Sugar cane is indigenous to Polynesia but would make its way to India about 8,000 years ago. When the Persians invaded India, they adopted it and developed a method for extracting cane sugar around 600 BC. Note that some historians claim that cane sugar extraction first took place in Northern India. Alexander the Great’s Indian […]
Poppy Seeds: An Ancient Sumerian Baking Spice
Poppy seeds are believed to have originated in either Western Asia or the Western Mediterranean region. Historians believe that they were first cultivated in lower Mesopotamia by the Sumerians around 3400 BC. It was at this point that opium was discovered and first used. The plant, along with its medicinal and dietary uses would be […]
Jalapeño Powder: Spicy And Bright
Jalapeños have been around since before the Aztec civilization. The Aztecs smoked these peppers to dry them since their thick flesh made sun-drying difficult. When smoked, jalapeños are referred to as chipotle peppers. Smoking was necessary since the peppers tended to rot rather than dry out when left in the sun. The Aztecs used jalapeños […]
Himalayan Salt: A Colorful Finishing Salt
All Himalayan salt comes from the world’s oldest salt mine in Pakistan’s Punjab province. The area is known as the great Salt Range. According to geologists, the mine was formed when shifting tectonic plates trapped an inland sea that was eventually dehydrated. The salt is what was left behind. The salt’s most distinctive characteristic is […]
Cocoa Powder: A Universally Loved Flavor
Most historians believe that the first people to cultivate and use cocoa were the Olmecs who lived in what is now Mexico between 1500 and 400 BC. They are believed to have discovered its usefulness by observing rats eating the fruit of the cocoa tree. Both the Mayans and Aztecs would follow suit and come […]
Maple Sugar: The Native American Sweetener
Maple sugar is made from maple syrup, which was being used and processed into sugar long before the arrival of Europeans in North America. At the end of winter, the Native Americans would boil the sap of the maple tree to remove moisture and produce sugar that they could use throughout the rest of the […]
Sesame Seeds: Not Just For Burger Buns
Sesame seeds are one of mankind’s most ancient foods. They are among the first plants in human history to have been cultivated for their seeds and the oils in them rather than for their leaves, fruits or roots. The name sesame goes all the way back to Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptian term for sesame […]
Palm Sugar: A Healthier Sweet
Palm sugar is made from the saps of various palm trees. The species of palm used depends on the region in which the sugar is being made. In the Canary Islands, syrup made from the sap of the palm tree was in use well before the arrival of Europeans. The islands’ inhabitants harvest the sap […]
Table Salt: A Fundamental Flavor With A Long History
Salt has been a popular condiment for most of human history, and for much of that time it has not been nearly as inexpensive and as easy to find as it is now. Ancient Egyptians used salt as a part of their religious offerings and the Ancient Greeks used it as currency. In Ancient Greece, […]
Vanilla: A Flavor From Orchids
Like chili peppers, vanilla comes from South and Central America, as well as from the Caribbean. It is one of the thousands of orchid species. Historians believe that the first people to cultivate it were the early dwellers on the east coast of Mexico called the Totonacs. The Totonacs were conquered by the Aztecs, who […]
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