map of the spice islands of indonesia

A Brief History of Spices

It may seem strange to think of those dusty jars sitting at the back of your cupboard ever prompting anyone to risk their lives crossing the globe, literally travelling off the edge of the map to discover new lands where these strange-looking bits of dried bark, seeds and roots were grown. Fortunes and even empires were built, wars fought and in a sense the origins of global trade itself were all due to an insatiable desire for spice. Columbus, Vasco de Gama and Sir Francis Drake all undertook epic and ground-breaking journeys in search of spices. The demand was never solely culinary, spices were used in medicine, religious ceremony, perfumery, even in the bedroom as (allegedly) potent aphrodisiacs. As well as the wonderful flavour and scent of spices, the very rarity and expense was a powerful driving force for demand. Merchants went to great lengths to disguise the origins of their spices, it was widely accepted they came from lands beyond the known world and this only added to their attraction. It was believed that these exotic, expensive, rare condiments offered a flavour and aroma of a heavenly paradise. If spices didn't smell literally divine or heaven literally of spice, the two were considered evocative of each other at the very least.

As time went on, the supply of spices grew as the plants were grown in an increasing number of colonial territories and combined with an evolving puritanical culture dismissive of such unnecessary luxuries as spice, they began to lose their social and economic importance. Food became plainer and the spice trade became viewed as a historical irrelevance. The taste we as Northern Europeans retain for spices was however preserved in many traditional dishes such as mince pies, haggis, mulled wine etc. Recent times have seen a revival of interest in spices and spicy food as modern food is influenced more and more by global trends and people travel widely and develop greater curiosity and knowledge of cuisines around the world.

Even if you imagine you don't use many spices at home, you might be surprised at how much we actually consume every day. There's a huge amount of spice in modern food products that we take for granted - just take a look at the snacks and condiments on sale in any newsagent or corner shop. Worcester sauce relies on cloves and tamarind for its unique flavour, ketchup on a complex blend of spices and even Coca Cola is based on the ancient flavours of cinnamon and nutmeg, known to our ancestors.
Even today, spices still summon something deeply mysterious and affecting in us. The word itself is used to mean anything exotic, sexy and exciting and the scent and flavour of spice can transport us to another distant, more exotic place. Even though spices are now very inexpensive and widely available they still retain an indefinable magic and hopefully always will!