Spice

Among spices parts are understood by plants, which are used for their natural content of taste and odor substances as a seasoning or flavoring ingredients used in the preparation of food and beverages of all kinds. In addition, also all the substances which are used to improve the flavor or enhance the digestibility, referred to as spice depending on the definition.

Spices make food taste better but also edible by covering the incipient putrefaction smell of meat. They also have not only taste benefits, but their fragrance also distributes storage pests.

Definitions

Aromatic plants are among the crops, in particular, there is often a cross- connection to the Medicinal Plants: " As a spice plants, those plants are called, their organs are used as ingredients for food, drinks and tobacco in fresh, dried or preserved form the basis of their content of taste and odor- enhancing substances. Most herbs are medicinal plants from the indication groups Stomachika and carminative. They inspire by reflex effects and by direct influence on the digestive organs the appetite, promote digestion processes and prevent digestive disorders, eg Colic, before. "

History

Spices played in Europe in the Middle Ages and the early modern period an equally important economic and political role, as now, oil. They were extremely valuable because they were not only used for seasoning, but also as preservatives and basis for medicinal products. In addition were some spices, such as nutmeg and cloves, major status symbols.

The spice trade, especially with spices from Asia, therefore, was a profitable business, rich were initially mainly Arab States and the Italian city-states, and later the colonial powers, which is why they defended their monopoly by force of arms. The opening of the sea route to Africa from Europe to the islands of Indochina from the 15th century was the beginning of European expansion.

On the healing power of spices had in the 12th century, the " first German doctor " Hildegard of Bingen in treatises out. The most expensive spices are today: saffron, followed by vanilla and cardamom. Previously Pepper was so valuable that it was worth its weight in gold. The disparaging term Pfeffersack for a rich man dates from this era. Cinnamon was also very precious: 1530 to the merchant Anton Fugger have burned the notes of Charles V in a fire of cinnamon sticks before his eyes, to demonstrate his wealth.

Spices are used, however, for much longer. Dill spread to more than 5000 years ago from the eastern Mediterranean towards the Atlantic from. Its use in food preparation has been demonstrated for about 3600 BC in the western Alpine region. Even the Pharaoh Amenhotep II had put itself in 1400 BC with dill in the grave. Also capers were done before around 6750 years on the territory of modern Turkey in the food and also detected in 7800 years old pots from today's Syria. No later than 1100 BC capers were also used in Cyprus. Coriander was found in old 3000 to 4000 years ago to today's kitchen remains from Syria and Egypt in the second millennium BC, cumin has been used in those times in the kitchen. But not only sedentary people, but also their nomadic ancestors were already using spices. Thus, coriander was already used in the 23000 years ago Nahal Hemar Cave in Israel. Already 6100-5750 years ago, the exchange of human sedentism, seasoned people in the western Baltic Sea region their food with garlic mustard. Archaeologists have found remains of tasting pfeffrich and garlic plant in pots, where fish and game were prepared.

Etymology

The word ' spice ' has its origins in Middle High German ' turmeric ' ( OHG turmeric and wurza, MHG turmeric (s), NHG wurz ;) and meant in its original forms simply ' root '. Get this meaning, for example, yet in the words ' Haselwurz ' and ' Hellebore '.

Classification by origin

They can be divided into:

• Inorganic substances: saline
• Smoke flavorings as they arise during smoking
• Plants or plant parts fresh, dried or processed, used here to Sheets, such as culinary herbs, bay leaves
• Flowers or flower parts, such as saffron, cloves, capers
• Bark, crushed like cinnamon
• Plant roots and rhizomes such as onions, garlic, ginger or horseradish
• Fruits or seeds of plants such as nutmeg, pepper, red pepper, juniper berries, vanilla, cumin, anise, cocoa
• Juice of plants, such as sugar, wine, vinegar, coconut milk, licorice
• Mentioned aqueous, acidic, oily or alcoholic extracts the aromas of plants, examples including rose water, almond oil, clove oil, vanilla oil and garlic oil
• In many plants, such as caraway, several parts of the plant may be used.

Effect

The flavor-enhancing effect of spices based on highly volatile compounds, the essential oils. Due to their high volatility of the feed they give not just a pleasant smell, but also a pleasant taste, as the overall taste sensation going on in the nose for the most part. Depending on the purpose, one can give a feed with spices a completely different flavor and perhaps cover an undesirable flavor or highlight the innate taste of food, complementing and reinforcing. Since the essential oils in the spices can also develop physiological effect, you can meet with various spices also quite medicinal purposes.

The main functions of spices are

• Preservation of spiced foods (salt, chili, rosemary)
• Stimulation of appetite by bitters ( bitters, rosemary, bitter orange )
• Stimulate digestion by stimulating stomach activity (pepper, salt, vinegar )
• Help with intestinal cramps and prevention of flatulence ( fennel, anise, caraway)
• Improve the taste of spoiled foods or filamentary ( rose water, orange blossom )
• Complement and enhance the flavor of little aroma intensive food ( glutamate, vanilla, butter)

Furthermore, there are individual effects that go beyond the mentioned groups. So many spices and herbs have been used since time immemorial for health purposes. This distinction can be made in short-term impact and longer-term effects on the human organism. For example:

• Stimulate the formation of bile, promoting fat digestion (onion, garlic)
• Beneficial effects on the intestinal flora (ginger, garlic)
• Aphrodisiac effect, activation of the cardiovascular system ( cloves, chili, ginger, cocoa beans)
• Promote concentration, encouragingly (cocoa beans, coffee beans, guarana, cola nut)
• Relaxation, sedation, Einschlafförderung ( sage, nutmeg)

Until the beginning of the colonization of many spices were rare and correspondingly expensive in Europe, their use was partially unnecessarily abundant in terms of a certain status character.

Use

The herbal spices are usually crushed, shredded or ground used, provided they are not present as the essence or extract. In order to control the aromatizing effect better, the spices can with longer cooking methods such as stewing or braising in a spice ball, similar to a tea infuser, are filled and are easily removed without leaving residue behind. The food technology needs more and more processed spices and spice preferred preparations which consist only of essential oils.