The latest issue of Saudi Aramco Worl magazine for July/August 2009 arrived today. It has an article in on "Devil's Dung" or Asafoetida. Also the article contains an interesting sidebar on Silphium It's online here: http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200904/devil.s.dung-the.world.s.smelliest.spice.htm Johnnae