what were spices used for in the middle ages

The wealthy, however, were crazy over the exotic flavors from afar, and even pepper, the most popular imported spice of the Middle Ages, was restricted to the aristocracy. It was also popular in Medieval Europe. We do find galangal in Thai cooking however. Medicines in the Middle Ages were made from herbs, spices and resins. Ground cloves were also used for medicines to relieve pain. In the Middle Ages spices like allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves were common. In the Middle Ages, Spices were seen as a sign of wealth. In an era that witnessed Druid rituals and the practice of witchcraft, herbs played a major role in daily life, even if their uses often were informed by fantasy and imagination rather than scientific experimentation. In Europe the use of spices and herbs as food preservatives spread slowly. Cooked dishes were heavily flavoured with valuable spices such as caraway, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger and pepper. Spices in the Middle Ages Spices in the Middle Ages Freedman, Paul 2004-01-01 00:00:00 The medieval European desire for spices is well known to the point of being something of a commonplace or cliché. The higher the rank of a household, the greater its use of spices. Spices were prized goods in the Middle Ages. The use of spices spread through the Middle East to the eastern Mediterranean and Europe. At this point of time, the most common were the black pepper, cinnamon, nut meg, ginger and cloves. It has been estimated that around 1,000 tons of pepper and 1,000 tons of the other common spices were imported into Western Europe each year during the late Middle Ages. The story of the quest for spices is an early model of globalization, since mirrored by other traded goods. A Germanic price table of AD 1393 lists a pound of nutmeg as worth 7 fat oxen. What we would see as flavorful food additives easily accessible and grown in Europe, like garlic, would be classed as herbs or vegetables: green and fresh (even if more commonly used once dried). It is noteworthy that rheumatism was believed to be caused by abnormal “rheum”, or phlegm; the appropriate therapy would be pepper – just as it is today, with the topical use of capsaicin, a chile pepper extract. Thus, spices were a global commodity centuries before European voyages. Herbs and spices used in perfumes included rosemary, saffron, and cloves. Due to their distant origin, they were perceived as dried powders from the beginning. The medieval catheter consisted of a metal tube, which was painfully inserted through the urethra, and then into the bladder. Cultivation of spices and herbs however was still largely controlled by the church during this period and they promoted this control through religious herb and spice feasts. Spices were among the most demanded and expensive products available in Europe in the Middle Ages, the most common being black pepper, cinnamon (and the cheaper alternative cassia), cumin, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.Given medieval medicine's main theory of humorism, spices and herbs were indispensable to balance "humors" in food, a daily basis for good health at a time of recurrent pandemics. But perhaps only small quantities of these were used. Back in those days, there was a lack of antibiotics and a surplus of venereal viruses such as syphilis, so many people suffered from the woes of blocked bladders. By the later Middle Ages, spice had come to mean "something expensive from far away." Besides being used in food, spices were presented as gifts, like jewels, and collected like precious objects. The wealthy treasured these goods, which were imported from overseas, and were hugely expensive. Spices were also very important at feasts. When Europeans heard of spices like cinnamon, pepper, ginger and vanilla they travelled to Asia to bring them home. Spices were among the most valuable items of trade in ancient and medieval times. Spices were not only extensively used in the preparation of food but they were also passed around on a 'spice platter'. After the nation-states of western Europe entered the spice trade in the 16th century, spices became more widely available in Europe, eventually coming into general use by rich and poor alike. Cloves were also used as a medicine. The medicine was applied in drinks, pills, washes, baths, rubs, poultices, purges and ointments. Spices in the middle ages were expensive because the spices were carried overland and took years to reach Europe. Hot pungent spices were used more liberally in winter diets or to treat “cold” diseases accompanied by excess phlegm. In Europe, the Middle Ages were a time of few advancements and many superstitions in herbal lore. One wonders how meat could have been better conserved from the 17th century onwards than in the Middle Ages: did they put it in the fridge? The popularity of spices skyrocketed in Europe around the time explorers were opening up the Middle and Far East. They were popular in Europe in the Middle Ages and when the Portuguese reached Southeast Asia by the sea the price came down. In reality, meat (animals killed the same day) was often consumed fresher than it is today! Medieval Herbalism: Introduction to European Practices and Salves, Expanded Notes. The Vikings also used honey to add taste to both food and drink. Cloves