Spices Flashcards
Spices are:
Aromatic plant parts - spiciness from secretory tissues
T/F
Spices are/have been regarded as sacred
True - they may be considered a method to commune with spirits
T/F
Spices cannot be used to preserve food
False - they can have antibiotic & preservative purposes
The richness of Sheba came from:
commerce with spices: myrrh, black pepper, cloves, ginger & cinnamon
Myrrh is:
Red-brown resin spice worth more than its weight in gold
Uses of Myrrh A) Perfume/incense B) Antiseptic C) Stimulant D) All of the above
D
T/F
Egypt did not value Myrrh
False - the first oceanographic cruise in human history was an Egyptian fleet to collect whole Myrrh plants to cultivate
T/F
Ancient egyptians only used a few spices for food
False - they used many for food but also for perfume & embalming
T/F
Black pepper has always been common
False - it was used only by the rich & could be a form of currency
Black & white pepper fruit is:
Drupe
The pepper plant is native to:
S/SE Asia
T/F
The black peppercorn and white peppercorn come from separate species of plant
False - White is the same as black with the external fruit part removed
Which one is NOT a property of pepper? A) Antioxidant B) Aphrodesiac C) Contains piperine D) Increases metabolism E) Increases serotonin & endorphins in the brain
B
Ginger is native to:
S Asia
Ginger can help with: A) Nausea B) Dizziness C) Inflammation D) All of the above
D
T/F
Ginger has antioxidant properties
True
Cinnamon is native to
India & Sri Lanca (S Asia)
T/F
Cinnamon is the fruit part of the plant
False - it is the bark
Benefits of eating the cinnamon plant include: A) Antibiotic B) Antipsychotic C) Aphrodesiac D) Antiviral
D
What component of cinnamon has colon cancer preventative properties?
Cinnamic aldehyde
How does cinnamon prevent cancer?
Antioxidant & Anti-melanoma
Cloves are native from:
Indonesia
Cloves come from this part of the plant: A) Root B) Stem C) Leaves D) Flowers E) Seeds
D
Which of the following is NOT a property of cloves? A) Reduces blood sugar levels B) Antiviral C) Stimulant D) mild anesthetic
C
T/F
In China cloves were considered a spice for the commoners
False - Court officials used them to have better breath before addressing the emperor
Which animal was used for trade? A) Horses B) Donkeys C) Dogs D) Camels
D
What 2 methods of transport were used for spice trading?
Land & Sea
The Incense road passed through:
Somalia/Ethiopia –> India –> Gaza/Alexandria
The Ottoman Empire obstructed the Silk Road & Spice Route, resulting in:
Colonization & new age discovery
T/F
Spices caused the “discovery” of America
True - Columbus & Magellan tried to get to Asia to get more spices but landed in S America
Which spices were found in S America?
Vanilla & hot peppers
Vanilla is native to
Mexico
Which part of the plant makes the vanilla spice?
Seed Pod
What can vanilla be used for? A) Flavouring B) Perfume C) Medicine D) All of the above
D
Xocolatl was:
A cocoa drink with vanilla and chillies
Where is the most vanilla produced now?
Madagascar
What is the most expensive spice?
Saffron - it takes 200,000 flowers for 1kg of spice which must be collected by hand
T/F
Saffron is a very old spice
True - it is the oldest documented used spice (fresco from the Bronze Age) (Iran)
The spice saffron is from this part of the plant: A) Stamens B) Roots C) Petals D) Seeds
A
What colour is Saffron dye?
Yellow
Which ancient culture started using perfume first?
Ancient Egypt & Mesopotamia
Which ancient culture developed floral perfumes?
Ancient Rome - using crushed spices in oil
T/F
Distillation is the method of extraction fragrance most used today
True - developed by Avicenna
Why do flowers smell?
To attract pollinators
How do flowers smell?
Through volatile compounds produced by secretory tissues
How does Headspace Analysis work?
Odour molecules in the air around the flower is sucked through a filter, chromatography/mass spectroscopy analyze molecules & are synthetically replicated
