By Mary Jo
I'm in the crazed mode of finishing a book, so I'm invoking Wench Privilege by re-running an old blog, this one about the spice trade. What gave me the idea was going out to my car after exercising at Curves, and smelling something sweet and tangy from the McCormick spice company headquarters about three miles to the north. Inspiring!
++++Originally published August 3, 2007++++++
I’m sitting on my screened porch on a summer morning, sipping coffee, watching birds, and enjoying the scent of pepper that floats through the summer air. This is unusual—more often, I would smell allspice, which carries well.
No, I am not imaging the tantalizing fragrance in the air, despite having an over-active writer’s imagination. The world’s largest spice company, McCormick’s, is headquartered a few miles north of my house. My hometown of Baltimore has been one of America’s most important ports since its founding, so it’s not surprising that the city is home to several spice companies
Spices are something we take for granted, like being able to listen to music whenever we want. We can stop in the baking aisle of any supermarket and have our choice of dozens of spices and herbs. But once the spice trade was the most lucrative, and perhaps dangerous, in 
the world. In many ways, spices are responsible for discovering the world we know.
A brief definition: while the whole delicious range of flavorings are sometimes called spices, these days herbs are defined as the leaves and seeds of temperate zone plants. They can be used fresh or dried, whole or chopped. Think parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. <g> And dill seed and caraway and mustard and more.
Spices are the bark, seeds, or roots of tropical plants. They are generally dried and often ground to powder. For example, whole stick cinnamon might be tossed into hot cider, but more often we use ground cinnamon in baking. Nutmeg is a sort of tree nut, while the spice called mace is made from the red husk that grows around the nutmeg. Cloves are the dried flower buds of a tropical evergreen. Spices had to last well so they could be transported great distances without losing their potency.
The most coveted of spices originated in legendary places far, far from Western Europe, so they were rare and precious. The most exotic of all came from the Spice Islands, a cluster in the eastern section of the vast archipelago that is now called Indonesia.
Spices were an important cargo in the great caravan routes that ran from Asia to Europe, and for a long time Arab traders maintained a tight monopoly on the spice trade. Because spice were so valuable, attempts at monopoly were made over and over, with varying degrees of success.
The trade is thousands of years old, with the beginnings lost in the mists of time. Herodotus wrote of spices (rather inaccurately) and legend says that when the Queen of Sheba called on King Solomon, she brought gifts of gold and spices.
The Nabateans, who built the magical city of Petra in what is now Jordan, were major spice traders–and even two thousand years ago, there was worry about the balance of trade since too much of the Roman 
Empire’s gold was flowing east to pay for the luxuries of silk and spices. For a time, the Romans established their own sea routes to India, and a Greek merchant discovered the secret of the trade winds that had helped carry Arab traders for centuries: the monsoons reverse direction and by sailing with the winds in both directions, the voyage from the Red Sea coast to India and return could be made much more quickly and safely.
With the fall of Rome, trade with the east declined markedly and only small amounts of wildly expensive 
spices made their way to Europe. A few pounds of cloves or nutmeg or cinnamon could make a man’s fortune. In a great house, the spices were kept in small chests under lock and key, with only the mistress and perhaps a trusted housekeeper having access. Peppercorns were used as currency, and even as bribes to judges in court cases. (That's a nutmeg on its tree to the right, with the husk that will become mace.)
The Crusades revived the interaction of East and West, even if it was at the wrong end of a sword. Venice was the main distributor of spices in Europe because of their relationships with Arab traders, and spices helped create the city-state’s great wealth.
The lust for wealth is a tremendous incentive, of course. Marco Polo and his kin headed overland to China looking for spices and other portable riches. The European craving for spices grew. Pepperers' Guilds became Spicers' Guilds. And by the fifteenth century , the drive for spices helped launch the great Age 
of Discovery. Vasco de Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, and other legendary navigators set off into the perilous unknown. Christopher Columbus was looking for India and spices when he wandered into North America. (It wasn’t a total loss, though—allspice comes from the West Indies, and it’s a spice equal to any that come from the Spice Islands.)
