Beet powder consists of beetroot that has been dried and ground to a powder. Beet powder has a longer shelf life and is easier to consume when compared to fresh beets or beet juice. Beets belong to the same family as the grain amaranth. Beets were first domesticated in Italy. Hybrids were cultivated using wild […]
Wasabi Vs. Horseradish: SPICEography Showdown
Wasabi and horseradish are often recommended as substitutes for each other and you may already be aware that wasabi is sometimes referred to as Japanese horseradish. Does this mean that they are the same thing? No, it does not. In fact, they have some differences that you should understand before choosing one over the other. […]
Wasabi: A Truly Japanese Spice
Wasabi is a Japanese root that belongs to the same family as horseradish, cabbage, and mustard. It has been an important ingredient in Japanese cuisine for centuries. Wasabi is also known as Japanese horseradish; its Latin name is Wasabia japonica. The Honzo Waymo is Japan’s oldest botanical dictionary. It is believed to have been compiled […]
Horseradish: For More Than Just Cocktail Sauce
Horseradish was being used by the Egyptians in 1500 BCE. It would later be used by the Greeks as well. They used it topically and it also had a reputation as an aphrodisiac. It would be among the bitter herbs consumed during Passover by the Jews and they used it as a medicine as well. […]
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): The Controversial Savory Flavor Enhancer
For many people, monosodium glutamate is better known by its acronym: MSG. The spice has had a lot of controversy surrounding it in the past and some of that still lives on today. The chemical was first isolated from seaweed by Ikeda Kikunae, a Japanese chemist and would be introduced in 1907 as a food […]
Galangal: Ginger’s Milder Cousin
Galangal is a relative of ginger that originated in Indonesia but that is now cultivated throughout Asia. The earliest reports of its use come from Java and from China. It is a rhizome, just like ginger and bears a close resemblance to it. Galangal was known to the ancient Romans; it was one of the […]
Charoli: An Indian Spice With Nutty Qualities
Charoli is the name for the seeds of the Buchanania lanzan plant. The seeds are also commonly known as chironji seeds or almondettes. The Buchanania lanzan plant grows wild in forests all over India. Charoli is commonly identified with food from the state of Maharashtra, which spans western and central India. The seeds are harvested […]
Nigella Seeds: The Oregano-Flavored Spice
Nigella seeds are also called black seeds or black cumin, among several other names. The plant from which this spice comes is a relative of the buttercup that originated in the Mediterranean region. Historians believe that it was first used as a culinary spice in Turkey and Syria. You can find the nigella plant growing […]
Amla Powder: Ancient, Tart, And Nutritious
Amla powder is made from the amla fruit, which is also known as the Indian gooseberry. The fruit is dried and ground to make amla powder. Despite the Indian gooseberry name and the fact that it resembles the common gooseberry, amla is actually unrelated to it. The fruit comes from a tree native to India […]
Long Pepper: Black Pepper’s Predecessor In Europe
Long pepper is also known as Piper longum and was being used in India in 1000 BCE. It is believed to have originated in the subcontinent, much like Piper nigrum (black pepper). It showed up in Europe around 6 BCE and was readily adopted by Greek cooks. Long pepper’s distinctive bite was completely unknown in […]
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