Spice
Blends:
Spices are pungent or aromatic seasonings obtained from the bark,
buds, fruit, roots" seeds or stems of various plants and
trees
Spices have very ancient roots, used for thousands of years throughout
Asia, Middle East and Mediterranean region
Once valued as highly as gold, the quest for spices has had major
historical impacts - countries went to war to win control over
their production, explorers set out to
Discover new passages to the East, often paving the way to unexpected
places (like the Americas!) in the process, etc. etc.
Spice blends are used in many parts of the world to add a distinctive
flavor to a dish - vary widely in intensity and flavor
Far Eastern -Japan, China, Thailand, Indonesia, India- e.g. Chinese
5 spice powder, assorted curry mixtures
African and Middle Eastern --e.g. zhug from Yemen, harissa from
Tunisia, berbere from Ethiopia
European -not as popular as in other areas but there are some
e.g. "quatre-spices" (4 spice blend) from France, pickling
spice blends from Britain
American -e.g. Cajun blends, barbecue spice mixtures