A powerful scent is one of the chief characteristic of spices, and scent is the most primitive of our senses. Certain aromas have the power to jerk us back to earlier times and places, just as tastes and 
scents immediately conjure particular cultures. India is known for the mixture of spices we call curry (though a good Indian cook will probably uses several individual spices rather than the commercial blend we call “curry powder.” )
The first time I tasted the unique dish known as Cincinnati chili, I knew that it wasn’t Mexican in origin but Greek because of the blend of spices used to season it. (Great stuff, too! I wish Cincinnati chili was more widely available.) And Mexican food is noted for the distinctive pepper based seasonings–but not the same kind of peppers that make peppercorns.
In Amsterdam several years ago, I wanted to visit an Indonesian restaurant because I was writing The Bartered Bride, which was set partially in Indonesia. We found a nice little Indonesian restaurant (with 
an open door and a cat that wandered casually in and out), and ordered a rice table—that is, a mixture of Indonesian dishes. With my first bite I was taken back many years to my first visit to Amsterdam, and my first taste of Indonesian food. There is a particular blend of spices that says “Indonesia” as clearly as curry says India. Every culture has its tastes and special ingredients, and I for one give thanks for the increasing variety of restaurants and cuisines available to us.
I could go on and on about spices, but I’ll spare you. <G> What are your favorite spices and herbs? Do you have stories about them, memories invoked by particular tastes? Please share!
Mary Jo, wondering if she should add her Mint Experience at the Celestial Seasonings plant in Boulder, Colorado.
Great piece, I love reading about spices. Speaking of ambient smells, I used to live next door to a Maxwell House coffee plant, and luckily I love the smell of coffee in the morning.
You also made me hungry for Indonesian food, which I well remember from Amsterdam.
I love the spices that go into chai tea, especially cardamom. Sometimes I make a pot of tea with a cardamom pod and a couple of cloves, and other times I use a chai spice mix which I bought in an Indian store. Besides the cardamom and clove, I believe it contains ginger, cinnamon and a bit of pepper.
Another spice I love is caraway. I often use the regular caraway in stews and soups, and there is nothing like a good Russian rye bread loaded with black caraway(actually nigella seeds).
Great piece, I love reading about spices. Speaking of ambient smells, I used to live next door to a Maxwell House coffee plant, and luckily I love the smell of coffee in the morning.
You also made me hungry for Indonesian food, which I well remember from Amsterdam.
I love the spices that go into chai tea, especially cardamom. Sometimes I make a pot of tea with a cardamom pod and a couple of cloves, and other times I use a chai spice mix which I bought in an Indian store. Besides the cardamom and clove, I believe it contains ginger, cinnamon and a bit of pepper.
Another spice I love is caraway. I often use the regular caraway in stews and soups, and there is nothing like a good Russian rye bread loaded with black caraway(actually nigella seeds).
Great piece, I love reading about spices. Speaking of ambient smells, I used to live next door to a Maxwell House coffee plant, and luckily I love the smell of coffee in the morning.
You also made me hungry for Indonesian food, which I well remember from Amsterdam.
I love the spices that go into chai tea, especially cardamom. Sometimes I make a pot of tea with a cardamom pod and a couple of cloves, and other times I use a chai spice mix which I bought in an Indian store. Besides the cardamom and clove, I believe it contains ginger, cinnamon and a bit of pepper.
Another spice I love is caraway. I often use the regular caraway in stews and soups, and there is nothing like a good Russian rye bread loaded with black caraway(actually nigella seeds).
Great piece, I love reading about spices. Speaking of ambient smells, I used to live next door to a Maxwell House coffee plant, and luckily I love the smell of coffee in the morning.
You also made me hungry for Indonesian food, which I well remember from Amsterdam.
I love the spices that go into chai tea, especially cardamom. Sometimes I make a pot of tea with a cardamom pod and a couple of cloves, and other times I use a chai spice mix which I bought in an Indian store. Besides the cardamom and clove, I believe it contains ginger, cinnamon and a bit of pepper.
Another spice I love is caraway. I often use the regular caraway in stews and soups, and there is nothing like a good Russian rye bread loaded with black caraway(actually nigella seeds).
Great piece, I love reading about spices. Speaking of ambient smells, I used to live next door to a Maxwell House coffee plant, and luckily I love the smell of coffee in the morning.
You also made me hungry for Indonesian food, which I well remember from Amsterdam.
I love the spices that go into chai tea, especially cardamom. Sometimes I make a pot of tea with a cardamom pod and a couple of cloves, and other times I use a chai spice mix which I bought in an Indian store. Besides the cardamom and clove, I believe it contains ginger, cinnamon and a bit of pepper.
