Domain

Explanation

Spice girls 辣妹?

• Nope … not those British queens of pop

SPICE?

• Negative … definitely not SPICE: Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination
• Neither is it Spice UK - adventure sports, adventure activity holidays UK, ...

What’s spice, then?

• Spice is derived from the Latin term species meaning "an article of special value"
• Webster’s Dictionary defines spice as an "aromatic or pungent vegetable substance"在常溫下能發出芳香的有机物質 (organic substances), 分天然產和人工製造兩大類
• Ancient functions of spices were as ingredients in perfumes & cosmetics, fumigants & medicine, preservatives & as condiments
• Originating from the tropical islands of the East, the indigenous people 土族 use it to add taste & traditional medicines for thousands of years
• The Chinese were the first to trade spices with these people & Hong Kong 香港 was then a major port of call for all incoming spices – in fact, so much that the port smelt of spice fragrance & Hong Kong was thus named fragrant 香 port 港
• The Arab merchants 阿拉伯商人 were prolific & superb businessmen; they saw in the spices the worth of gold & jewels 香料貴如黃金
• Thus, Arab middlemen took the spices from China 中國 along the Silk Route 絲綢之路 to the Middle East 中東, first & then to Europe 歐洲
• The Arabs also open up spice transport by land & sea, right from the origins of spices (Maluku, South-East Asia 東南亞), hence monopolizing spice trade for centuries
• The Arabs also spread Islam to the Eastern people, who were then into Hinduism or animism
• The Arabs also fool the Europeans that were simply craving for spices (spices were symbols of status & power, along with gold, jewels & authority) that the spices were of exotic origins – myths & legends
• Finally, some returning Europeans, of which Marco Polo was the most famous, shed light on the mystery of spices à that China was a prosperous Eastern civilization 東方文明, with rich spice trades & spices actually originated from all over Asia
• It was then 16^th century, when the Europeans were very strong during the age of Renaissance 文藝復興, that the Europeans began taking on sea expeditions to the East (India) & the Far East (China & South-East Asia)
• Could be the reason for discovery of America, when Columbus tried to take a short cut by going the opposite direction towards the Atlantic?
• The Spanish & Portuguese colonists were the first to colonise India & subsequently open up the Spice Route 打通香料之路
• Of interest were:

1. Portuguese (spice) : due to their superior navigational & sea-going ships, they were the first to colonise the indigenous people, but not the most successful as they were slowly driven out by other colonists who had far greater fire-power
2. Dutch (spice): Amsterdam was the centre of Baltic trade in 1590; 9 Dutch merchants organized the first serious sea expeditions in 1594 but nearly failed due to 2^nd-hand ships & reckless crew; they finally arrived in Bantam in Indonesia in 1596 after much death from diseases & infighting; Portuguese were already there & the people were dishonest, so they head off to Bali, but British were there; so they finally head to & settle at Ambon in 1600; from then on, through the Dutch East India Company, the Dutch implemented iron-fist policy in Ambon, Malacca, Batavia, Banda & subsequently throughout the whole of Indonesia with some of the most brutal treatments inflicted in the age of colonization; but Indonesia gained its dependence from the Dutch in 1948 in similar bloody manner; it seems unfortunate that such a wonderful nation with such exotic nature, species & spices had & continues in such turmoil
3. English (spice): Through the British East India Company & Sir Stamford Raffles (founder of modern Singapore), the English took the Straits Settlement (Penang, Malacca, Singapore), the Malaya, Burma (Myanmar, now) & most importantly, India
4. French (spice): the French took the middle parts – Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia & cooperated with Thailand

Difference between spices & herbs? 香料與草本植物的不同?

• Herbs are plants or anything derived from a plant that has uses beyond garden decoration, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Technically, spices are fruits and seeds used to season food that come from plants native to the tropics. However, the terms have become interchangeable over the years.
• The American Spice Trade Association defines a spice as "any dried plant product used primarily for seasoning purposes." It includes tropical spices such as pepper and cinnamon, leafy herbs such as basil and oregano, spice seeds and dehydrated vegetables such as onion and garlic.
• Herbs and Spices: Your Allies for Healthier Meals
• http://www.mrsrogers.co.nz/Herbs%20&%20Spices.htm
• In short, spices are more for taste, herbs are more for digestive & preservative properties
• In fact, herbs are used widely in medicine, Chinese 本草綱目
• The advice is to use both herbs & spices with moderation 適中

A brief history 簡歷

For thousands of years, died leaves, roots, berries and bark have travelled the winding trade routes of antiquity. These legendary routes were first by sea from India to the gulf of Arabia and then by camel to the Mediterranean coast.

