SC - Spices in cooking [was Jamaican Jerk (was jerked meat)]

[Anne-Marie Rousseau]

Heya from Anne-Marie
Jeff reminds us....
> > 1) They were expensive, and had to be imported, so spiced foods were a
> > way of showing off how rich you are (if you are rich)
> > 2) THEY MAKE THINGS TASTE GOOD
> > 3) They were expensive, and had to be imported, so spiced foods were a
> > way of showing your guests how much you though of them (if you are not
> > so rich)
> > 4) THEY MAKE THINGS TASTE GOOD
> > 5) Crusaders got used to the spiced foods in the Middle East, and
> > brought back those preferences, and spices, with them.
> > 6) THEY MAKE THINGS TASTE GOOD
> 

My favorite debunker of the spoiled food myth is to point out that we have
shopping lists for big households and when you look at the amount of spice
they buy, it really isnt that much. Where lots of people get confused is in
the variety and number of DIFFERENT spices (especially those of the exotic
garlic salt crowd). Medieval food often (but not always) will call for
small amounts of lots of different things. This seems exotic until you look
at the lable of a Heinz 57 bottle, or read the ingredients of your Kentucky
Fried Chicken. Your basic ketsup has far more types of spices in it, say,
than your basic egredouce.

- --Anne-Marie, who actually prefers the flavor of medieval spicing to modern
in many cases. Try some cinnamon in your spagetti sauce!

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