Spice Basics - Buying, Storing and Using
Tips on How to Use Spice to its Full Advantage
Jan 22, 2009
Spices are the bark, seed, resin, root, stem, fruit, or bud of a plant, tree, or shrub. They count amongst their rank the familiar, such as cinnamon, mustard, ginger, licorice, juniper, and cloves, as well as the strange and exotic, including asafetida, nigella, silphium, and grains of paradise. Many can be obtained at your neighborhood market, while some are only found on the other side of the globe.
In the ancient world, spice merchants held all the cards. Middlemen of Phoenicia (modern Syria and Lebanon), Cairo, Alexandria, Venice, and Genoa befriended pharaoh's and kings in an attempt to monopolize the lucrative spice market. In a time when a human being could be traded for a handful of pepper, you can bet it was a competitive business. Before the age of exploration, spice sources were closely held secrets.
Early records give us a glimpse into the practice, ethical or not, of cutting spices with sawdust, dirt, and rocks. They also show penalties for such behavior, which often included a toasty death.
Spices spread more than flavor and wealth. The prophet Mohammed used spice trade as a platform from which to spread his message, capturing attention with his spices and then captivating with his words. And three kings are said to have traveled to Bethlehem bearing at least two spices, frankincense and myrrh.
- In centuries past, a mortar was used to grind whole spices. A classic chef's method called mignonette uses a saute[as] pan to rub and crush whole spices against a cutting board. There are special spice graters and grinders at every gourmet gadget shop. But perhaps the easiest way to grind spices today is with a coffee grinder. If you're going to use a coffee grinder, consider keeping a separate grinder for your spices. Otherwise, your coffee will start tasting weird.
- Some spices, especially seeds, benefit from light toasting prior to grinding to help release their aromatic oils. You can do this in a dry sauté pan on top of the stove. Keep the spices moving as they heat up, and remove them from the heat, and the hot pan, as soon as you smell the spice. Let the toasted spices cool down for a few minutes before you grind them.
- Other spices such as annatto or saffron should be heated in oil or other liquid to release and trap their essence. Others, like mustard, don't have much flavor at all until they're moistened and allowed to macerate.
- Larger spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon, can be broken into smaller pieces before being ground. A meat mallet is a perfect tool for this. If you're into gadgets, you can buy special graters designed especially for large spices.
Buying Spices
Smaller ethnic markets usually have the best spice prices. Buy them in tiny cellophane packages and empty them into clean, airtight jars when you get home. Store spices in a cool, dark, dry place to prolong their flavor. You can also find many online sources for whole and ground spices and spice blends.
To get their maximum effect in your recipes, add spices early in the cooking process. Because fat is a natural flavor carrier, adding your spices to oil or butter brings out the flavors and permeates a recipe.
 |