Over 3,000 years ago Arabian merchants had a virtual monopoly on the spice trade, their only competition coming from the Phoenicians who, being capable sailors could navigate the whole distance around Africa by sea. By the time of Christ other seafarers had also learned how to navigate the distance.

About the 8th century new routes were opened from the Indus river, across the Caspian sea, reaching up into Russia. By this time the trade was very much influenced by the followers of the new Islam religion of Mohammed. As they travelled and traded in spices they spread knowledge of their uses along with their culture. When the Moors landed in Spain at about the same time they brought this same trade and knowledge with them.

Considerable rivalry for the trade had now developed between Turkey and Egypt. From Egypt, spices travelled up via Italy to the great trading centers through Europe and Scandinavia and the Hanseatic league in Bruges. Egypt soon decided to tax all spice entering it which consequently raised the prices considerably. Pepper was almost priceless. It was used to pay taxes and rents and there was a time when it was counted corn by corn. Up to this period the Europeans had been kept in the dark as to the source of all this wealth.

By the 12th Century, the Venetian Marco Polo, undertook his legendary chronicle of the spice routes he travelled. As a result of these eye witness accounts, a young Genoese, Christopher Columbus was inspired to find a new route by travelling westward and thus America was discovered in the 15th Century.

From the 15th Century Portugal financed several expeditions in search of the source of spices with such famous navigators as Magellan, Daiz and Vasco De Gama. By now the Europeans had also learned to find more direct and much faster routes than the traditional route through Egypt which

took two years to arrive. By the 16th Century Portugal and Spain had divided control of the Indian Ocean, and causing great concern to Egypt and Italy who saw their trade dwindling. By the end of the century the Dutch had declared their independence and, not being able to obtain spices from Spain or England, they decided to go to India themselves. Within 100 years, they had taken over from Portugal as ‘Lords of the sea’.

Meanwhile in England, by the 12th Century a guild of Pepperers was formed, which in 1345 became the Worshipful Company of Grocers. England started increasing its sea power from these times, and in 1577 Sir Francis Drake was to reach India retuning home with cargoes of spices. More and more English traders followed and by 1600 the East India Company was founded to handle the increasing trade.

For the next two centuries there was great rivalry and bitterness between the English, Dutch, Portuguese and French. This basically explains the development of colonisation in the spice-growing countries and the following period of great prosperity for them. Today many of these countries, although now long independent of colonial rule, still rely to a great extent on their spice crops for a healthy economy. The journey is now, however only a matter of weeks and only a fraction of the time and the danger, endured by our ancestors.

Although there are now many chemical and other methods of preserving food, world demand for spices has not diminished. There is still great demand in the traditional countries of origin and an increasing demand in the Western world for spices, as interest in preparing nutritious food expands.

By using herbs and spices on your food you are participating in a ritual that was once confined to the privileged few. You are also using a commodity that is amongst the oldest, and for a long time, one of the most precious in the history of humanity. Few items in your kitchen cupboard have the background of history, romance and passion. The exciting thing is that all this is still locked away there waiting for your participation.

Common spices

• Includes:
• Nutmeg, Java cinnamon, ginger, galangal, cardamom, turmeric, pepper vine, clove
• 催情: 丁香 (壯陽), 辣椒, 印度香精油, 中國香囊 (香味濃烈刺激)
• 小豆蔻 kou: 促進消化, 抑制口臭
• 桂皮: 調味
• 胡椒: 含抑制高血壓
• 中國五香粉: 丁香, 桂皮, 甘草, 大小茴香

More about spices?

• Spices can be used for cooking, medicine, fitness & sedative
• The prices of spices rose thousand times due to its transport from origins to European destinations à hence, as pricy as gold & jewels
• Today, although spices have lost their fatal attractions, Europe is still the world’s biggest market for spices (Asian Home Gourmet)
• The popularity of spices is related to colonization (spices are not popular in US)
• Malaya (coffee)
• Indian foods is popular in UK
• Dutch love spices & Indian foods
• Swiss crave for Thai foods
• Customers in South-East Asia would choose spices according to price
• Main uses of spices are preservation, seasoning & in modern times, sauces or gourmet, & even drinks like Lemongrass, Masala
• Spices are known to be anti-carcinogenic & anti-oxidants
• Spices stimulates the nerves & blood circulation, improves appetite & warms the stomach
• Examples: Thai Tom Yam Soup
• Fitness like aromatherapy, ginger wrap, Javanese Lulur

Further more spices

• World market
• Mrs Roger's Herbs & Spices Range
• Welcome to Spiceadvice!
• Everything about Herbs & Spices: Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages
• Actions of Foods