Better Overall health Through Spices

A arena of seasonings awaits people that start on the adventure of the culinary arts. Cooking today may appear far more interesting because exotic spices and seasonings have become widely available. These can really make the difference between a bland dish and an unforgettable meal. You can find seasonings and herbs from around the world that reflect the flavours of exotic and exciting countries. If you want to cook a spicy Indian curry you would use spices like curry powder, curry leaves, cinnamon sticks and ginger. These seasonings give Indian food its particular flavor.

Many great spices originate from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Basil, oregano, thyme and garlic are at the heart of Italian cooking, but Italian cooks also employ the use of anise star, bay leaves, chamomile, crushed red pepper, lemon pepper, parsley, rosemary, Vanilla Beans and others. To the East spices are very hot. The Caribbean islands offer cayenne, hot chilli powder and paprika. Fans of the really spicy foods should take time to look into Cajun seasoning.These include all kinds of hot peppers as well as hot chilli powder, onions, garlic, cilantro, cloves, nutmeg, and thyme.
Today there are literally hundreds of spices available. No doubt just go to your local oriental shop and you will see the diversity on display. Spice prices vary everywhere around the world from city to city and country to country. For example you can purchase Vanilla Pods in the Seychelles for $10 per kg but in a place like London or New York you can easily end up paying $1000 per kg for the same Madagascar Vanilla Beans. It is a question of economics. The spice Saffron, Botanical name Crocus Sativus, is the most expensive spice in the world. Derived from the dried stigmas of the purple Saffron Crocus, it takes anything from 70,000 to 250,000 flowers to produce one pound of Saffron. The manufacture process is extremely laborious and has to be done in a specific time period during the autumn season. Nature is most clever. Luckily Saffron is only required in tiny quantities when cooking. A small amount of strands will enhance the flavour of any substantial dish.

The second most valuable spice on the globe Vanilla which is derived from Vanilla Beans. One can find Vanilla in use everywhere internationally. It has a beautiful subtle balsamic woody and fruity flavour and is popular in ice-creams, deserts and baked biscuits and cakes. Because it is so expensive cheaper synthetic Vanillas on the market today are used as an alternative to real Vanilla Beans. Even though various companies are working night and day to improve quality there is no way the synthetic Vanilla flavours are able to duplicate the subtle flavours that come from using Vanilla Beans or products made from Vanilla Beans .