Another spice I love is caraway. I often use the regular caraway in stews and soups, and there is nothing like a good Russian rye bread loaded with black caraway(actually nigella seeds).
Nutmeg brings back my favorite memories of Christmas. Only time of the year to enjoy eggnog – ambrosia !
Nutmeg brings back my favorite memories of Christmas. Only time of the year to enjoy eggnog – ambrosia !
Nutmeg brings back my favorite memories of Christmas. Only time of the year to enjoy eggnog – ambrosia !
Nutmeg brings back my favorite memories of Christmas. Only time of the year to enjoy eggnog – ambrosia !
Nutmeg brings back my favorite memories of Christmas. Only time of the year to enjoy eggnog – ambrosia !
After a trip to Boulder I was inspired to use the overpowering scent of mint to cause the death of a character in a mystery short story. That mint room is just plain scary! Also came away from the Celestial Seasonings tour with this great little gadget for squeezing the last drop of goodness out of a teabag as you lift it out of the cup.
Kathy/Kaitlyn
After a trip to Boulder I was inspired to use the overpowering scent of mint to cause the death of a character in a mystery short story. That mint room is just plain scary! Also came away from the Celestial Seasonings tour with this great little gadget for squeezing the last drop of goodness out of a teabag as you lift it out of the cup.
Kathy/Kaitlyn
After a trip to Boulder I was inspired to use the overpowering scent of mint to cause the death of a character in a mystery short story. That mint room is just plain scary! Also came away from the Celestial Seasonings tour with this great little gadget for squeezing the last drop of goodness out of a teabag as you lift it out of the cup.
Kathy/Kaitlyn
After a trip to Boulder I was inspired to use the overpowering scent of mint to cause the death of a character in a mystery short story. That mint room is just plain scary! Also came away from the Celestial Seasonings tour with this great little gadget for squeezing the last drop of goodness out of a teabag as you lift it out of the cup.
Kathy/Kaitlyn
After a trip to Boulder I was inspired to use the overpowering scent of mint to cause the death of a character in a mystery short story. That mint room is just plain scary! Also came away from the Celestial Seasonings tour with this great little gadget for squeezing the last drop of goodness out of a teabag as you lift it out of the cup.
Kathy/Kaitlyn
Karin–
Oooooh, coffee plant! I’m another who loves the smeall of coffee in the morning. I also particularly love cardamom. Two friends and I lunch monthly in a nearby Persian Napoleon where they make an inhouse pastry that’s rather like a Napoleon made with their cardamom flavored ice creame. It’s AMAZING!
Karin–
Oooooh, coffee plant! I’m another who loves the smeall of coffee in the morning. I also particularly love cardamom. Two friends and I lunch monthly in a nearby Persian Napoleon where they make an inhouse pastry that’s rather like a Napoleon made with their cardamom flavored ice creame. It’s AMAZING!
Karin–
Oooooh, coffee plant! I’m another who loves the smeall of coffee in the morning. I also particularly love cardamom. Two friends and I lunch monthly in a nearby Persian Napoleon where they make an inhouse pastry that’s rather like a Napoleon made with their cardamom flavored ice creame. It’s AMAZING!
Karin–
Oooooh, coffee plant! I’m another who loves the smeall of coffee in the morning. I also particularly love cardamom. Two friends and I lunch monthly in a nearby Persian Napoleon where they make an inhouse pastry that’s rather like a Napoleon made with their cardamom flavored ice creame. It’s AMAZING!
Karin–
Oooooh, coffee plant! I’m another who loves the smeall of coffee in the morning. I also particularly love cardamom. Two friends and I lunch monthly in a nearby Persian Napoleon where they make an inhouse pastry that’s rather like a Napoleon made with their cardamom flavored ice creame. It’s AMAZING!
Jackie–
Now that it’s October, Christmas and nutmeg season will still be on us! Scents are wonderful for evoking memories.
Jackie–
Now that it’s October, Christmas and nutmeg season will still be on us! Scents are wonderful for evoking memories.
Jackie–
Now that it’s October, Christmas and nutmeg season will still be on us! Scents are wonderful for evoking memories.
Jackie–
Now that it’s October, Christmas and nutmeg season will still be on us! Scents are wonderful for evoking memories.
Jackie–
Now that it’s October, Christmas and nutmeg season will still be on us! Scents are wonderful for evoking memories.
