[Sca-cooks] Spices was licorice,

[Alex Clark]

At 05:20 PM 2/23/2004 -0800, Kiri wrote:
>Given that I was taught (can't remember by whom....) that an herb is one 
>where we use the leaves, etc., and a spice is one where we use the seeds, 
>bark, nut, etc., I have always considered saffron a spice.

You are right about saffron. It's a spice, and has been since the 14th 
century at least. To quote from Curye on Inglysch I 42: "& do god poudre of 
speces: gynger, kanel, galingal, clowes & saffron; & grind togedere." This 
is corroborated by the list in I 48.

All right, so that only proves that saffron is a spece, not a spice. :-)

Henry of Maldon/Alex Clark