are now grown in East Africa and in Brazil. They also had the attraction of exotic and mysterious origins. We cannot rule out the possibility that the Vikings also traded in these spices, as they had access to large international markets. Coriander was grown by the Greeks and the Romans. Vegetables. Spices were highly prized in the Middle Ages for their culinary, medicinal and liturgical calue. The spice trade was important during ancient times and the Middle Ages.. A pound of saffron cost the same as a horse; a pound of ginger, as much as a sheep; 2 pounds of mace as much as a cow. [97] Black pepper was the most expensive. Modern uses We’ve all heard the story that the newly discovered spices were so popular because they covered the taste of rotten meat, but that’s just not true. They even used glandular oils from animals to create musky scents. Today we would attribute such dishes to an Arabic-Indian cuisine rather than to any western one. Spices were seen as a sign of wealth, so the nobles and emperors had a greater use of spices. Spices were highly prized in the Middle Ages for their culinary, medicinal and liturgical calue. Other commonly used ingredients included cane sugar, almonds, and dried fruits such as dates, figs or raisins. Today galangal has all but disappeared from the European spice vocabulary. Spices were considered a sign of wealth in the middle ages. In Asia and Africa during the middle ages there were vast areas of plantations which imported all these spices across the world. Fragrances were an important part of Medieval society, playing a role in both religious and social aspects. Later, formal supply chains developed, with individuals growing plants to order, for supply to apothecaries. Europeans in the Middle Ages were no exception. As long ago as 3500 BC the ancient Egyptians were using various spices for flavouring food, in cosmetics, and for embalming their dead. Perfumes in the Middle Ages included "incense, fragrance for disease prevention, enhancement of atmosphere, as well as personal adornment, making them appealing to people of all statuses" (76). Herbs were around before the advent of contemporary medicine, so mixing plant ingredients together in a homeopathic remedy was the only option for relief from some illnesses. Early in the Middle Ages, an apothecary would cultivate all of the plants and herbs needed for his medicines himself. People used spices to flavour their food and make them taste better. High prices, a limited supply and mysterious origins fueled a growing effort to discover spices and their source of cultivation. People at the feasts were offered extra spices to add to their already spiced food. In reality, there was a genuine science of spices. Spices consisted of... Pepper - The most sought after spice. Spices were used to hide the taste of bad meat and poor quality produce. They also had the attraction of exotic and mysterious origins. During the middle ages spices among many different sorts were the most indulgent products available in Europe. There were no Antibiotics during the Middle Ages and it was almost impossible to cure illness and diseases without them. (In Europe they were used to treat toothache). The value of these goods was the equivalent of a yearly supply of grain for 1.5 million people. In fact, the more wealthy a family was, the more spices they would use. Cinnamon has been in use by humans for thousands of years—as early as 2,000 B.C. Some were used to preserve food and make it last longer. Salt was one of the most important spices. Essential oils used for scents included lavender, patchouli, sandalwood, and lemon. The Medicine used to treat some specific illnesses are described below. From the opening up of the spice trade in Asia in the Middle Ages to the misdirected spice seeking voyage that led to America, spices and herbs have played a powerful part in our legacy as a people. This was different in the past: during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the unique sensorial qualities of saffron were employed socially to encode the dried stemma of the crocus sativus L. as an object of conspicuous consumption reserved for the wealthy. Spices were used to camouflage bad flavours, odours, and for their health benefits. Catheters were used in the Middle Ages to relieve painful urinary diseases. Spices had a ceremonial as well as a culinary function here; in the Middle Ages the two were closely connected. In the early part of the middle ages (before the Crusades), Asian spices in Europe were costly and mainly used by the wealthy. Spices led to the creation of vast empires and powerful cities.. Imported from Asia and later Africa. These spices were presented on spice platters. The poor could gather these in the wild and as well, garlic, chives, and onions were used as food seasonings by the poor. Coriander. The simplest pickling was done with water, salt and an herb or two, but a variety of spices and herbs as well as the use of vinegar, verjuice or (after the 12th century) lemon led to a range of pickling flavors. Another common spice, galangal which is akin to ginger was also widely used. The major spices during the Middle Ages were: black pepper, cinnamon, ginger and saffron. By medieval times large quantities of culinary herbs were in use. It also was used to preserve food.

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