Kathy–
Mint as murder! Hving been in that mint room, I can totally believe it. Most of my tour group were driven out in seconds. My other big memory from visiting the Celestial Seasonings plant was the metropolis of prairie dogs you drive through to the to the plant. *G*
Kathy–
Mint as murder! Hving been in that mint room, I can totally believe it. Most of my tour group were driven out in seconds. My other big memory from visiting the Celestial Seasonings plant was the metropolis of prairie dogs you drive through to the to the plant. *G*
Kathy–
Mint as murder! Hving been in that mint room, I can totally believe it. Most of my tour group were driven out in seconds. My other big memory from visiting the Celestial Seasonings plant was the metropolis of prairie dogs you drive through to the to the plant. *G*
Kathy–
Mint as murder! Hving been in that mint room, I can totally believe it. Most of my tour group were driven out in seconds. My other big memory from visiting the Celestial Seasonings plant was the metropolis of prairie dogs you drive through to the to the plant. *G*
Kathy–
Mint as murder! Hving been in that mint room, I can totally believe it. Most of my tour group were driven out in seconds. My other big memory from visiting the Celestial Seasonings plant was the metropolis of prairie dogs you drive through to the to the plant. *G*
Like most people, I was used to a bland vanilla that really didn’t add much–if anything–to recipes. Then, in a trip to the Caribbean, I bought a little bottle from a roadside stand. What a difference GOOD vanilla makes! Now, I never buy vanilla in the supermarket (a waste of money), but get it online. I particularly love chocolate with just a little under taste of vanilla, for example, in a brownie.
Like most people, I was used to a bland vanilla that really didn’t add much–if anything–to recipes. Then, in a trip to the Caribbean, I bought a little bottle from a roadside stand. What a difference GOOD vanilla makes! Now, I never buy vanilla in the supermarket (a waste of money), but get it online. I particularly love chocolate with just a little under taste of vanilla, for example, in a brownie.
Like most people, I was used to a bland vanilla that really didn’t add much–if anything–to recipes. Then, in a trip to the Caribbean, I bought a little bottle from a roadside stand. What a difference GOOD vanilla makes! Now, I never buy vanilla in the supermarket (a waste of money), but get it online. I particularly love chocolate with just a little under taste of vanilla, for example, in a brownie.
Like most people, I was used to a bland vanilla that really didn’t add much–if anything–to recipes. Then, in a trip to the Caribbean, I bought a little bottle from a roadside stand. What a difference GOOD vanilla makes! Now, I never buy vanilla in the supermarket (a waste of money), but get it online. I particularly love chocolate with just a little under taste of vanilla, for example, in a brownie.
Like most people, I was used to a bland vanilla that really didn’t add much–if anything–to recipes. Then, in a trip to the Caribbean, I bought a little bottle from a roadside stand. What a difference GOOD vanilla makes! Now, I never buy vanilla in the supermarket (a waste of money), but get it online. I particularly love chocolate with just a little under taste of vanilla, for example, in a brownie.
We were discussing the food at our local Greek festival at a Greek Orthodox Church, and that drifted into Mediterranean food we liked. I mentioned that I especially liked sumac on fetoush (Lebanese salad). Someone asked if that wasn’t poisonous, so we of course googled it. The poisonous ones have white drupes while the edible ones are red, which makes sense since the spice is a reddish-purple.
We were discussing the food at our local Greek festival at a Greek Orthodox Church, and that drifted into Mediterranean food we liked. I mentioned that I especially liked sumac on fetoush (Lebanese salad). Someone asked if that wasn’t poisonous, so we of course googled it. The poisonous ones have white drupes while the edible ones are red, which makes sense since the spice is a reddish-purple.
We were discussing the food at our local Greek festival at a Greek Orthodox Church, and that drifted into Mediterranean food we liked. I mentioned that I especially liked sumac on fetoush (Lebanese salad). Someone asked if that wasn’t poisonous, so we of course googled it. The poisonous ones have white drupes while the edible ones are red, which makes sense since the spice is a reddish-purple.
We were discussing the food at our local Greek festival at a Greek Orthodox Church, and that drifted into Mediterranean food we liked. I mentioned that I especially liked sumac on fetoush (Lebanese salad). Someone asked if that wasn’t poisonous, so we of course googled it. The poisonous ones have white drupes while the edible ones are red, which makes sense since the spice is a reddish-purple.
