Category Archives: Uncategorized

History/Region:  One of the world’s most ancient spices, green cardamom comes from the seeds of a ginger-like plant and is native to southern India. The ancient Egyptians chewed cardamom seeds as a tooth cleaner; the Greeks and Romans used it as a perfume. Vikings came upon cardamom about one thousand years ago, in Constantinople [modernContinue reading “GREEN CARDAMOM”

Molasses is a thick, sticky syrup made from sugarcane. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word “melaco,” which evolved from the Latin “mel,” meaning “honey.” The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugarcane, the amount of sugar extracted, and the method of extraction. In the Middle East, molasses is also producedContinue reading “MOLASSES BAR DAY!!!”

History/Region of Orgin:  Native to the South American tropics, there is archaeological evidence of arrowroot use as far back as 7,000 years ago. The South American Arawak tribe used arrowroot as an antidote for poisoned arrows, believing it would draw out the poison [thus its name]. It also is considered to be an effective antidoteContinue reading “ARROWROOT”

History/Region of Orgin:  Native to Brazil, annatto was originally used in Central and South America not as a spice, but for body paint, insect repellent, and to ward off evil.  In India, annatto is called sindoor, and is considered auspicious for married women, who wear it along their hairline. Uses:  Annatto is widely used inContinue reading “ANNATTO”

Fettuccine Alfredo or fettuccine al burro, is a pasta dish made from fettuccine tossed with Parmesan cheese and butter. As the cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids to form a smooth and rich sauce coating on the pasta. ORGIN:  Rome, Italy Alfredo Di Lelio invented the “fettuccine al triplo burro” (later named “fettuccine all’Alfredo” or “fettuccineContinue reading “FETTUCCINE ALFREDO DAY!!!”

  5 FACTS ABOUT TATER TOTS 1. Tater Tots were first invented in 1953 at the Ore-Ida Labs 2. Tater Tots literally mean “baby potatoes”; tatter for potato & tots meaning little one 3. Americans consume over 70 million pounds or Tots per year. 4. Potatoes are the 4th most important crop in the worldContinue reading “TATER TOT DAY”

  History/Region of Origin. Native to the Middle East. Ancient Romans ended their elaborate feasts with anise cakes, hung anise plants near their pillows to prevent bad dreams, and used anise seed to aid digestion and ward off epileptic attacks. In magical practice, anise seed is said to increase psychic abilities and ward off the EvilContinue reading “ANISE SEED”

Yesterday I said that I would be posting an herb/spice a day. What better day to start than the first day of a new month. So, February 1st is… (Photo Credit: Anna Hattauer) ALLSPICE History/Region of Origin:  Christopher Columbus discovered Allspice in the Caribbean. Uses: one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean cuisine. ItContinue reading “ALLSPICE”