What are herbs and spices? · What are herbs and spices? Plant products that are added to food or...
Transcript of What are herbs and spices? · What are herbs and spices? Plant products that are added to food or...
Whatareherbsandspices?
Plantproductsthatareaddedtofoodordrinktoprovideflavor
• Herbs:Generallyherbaceouspartofplant:leavesorstems,freshordried
• Spices:dryseeds,fruits,bark,roots
Spicesandhistory
• TurkishcontrolofsupplyroutesforspicesfromAsialedtoPortugueseandSpanishexploraDontogettoIndia,China,SpiceIslands
• Portuguese,thenDutch,controlledSpiceIslands(Moluccas);cloves,nutmeg,mace,blackpeppernaDvetotheseislands
• Controlofspicesledtogreatwealthandpower
• FinallyFrench,BriDsh.andSpanishsmuggledplantstocolonies,breakingmonopoly,greatlyreducingcostofspices
• ChemicalsresponsiblefordisDnctflavors,smellsofspicesorperfumesareessenDaloilsorvolaDleoils
• Oilsusuallysequesteredinspecializedpocketsorglandsonplants;oilsproducedbyplantasaSractantsorrepellants(somecompoundsbothaSractsomevisitorsandrepelothers)
• Weusesmallamountsmixedwithfoodforpleasant,ratherthandeterrenteffect
• CompoundsmustbeoffairlylowmolecularweighttovolaDlizeandbeperceivedasodor
• Smellis80%ofwhatwecalltaste
Selection for longevity, yield, loss of odor (and thus flavor in foods like tomatoes)
Mostcommonherbsandspicesfromthreeplantfamilies
Mints(Lamiaceae):zygomorphicflowers,usuallysquarestemsandsimple,oppositeleaves;defensiveoilglandsonleafsurface
Mints(Lamiaceae)
• Basil(Ocimumbasilicum):domesDcatedinIndia;sacredplanttoHindus,veryimportanttoancientGreeks
Mints(Lamiaceae)
• Mint(Menthaspicata—spearmint;Menthapiperita—peppermint;otherMenthaspeciesusedtolesserextent):fromdamphabitatsofEuropeandAsia
Mints(Lamiaceae)
• Oregano(Origanumvulgare):Mediterraneangenusofplants;usegreatlyincreasedinUSa[erWWII,withintroducDonofpizza
Mints(Lamiaceae)
• Marjoram(Origanummajorana):milderflavorthanoregano
Mints(Lamiaceae)
• Rosemary(Rosmarinusofficinalis):woodyshrubcommoninMediterraneandryscrublands
Mints(Lamiaceae)
• Sage(Salviaofficinalis):usedmedicinallyfromclassicalGreekthroughMiddleAges;richinterpenesthujoneandcamphor,whicharetoxicathighconcentraDons
Mints(Lamiaceae)
• Thyme(Thymusvulgaris):Mediterraneangenus;GreeksuseditasanaromaDcinburntsacrifices.PhenoliccompoundthymolusedasanDmicrobialagentinmouthwashesandcreams.
Mints(Lamiaceae)
• Lavender(Lavenduladentata,L.angus?folia):naDveofMediterranean;driedflowersmorecommonlyusedforperfumesthaninfood;tradiDonalingredientinherbsdeprovence.
CarrotFamily(Apiaceae):flat‐toppedclustersofusuallysmallflowers(umbel);verydissected,alternateleaves.
Leavesused,fruitsused,someGmesboth(celery,dill,coriander/cilantro,fennel);defensiveoilglandswithinleaves,notonsurface.
Withinthefruit,essenGaloilsareconcentratedinchamberssurroundingseeds(protecGon?)
CarrotFamily(Apiaceae)
• Celery(Apiumgraveolens):naDveofdampEuropeanhabitatsnearsea;disDncDveflavorfromcompoundscalledphthalides
• CorianderorCilantro(Coriandrumsa?vum):naDveofMiddleEast;maincomponentofodorisdecenal,whichisveryvolaDle;thus,usedmoreasuncookedgarnish;leavesusedascilantro,driedfruitsusedascoriander.CulDvatedmorefordriedfruitswithfloralandlemonflavor;commoninmanyIndiandishesanddisDnguishingflavorinAmericanhotdogs
• Parsley(Petroselinumcrispum):naDvetoSEEuropeandwesternAsia;disDncDveflavorduetocompoundmenthatriene;leaveshighinvitaminsAandC.ReveredbyearlyGreeksassymbolsofvictoryanddeath.