We were discussing the food at our local Greek festival at a Greek Orthodox Church, and that drifted into Mediterranean food we liked. I mentioned that I especially liked sumac on fetoush (Lebanese salad). Someone asked if that wasn’t poisonous, so we of course googled it. The poisonous ones have white drupes while the edible ones are red, which makes sense since the spice is a reddish-purple.
Shannon–
Our much loved local Persian restaurant has a very careful explanation of cooking sumac and their menu, and with good reason! They describe it as a sort of lemony/peppery taste, though I’ve not sorted it out from the other flavors when I eat the various dishes. All good, though.
Shannon–
Our much loved local Persian restaurant has a very careful explanation of cooking sumac and their menu, and with good reason! They describe it as a sort of lemony/peppery taste, though I’ve not sorted it out from the other flavors when I eat the various dishes. All good, though.
Shannon–
Our much loved local Persian restaurant has a very careful explanation of cooking sumac and their menu, and with good reason! They describe it as a sort of lemony/peppery taste, though I’ve not sorted it out from the other flavors when I eat the various dishes. All good, though.
Shannon–
Our much loved local Persian restaurant has a very careful explanation of cooking sumac and their menu, and with good reason! They describe it as a sort of lemony/peppery taste, though I’ve not sorted it out from the other flavors when I eat the various dishes. All good, though.
Shannon–
Our much loved local Persian restaurant has a very careful explanation of cooking sumac and their menu, and with good reason! They describe it as a sort of lemony/peppery taste, though I’ve not sorted it out from the other flavors when I eat the various dishes. All good, though.
To taste it, you can try it on bread. It’ll be in a shaker like Parmesan in an Italian restaurant. Sprinkle just a tiny bit on the bread, and take a taste. A lot of people find the lemony to be too bitter; others say the peppery is too hot.
To taste it, you can try it on bread. It’ll be in a shaker like Parmesan in an Italian restaurant. Sprinkle just a tiny bit on the bread, and take a taste. A lot of people find the lemony to be too bitter; others say the peppery is too hot.
To taste it, you can try it on bread. It’ll be in a shaker like Parmesan in an Italian restaurant. Sprinkle just a tiny bit on the bread, and take a taste. A lot of people find the lemony to be too bitter; others say the peppery is too hot.
To taste it, you can try it on bread. It’ll be in a shaker like Parmesan in an Italian restaurant. Sprinkle just a tiny bit on the bread, and take a taste. A lot of people find the lemony to be too bitter; others say the peppery is too hot.
To taste it, you can try it on bread. It’ll be in a shaker like Parmesan in an Italian restaurant. Sprinkle just a tiny bit on the bread, and take a taste. A lot of people find the lemony to be too bitter; others say the peppery is too hot.
Loved this blog post!
I first learned about sumac from
the Frugal Gourmet, who said his
teenage sons (!) liked it on every-
thing. My favorite is on salad. It
has a “presence” of taste and texture.
Actually, I’m a spice junkie and
around-the-world eater, never met
a spice or herb I didn’t find
fascinating. I just bought a spice
and nut grinder to use on Indian-menu
spices I toast myself (the easy way,
in the toaster oven, usually set
for dark toast). Life is too short
for boring food!
Loved this blog post!
I first learned about sumac from
the Frugal Gourmet, who said his
teenage sons (!) liked it on every-
thing. My favorite is on salad. It
has a “presence” of taste and texture.
Actually, I’m a spice junkie and
around-the-world eater, never met
a spice or herb I didn’t find
fascinating. I just bought a spice
and nut grinder to use on Indian-menu
spices I toast myself (the easy way,
in the toaster oven, usually set
for dark toast). Life is too short
for boring food!
Loved this blog post!
I first learned about sumac from
the Frugal Gourmet, who said his
teenage sons (!) liked it on every-
thing. My favorite is on salad. It
has a “presence” of taste and texture.
Actually, I’m a spice junkie and
around-the-world eater, never met
a spice or herb I didn’t find
fascinating. I just bought a spice
and nut grinder to use on Indian-menu
spices I toast myself (the easy way,
in the toaster oven, usually set
for dark toast). Life is too short
for boring food!
Loved this blog post!
I first learned about sumac from
the Frugal Gourmet, who said his
teenage sons (!) liked it on every-
thing. My favorite is on salad. It
has a “presence” of taste and texture.
