lec 19

Question 1

what makes herbs/spices taste/smell good

Answer 1

volatile oils that diffuse into the air (essential oils) from special cell glands or vessels

Question 2

from an evo standpoint, what is the purpose of essential oils?

Answer 2

fruits/flowers: to attract pollinators

leaves, seeds, roots: pungent flavours/odours that deter insects, animals, or pathogens

Question 3

what are the limitations of smell sensory cells?

Answer 3

to be smelled, chemical must have:
- MW < 300 to 400
- neutral pH
- high vapour pressure

Question 4

what is the essential oil important to thyme and monarda species? what has it been used for?

Answer 4

key essential oil is thymol

ancient egyptians used for embalming

ancient greeks used in baths and as incense

blackfoot native americans used as an antisceptic

Question 5

where do we get menthol from?

Answer 5

the genus Mentha, which includes peppermint and spearmint

Question 6

what are some uses of saffron?

Answer 6

spice which comes from the stigma of the plant

also can be used as a dye

Question 7

what are the two types of cinnamon? what are the differences?

Answer 7

true cinnamon Cinnamomum zeylancium

cassia Cinnamomum cassia

true cinnamon is more delicate and fine flavoured and comes from the inner bark

cassia is made of the entire bark, and is a little heavier

Question 8

where does ginger’s flavour come from?

Answer 8

oleoresin (part essential oil, part resin) in the rhizome

Question 9

what is the process of making black pepper?

Answer 9

unripe drupes are cooked briefly and dried (heating helps speed up browning process during drying)

Question 10

how does black pepper differ from other peppers?

Answer 10

spiciness comes from piperine, which is a different type of spicy that capsaicin, which comes from other peppers

Question 11

what are the two most expensive spices in the world?

Answer 11

1. saffron
2. vanilla

Question 12

how is vanilla harvested

Answer 12

vanilla flowers are hand pollinated and bean is ready for harvesting 6 to 9 months after pollination

1. beans are washed
2. beans are treated with hot water to stop vegetative growth of the pod (kickstarts oxidative enzymes)
3. beans are sweated (densely stacked in high temp + humidity)
4. beans are dried to 25-30% of moisture by weight, preventing rotting and locking in aroma