MARITIME 



MORSELS 



* WHAT IS A SPICE? 



Afiy dried, fragrant, aromatic or pungent vegetable or plant 



^ "substance, in whole, broken or ground form, that co^rfributes flavor, 

 whose primary function in food is seasoning rather thanirtytrition, 



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and that may contribute relish or piquancy to foods or beverages; 

 that is true to name and from which no portion or any volatile oil 



or other legal flavoring principle has been purposely removed 



^ ft 



or to which no additive or spenrspice has been added. Spices 

 may be the dried arilla, bark, buds, bulbs, flowers, fruit, leaves, 



/ rhizomes, roots, seeds, stigmas and styles, or the entire plant tops. 



— Spices, Condiments and Seasonings 



Spicing 

 ItUp 



By Kathy Hart 



l f you think the spice section at 

 your local supermarket has expanded, 

 you're absolutely right. 



Along with the standard cinnamon, 

 nutmeg, cloves, basil and oregano, super- 

 markets now regularly stock once hard-to- 

 find spices such as tarragon and coriander 

 and spice blends as varied as Cajun 

 blackening seasonings or apple pie flavor. 

 In the produce sections of larger supermar- 

 kets and specialty food stores, consumers 

 can often find the intense flavor of fresh 

 seasonings — rosemary stems, dill sprigs, 

 sage leaves and ginger root. 



Spicing up your meals isn't just about 

 parsley and pepper anymore. 



What's behind the growth? Greater 

 ethnic diversity in this country and a world 

 made smaller by air travel and global media. 



Today, Americans' culinary cravings 

 hail from almost every country in the world 

 — from Albania to Zanzibar. Everything 

 from history to religion to availability 

 figures into how a country's cooks use 

 spices to develop distinctive flavors that 

 distinguish their cuisine from that of their 

 neighbors. And almost all of these ethnic 

 cuisines have been introduced in the United 

 States through an international smorgasbord 

 of restaurants, cookbooks, magazines and 

 cooking shows. 



Health professionals are on the spice 

 bandwagon too. In an effort to convert 

 Americans to diets low in sodium, choles- 

 terol, fat and calories, doctors and dietitians 

 encourage cooks to substitute spices for salt, 



Continued 

 COASTWATCH 29 