Actually, I’m a spice junkie and
around-the-world eater, never met
a spice or herb I didn’t find
fascinating. I just bought a spice
and nut grinder to use on Indian-menu
spices I toast myself (the easy way,
in the toaster oven, usually set
for dark toast). Life is too short
for boring food!
Loved this blog post!
I first learned about sumac from
the Frugal Gourmet, who said his
teenage sons (!) liked it on every-
thing. My favorite is on salad. It
has a “presence” of taste and texture.
Actually, I’m a spice junkie and
around-the-world eater, never met
a spice or herb I didn’t find
fascinating. I just bought a spice
and nut grinder to use on Indian-menu
spices I toast myself (the easy way,
in the toaster oven, usually set
for dark toast). Life is too short
for boring food!
I’ll have to try that next time I’m there, Shannon. Most spices are pretty intense when isolated, but the do bring food alive! Plus–fresh herbs! Basil in particular is so easy to grow and it really brightens tomatoes and other summer food.
I’ll have to try that next time I’m there, Shannon. Most spices are pretty intense when isolated, but the do bring food alive! Plus–fresh herbs! Basil in particular is so easy to grow and it really brightens tomatoes and other summer food.
I’ll have to try that next time I’m there, Shannon. Most spices are pretty intense when isolated, but the do bring food alive! Plus–fresh herbs! Basil in particular is so easy to grow and it really brightens tomatoes and other summer food.
I’ll have to try that next time I’m there, Shannon. Most spices are pretty intense when isolated, but the do bring food alive! Plus–fresh herbs! Basil in particular is so easy to grow and it really brightens tomatoes and other summer food.
I’ll have to try that next time I’m there, Shannon. Most spices are pretty intense when isolated, but the do bring food alive! Plus–fresh herbs! Basil in particular is so easy to grow and it really brightens tomatoes and other summer food.
Mary M–
I’d LOVE to have a tasting session at your house!
Mary M–
I’d LOVE to have a tasting session at your house!
Mary M–
I’d LOVE to have a tasting session at your house!
Mary M–
I’d LOVE to have a tasting session at your house!
Mary M–
I’d LOVE to have a tasting session at your house!
Since I am from India, spices form the foundation to everything I cook. Every summer we would go to my grandparents home in rural Kerala and come back to Bombay with bags of pepper, cardamom, dried ginger and other spices grown in our backyard. But the absolute favorite aroma of cooking that I love is coconut oil warmed with curry leaves which is then sprinkled on food. The most heavenly smell and flavor. Curry leaves is native to South India and has nothing to do with the curry powder sold in the stores.
Since I am from India, spices form the foundation to everything I cook. Every summer we would go to my grandparents home in rural Kerala and come back to Bombay with bags of pepper, cardamom, dried ginger and other spices grown in our backyard. But the absolute favorite aroma of cooking that I love is coconut oil warmed with curry leaves which is then sprinkled on food. The most heavenly smell and flavor. Curry leaves is native to South India and has nothing to do with the curry powder sold in the stores.
Since I am from India, spices form the foundation to everything I cook. Every summer we would go to my grandparents home in rural Kerala and come back to Bombay with bags of pepper, cardamom, dried ginger and other spices grown in our backyard. But the absolute favorite aroma of cooking that I love is coconut oil warmed with curry leaves which is then sprinkled on food. The most heavenly smell and flavor. Curry leaves is native to South India and has nothing to do with the curry powder sold in the stores.
Since I am from India, spices form the foundation to everything I cook. Every summer we would go to my grandparents home in rural Kerala and come back to Bombay with bags of pepper, cardamom, dried ginger and other spices grown in our backyard. But the absolute favorite aroma of cooking that I love is coconut oil warmed with curry leaves which is then sprinkled on food. The most heavenly smell and flavor. Curry leaves is native to South India and has nothing to do with the curry powder sold in the stores.
Since I am from India, spices form the foundation to everything I cook. Every summer we would go to my grandparents home in rural Kerala and come back to Bombay with bags of pepper, cardamom, dried ginger and other spices grown in our backyard. But the absolute favorite aroma of cooking that I love is coconut oil warmed with curry leaves which is then sprinkled on food. The most heavenly smell and flavor. Curry leaves is native to South India and has nothing to do with the curry powder sold in the stores.
