B.C., spices were called "Phoenician merchandise."
But spices' origins remained a mystery, despite the fact that, in the 4th century B.C., the great conqueror Alexander the Great lifted a part of the veil of this mysterious, magical India where, as Herodotus wrote,"cinnamon grows in deep lakes, near the homes of flying animals."
Certain spices were worth so much that one of them even became currency: pepper, Spain in particular. In court, litigants bribed judges with spices.
Vasco de Gama crossed the Cape of Good Hope in 1497 and arrived in India in 1498. The Arab merchants were shocked to see a Portuguese man on Indian shores. The Arab monopoly on the trade was since then broken. Later on the Dutch, the Portuguse & the Brits would remain locked in battles to gain footholds in the lucrative business of importing spices.
Boston-born Elihu Yale grew up in England, where he worked as a clerk for the British East India Company, which held a monopoly on all trade with India. The company's ships brought the first cargo of nutmeg and cloves from the Moluccas Islands in Indonesia. Yale eventually became governor of Madras, India, and his spice fortune helped endow Yale University!
Spice Times:
50,000 BC
By this time, archeologists believe man had noticed that certain leaves impart delicious flavour to meat.
1520 BC
The book of Exodus in the Bible tells of Children of Israel fleeing Egypt, taking with the "principal spices"
1453 BC
Greeks begin Olympic Games at which victors were awarded laurel (bay leaf) wreaths.
992 BC
Queen of Sheba visits Solomon with "camels that bear spices" as her principal gift.
50 BC
Romans bring mustard seed to England.
300
Probable date of oldest cookbook by Apicius; where we find recipes richly spiced.
410
Alaric the Visigoth demands 3000 pounds of pepper as ransom from Rome and two years later extracts 3000 pounds annual pepper tribute from the city.
1563
Garcia da Orta writes "Colloquies on Drugs and Simples of India" the first scientific book on oriental spices published in the western world.
1609
Record 116,000 pounds of cloves reach England in one shipment.
1937
Prof. Szent-Gyorgyi wins Nobel Prize for research with paprika, in which he discovers Vitamin C.
1969
Spices reach the moon, as seasoning of the Apollo Astronaut’s food.
At the crossroads of land trade from India and sea trade from the Mediterranean, spices played a huge role in Phoenician trade. The Phoenicians were expert merchants and smooth navigators; so much so that at the end of the 14th century B.C., spices were called "Phoenician merchandise."
But spices' origins remained a mystery, despite the fact that, in the 4th century B.C., the great conqueror Alexander the Great lifted a part of the veil of this mysterious, magical India where, as Herodotus wrote,"cinnamon grows in deep lakes, near the homes of flying animals."
Certain spices were worth so much that one of them even became currency: pepper, Spain in particular. In court, litigants bribed judges with spices.
Vasco de Gama crossed the Cape of Good Hope in 1497 and arrived in India in 1498. The Arab merchants were shocked to see a Portuguese man on Indian shores. The Arab monopoly on the trade was since then broken. Later on the Dutch, the Portuguse & the Brits would remain locked in battles to gain footholds in the lucrative business of importing spices.
Boston-born Elihu Yale grew up in England, where he worked as a clerk for the British East India Company, which held a monopoly on all trade with India. The company's ships brought the first cargo of nutmeg and cloves from the Moluccas Islands in Indonesia. Yale eventually became governor of Madras, India, and his spice fortune helped endow Yale University!
Spice Times:
50,000 BC
By this time, archeologists believe man had noticed that certain leaves impart delicious flavour to meat.
1520 BC
The book of Exodus in the Bible tells of Children of Israel fleeing Egypt, taking with the "principal spices"
1453 BC
Greeks begin Olympic Games at which victors were awarded laurel (bay leaf) wreaths.
992 BC
Queen of Sheba visits Solomon with "camels that bear spices" as her principal gift.
50 BC
Romans bring mustard seed to England.
300
Probable date of oldest cookbook by Apicius; where we find recipes richly spiced.
410
Alaric the Visigoth demands 3000 pounds of pepper as ransom from Rome and two years later extracts 3000 pounds annual pepper tribute from the city.
1563
Garcia da Orta writes "Colloquies on Drugs and Simples of India" the first scientific book on oriental spices published in the western world.
1609
Record 116,000 pounds of cloves reach England in one shipment.
1937
Prof. Szent-Gyorgyi wins Nobel Prize for research with paprika, in which he discovers Vitamin C.
1969
Spices reach the moon, as seasoning of the Apollo Astronaut’s food.
