Curated category
Indian spices
- MangoMango is the national fruit of three countries simultaneously: India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. That single fact hints at something unusual.
- CinnamonCinnamon was imported to Egypt as early as 2000 BC, yet for centuries no one in the Mediterranean world knew where it came from.
- Black pepperBlack pepper was found stuffed into the nostrils of Ramesses II, placed there during the mummification rituals that followed his death in 1213 BCE.
- CardamomCardamom sits in third place on the world's spice price rankings, trailing only saffron and vanilla. It has held that position not because of rarity alone…
- Chili pepperChili peppers have been shaping human diets since roughly 7,500 BC, making them one of the oldest cultivated crops in the Americas.
- GingerGinger, the plant formally known as Zingiber officinale, has been present at some of history's most significant human crossings.
- NutmegNutmeg sits in the back of spice racks across the world, shaken over eggnog and stirred into pumpkin pie, but few people who use it know that it once changed…
- CloveClove is a spice so ancient that ministers of a Han Dynasty emperor were required to hold one in their mouths before speaking to the ruler.
- BasilBasil carries a name that means "royal plant" in Greek, and for thousands of years, people have treated it accordingly. The ancient Egyptians and ancient…
- Mustard seedMustard seeds are among the smallest objects ever used to teach the largest lessons. Roughly 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, these tiny round seeds have…