• Dill(Anethumgraveolens):naDveofsouthwestAsiaandIndia;commoninGreekcooking.Seedsusedtoflavorcucumberpickles.
CarrotFamily(Apiaceae)
• Caraway(Carumcarvi):naDvetoEurope;disDncDveflavorduetoterpeneD‐carvone;Ryebread,componentofScandinavianalcoholaquavit
• Cumin(Cuminumcyminum):NaDvetoSWAsia;enjoyedbyGreeksandRomans(Greekskeptitatthetableinitsownbox).DisDncDvearomafromunusualcompoundcuminaldehyde.
CarrotFamily(Apiaceae)
• Anise(Pimpinellaanisum):NaDvetocentralAsiaandvaluedsinceancientDmes;highcontentofphenoliccompoundanethole,whichisaromaDcandverysweet(13Xsweeterthantablesugar).UsedasaflavoringinPernodandouzo.Notethatstaranise,whichalsoproducesanethole,istotallydifferent;itisatreethatiscloselyrelatedtomagnolias.
CarrotFamily(Apiaceae)
• Fennel(Foeniculumvulgare):NaDveofMediterraneanandSWAsia;disDncDveflavorfromanethole;seedsdisDncDveingredientsinItaliansausages,chewedinIndiaasa[er‐mealbreath‐freshener.
CabbageFamily(Brassicaceae)
• Pungencyfromsamecompoundsasinleaves,sulfurousdefensecompoundscalledisothiocyanates
• WhengrounduprawtheyareirritaDng;whencookedtheytendtobebiSer
CabbageFamily(Brassicaceae)
• Mustard:NamecomesfromoriginalEuropeancondimentofwinemixedwithmustardseeds
• Blackmustard(Brassicanigra):naDvetoEurasia;highinconcentraDonofdefensecompoundsinigrinandthushighinpungency
• Brownmustard(B.juncea):hybridofB.nigraandB.rapathatiseasiertoculDvateandharvestthanB.nigra,alsolesspungency.Europeansmustardsusuallyusebrownmustard.
• Whiteoryellowmustard(B.alba):EuropeannaDvewithsinalbinasdefensecompound,whichislessvolaDlethansinigrin.CommonlyusedinUS;yellowcolorcomesfromaddiDonofturmeric.
CabbageFamily(Brassicaceae)
• Horseradish(Armoraciarus?cana):NaDvetowesternAsia;fleshywhiterootscontainsinigrin,graterawrootstoreleasepungency
CabbageFamily(Brassicaceae)
• Wasabi(Wasabiajaponica):NaDveofJapanandSakhalinIslandwhereitgrowsbymountainstreams.Notaroot—actuallytheenlargedstemthataccumulatessinigrinasdefense.Difficulttogrow;mostwasabiservedinrestaurantsisactuallydriedhorseradishpowdercoloredgreenandmixedwithwater.Truewasabihasmixtureofpungent,oniony,green,andsweetflavors.
Cinnamon: one of oldest and most valuable spices; ancient Egyptians used it in embalming.
Cinnamon is from the phloem of Cinnamomum cassia, C. zeylanicum (Lauraceae); native to Sri Lanka and China. Two year old stems and twigs are cut, the outer bark (xylem) is removed, leaving quills (cinnamon sticks) of phloem. Phloem contains protective oil cells imparting distinctive aroma
Distinct spicy odor from phenolic compound, cinnamaldehyde (shown to inhibit mold growth in paper we read)
Tropical spices
Black and white pepper (Piperaceae): Climbing vine native to tropical coastal mountains of southwest India
Most widely used spice; once very precious commodity
Dried fruits (berries) of Piper nigrum
Black pepper: whole fruit dried; white pepper: outer fleshy fruit layer removed before drying
Pungency from piperine
Tropical spices