According to a plethora of websites a poet named William Cowpers is credited with the oft-cited quote, “Variety’s the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor.” Cowpers penned this phrase in a poem called THE TASK Lines 606-607. The poet and hymnodist summed up in two lines the purpose of one of the most expensive, intense, and flavorful agricultural class of products ever consumed by humans.
The Poet is advising us that we need more than just routine. We need more than just a job, or family or obligations. Our lives are enhanced by adding different tasks, different chores, vary your routine. Mundanity is not what gives life it’s flavor – it is variety.
The renowned science fiction writer wrote an essay about all the meaningful tasks a man who be quite capable of doing to even begin to consider himself complete and concluded with the pithy statement, “Specialization is for insects.”
The endless role of spices in a kitchen is to create and recreate recipes, items, dishes that transform your kitchen, your meal and your guests to a pleasing palatable experience beyond the normal. In exploring “Spice is Z variety of life” we’re going to discuss the individual spices, how I group spices together to make them easier to learn and use. We’re going to delve into not only where spices come from but discuss the endless culinary preparations that the very travel entailed.
We’re going to discuss the physicality of spice and that spices come from leaves, stems, berries, flowers, tubers, bark, seeds, bulbs, resins and extracts. There are so many fascinating stories to learn and study about this arcane little arcade of the culinary world. You’re going to have fun.
Do you know how vital spices have always been to medicine? I don’t just mean ayur-vedic medicine where food is the medicine but the actual extraction of essential oils that cure or lessen or enhance actual healing of the body. Spices are essential ingredients in teas, tisanes, elixirs and emetics that have helped keep people healthy over the last 6,000 years. You want to talk about variety!
This blog is going to enhance your vocabulary by bringing in ancient and new technology with which we have learned to process spice. Geography and where spices come from literally shaped the world’s empires. Why do the English drink tea from India and not China?
Variety of life and spice will allow us to explore not only different foods and menus but drinks, beer, mead, wine, cuisines, locales. And just some nice twists on some old family favorites. Chef Zieg
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