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harvested or packed from the methods expected of Medieval harvesters.  The
shipping will be faster.

Where the difference lies is that in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, spices
were kept whole and ground to order.  Whole spices better hold their
aromatic oils than ground spices.  Since most spices today are ground and
packaged, then shipped to the grocery there may be a delay of several months
between grinding and use, although hermetic sealing helps the spices keep
their flavor, they tend to lose potency once they are opened.

The two year old ground cinnamon in my baking cabinet doesn't have much
bite, but the five year old stick cinnamon which hides in a jar in the same
cabinet is still potent.

Bear