Hello: A little off topic, but I want to compliment you, Ms. Putney, on “not quite a wife.” I figure being off topic for a compliment is acceptable. I really enjoyed this book. It maintained your usual high standards of plot and character. I found it very hard to put down for other pressing tasks. “Just one more chapter, then I must….” One of the things I like most about it was that the main character has a strong Christian faith but is not portrayed as mad/unbalanced, judgmental or hypocritical. That is rare in mainstream fiction these days. Thank you for many happy hours of reading.
Hello: A little off topic, but I want to compliment you, Ms. Putney, on “not quite a wife.” I figure being off topic for a compliment is acceptable. I really enjoyed this book. It maintained your usual high standards of plot and character. I found it very hard to put down for other pressing tasks. “Just one more chapter, then I must….” One of the things I like most about it was that the main character has a strong Christian faith but is not portrayed as mad/unbalanced, judgmental or hypocritical. That is rare in mainstream fiction these days. Thank you for many happy hours of reading.
Hello: A little off topic, but I want to compliment you, Ms. Putney, on “not quite a wife.” I figure being off topic for a compliment is acceptable. I really enjoyed this book. It maintained your usual high standards of plot and character. I found it very hard to put down for other pressing tasks. “Just one more chapter, then I must….” One of the things I like most about it was that the main character has a strong Christian faith but is not portrayed as mad/unbalanced, judgmental or hypocritical. That is rare in mainstream fiction these days. Thank you for many happy hours of reading.
Hello: A little off topic, but I want to compliment you, Ms. Putney, on “not quite a wife.” I figure being off topic for a compliment is acceptable. I really enjoyed this book. It maintained your usual high standards of plot and character. I found it very hard to put down for other pressing tasks. “Just one more chapter, then I must….” One of the things I like most about it was that the main character has a strong Christian faith but is not portrayed as mad/unbalanced, judgmental or hypocritical. That is rare in mainstream fiction these days. Thank you for many happy hours of reading.
Hello: A little off topic, but I want to compliment you, Ms. Putney, on “not quite a wife.” I figure being off topic for a compliment is acceptable. I really enjoyed this book. It maintained your usual high standards of plot and character. I found it very hard to put down for other pressing tasks. “Just one more chapter, then I must….” One of the things I like most about it was that the main character has a strong Christian faith but is not portrayed as mad/unbalanced, judgmental or hypocritical. That is rare in mainstream fiction these days. Thank you for many happy hours of reading.
Yes, the poison sumac grows further south in the U.S. The edible one(staghorn sumac) is the only type in the northeast. It’s a weed tree but very decorative. The leaves turn a beautiful deep red in the fall.
Yes, the poison sumac grows further south in the U.S. The edible one(staghorn sumac) is the only type in the northeast. It’s a weed tree but very decorative. The leaves turn a beautiful deep red in the fall.
Yes, the poison sumac grows further south in the U.S. The edible one(staghorn sumac) is the only type in the northeast. It’s a weed tree but very decorative. The leaves turn a beautiful deep red in the fall.
Yes, the poison sumac grows further south in the U.S. The edible one(staghorn sumac) is the only type in the northeast. It’s a weed tree but very decorative. The leaves turn a beautiful deep red in the fall.
Yes, the poison sumac grows further south in the U.S. The edible one(staghorn sumac) is the only type in the northeast. It’s a weed tree but very decorative. The leaves turn a beautiful deep red in the fall.
Prema–
I was on holiday so this is belated, but how marvelous to have grown up with those spices grown by your own family! I know curry leaves exist, but I’ve never had a chance to interact with any. When I get new spices or herbs, I open the bottles and just sniff blissfully!
Prema–
I was on holiday so this is belated, but how marvelous to have grown up with those spices grown by your own family! I know curry leaves exist, but I’ve never had a chance to interact with any. When I get new spices or herbs, I open the bottles and just sniff blissfully!
Prema–
I was on holiday so this is belated, but how marvelous to have grown up with those spices grown by your own family! I know curry leaves exist, but I’ve never had a chance to interact with any. When I get new spices or herbs, I open the bottles and just sniff blissfully!
Prema–
I was on holiday so this is belated, but how marvelous to have grown up with those spices grown by your own family! I know curry leaves exist, but I’ve never had a chance to interact with any. When I get new spices or herbs, I open the bottles and just sniff blissfully!
Prema–
I was on holiday so this is belated, but how marvelous to have grown up with those spices grown by your own family! I know curry leaves exist, but I’ve never had a chance to interact with any. When I get new spices or herbs, I open the bottles and just sniff blissfully!