Spices

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 155. Chapters: Nutmeg, Spice, Garlic, Wasabi, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Pomegranate, Turmeric, Pistacia lentiscus, Cardamom, Horseradish, Galangal, Cumin, Saffron, Celery, Anise, Sumac, Clove, Sesame, Myrrh, Cayenne pepper, Paprika, Black pepper, Chicory, Boesenbergia rotunda, Spice trade, Fennel, Caraway, Poppy seed, Trade and use of saffron, Mustard, Tamarind, Caper, Liquorice, Acorus calamus, Candy cap, List of Indian spices, Coriander, Cinnamomum aromaticum, Asafoetida, Silphium, Nigella sativa, Fenugreek, Annatto, Cinnamomum camphora, Juniper berry, Mastic, Allspice, Illicium verum, Schinus terebinthifolius, Aframomum melegueta, Rosa damascena, Smilax regelii, Canella, Bird's eye chili, Gaultheria procumbens, Long pepper, Angostura bitters, Spikenard, Mustard seed, Trachyspermum copticum, Byadgi chilli, Berberis vulgaris, Dipteryx odorata, Black cardamom, Alpinia galanga, Jamaican jerk spice, Aleppo pepper, Garcinia indica, Urban Accents, The Spice Trail, Elettaria, Adobo, Pandanus amaryllifolius, Persicaria hydropiper, Mahlab, West African Pepper, List of Pakistani spices, Kaffir lime, Carissa carandas, Heracleum persicum, White mustard, Chile powder, Alligator pepper, Alpinia officinarum, List of Australian herbs and spices, Bunium persicum, Piri piri, Njangsa, Aframomum corrorima, Catechu, Monodora myristica, Saigon Cinnamon, Crab boil, Cinnamomum burmannii, Malagueta pepper, Radhuni, Grains of Selim, Ditaxis heterantha, Rhus coriaria, Leptotes bicolor, Charoli, Cinnamomum osmophloeum, Black lime, Orange bitters, Uzazi, Bolivian Coriander, Siling mahaba, Kerisik, Solo garlic, Pink peppercorn, Cinnamomum pedunculatum, Cinnamomum citriodorum, Vadouvan, Spices Board of India, Kalpasi. Excerpt: Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Garlic has been used throughout history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. The garlic plant's bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant. With the exception of the single clove types, the bulb is divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves. The cloves are used for consumption (raw or cooked), or for medicinal purposes, and have a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking. The leaves and flowers (bulbils) on the head (spathe) are also edible, and being milder in flavor than the bulbs, they are most often consumed while immature and still tender. Additionally, the immature flower stalks (scapes) of the hardneck and elephant types are sometimes marketed for uses similar to asparagus in stir-fries. The papery, protective layers of "skin" over various parts of the plant are generally discarded during preparation for most culinary uses, though in Korea immature whole heads are sometimes prepared with the tender skins intact. The root cluster attached to the basal plate of the bulb is the only part not typically considered palatable in any form. The sticky juice within the bulb cloves is used as an adhesive in mending glass and porcelain in China. Dating back over 6,000 years, it is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent seasoning in Asia, Africa, and Europe. The irrational fear of garlic is alliumphobia. BulbilsThe ancestry of cultivated garlic is not definitively established. According to Zohary and Hopf, "A difficulty in the identification of its...