[Sca-cooks] Spice Trails

[Terry Decker]

Just caught this on rerun this afternoon.  Two errors I spotted were, cubebs 
being referenced as not being a "true pepper" (they are true peppers 
(Piper)) and ascribing saffron in Spain to the Arabs.  Saffron was being 
grown by the Romans all over the Empire including Britian and Spain.  There 
is an arguable position that saffron was re-introduced into Spain by the 
Arabs following a decline in cultivation after the collapse of the Empire.

Good show even with the errors.

Bear

> Globe Trekker on Create TV had on a program this am on the spice trade and 
> spices titled
> "Spice Trails." Episode 1215
>
> Globe Trekker Food Hour: Spice Trails - Globe Trekker
> The role that the spice trails played in creating great cities and 
> destroying ancient civilizations. Included: the Molucca Islands of 
> Indonesia, which are the original home of cloves and nutmeg; the Indian 
> province of Kerala, which is home to pepper and cardamom. Other stops 
> include Venice, Italy; Beirut; Cairo; China; Spain; and the Caribbean.
>
> http://www.pilotguides.com/tv-shows/planet-food/series-2/spice-trails/
>
> They get a few things wrong or left unsaid. They mention black pepper and 
> Rome but not long pepper and the one recipe in China uses
> chili peppers without commenting on their place of origin.
>
> Of interest to us is the appearance
> of Sally Grainger (author of Prospect Book's edition of Apicius and 
> Cooking Apicius cookbook) and Richard Fitch
> at Hampton Court Palace talking about spices.
>
> It's worth keeping an eye out for anyway.
>
> Johnnae