Spices

The spices and herbs of two 13th century cook books are compared: al-Baghdad i and the anonymous Andalusi.

On the spice trade and medieval spicers.

Herbs and spices seem to be differentiated one of two ways: either herbs are what you can grow in your back yard, while spices have to be imported, or herbs are the green bits and spices are everything else. Many of the seeds commonly used in the middle ages were primarily used as digestives, carminatives, and diuretics. Comfits, bread and distilled waters (the ancestors of our cordials and liqueurs) were made from them.

Most, if not all, spices have existed from time immemorial . But that does not mean that everyone, in all times, used or had available all spices. Each culture and era has its own specific selection of spices, or "Spice Chest" .

Curren tly includes: a late Roman spice Chest; a Norse spice chest; a medieval and renaissanc e German spice chest; a Russian spice chest; and constructi ng your own personal spice chest.

Descriptions of several spices, their use and sources, with related recipes.

Links to related articles.

All the spices, herbs, and other seasonings and flavorings used in the Kitab al-Tabikh written by al-Baghdad i and dating from the 13th century.

Spices were crucial not only because of their taste, but also because the use of spices was a form of conspicuous consumption, and because spices had supposed medical properties.