Cumin resembles caraway, with which it is closely related, in aroma and flavour, but it is much more pungent and quite bitter. In olden times it was more highly prized than caraway, as testified to by the fact that, according to the Bible, the Pharisees paid their tithes with it and even in medieval England vassals used it to pay the feudal lords in lieu of their services. It was also well known to the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, who used it in place of pepper.
Unlike saffron the pigment in turmeric is soluble in fats. It is quite harmless and is used to colour butter, margarine, cheeses and mustard. By reason of its colour as well as its strong, pronounced flavour, turmeric is one of the principal ingredients of curry-powder, Worcestershire sauce and numerous other seasonings.
In the Middle Ages cumin was a culinary herb of the aristocracy, popular mainly for seasoning poultry. It was believed to destroy gases and other foul things in the stomach.
Propagation is by seeds, or, as in ginger, by root cuttings. The fruits are triloculatc capsules that ripen in succession throughout most of the year. They are harvested before they are ripe and dried carefully in the sun or by artificial heat so they do not burst and the seeds retain their delicate aroma.
Turmeric is a perennial plant resembling reeds and growing to a height of I in (3 ft). It is cultivated in China, India, the West Indies and Java. It is propagated by means of thin pieces of the rhizome called 'fingers' and can be harvested within ten months of planting.
Cumin grows wild in Turkestan and is raised commercially chiefly on the coast of north Africa, in Malta, Sicily, the Middle East and' India. Even though it is also available already ground, it is best to stock it whole and grind it just before use so it does not lose its aroma.
Unlike saffron the pigment in turmeric is soluble in fats. It is quite harmless and is used to colour butter, margarine, cheeses and mustard. By reason of its colour as well as its strong, pronounced flavour, turmeric is one of the principal ingredients of curry-powder, Worcestershire sauce and numerous other seasonings.
In the Middle Ages cumin was a culinary herb of the aristocracy, popular mainly for seasoning poultry. It was believed to destroy gases and other foul things in the stomach.
Propagation is by seeds, or, as in ginger, by root cuttings. The fruits are triloculatc capsules that ripen in succession throughout most of the year. They are harvested before they are ripe and dried carefully in the sun or by artificial heat so they do not burst and the seeds retain their delicate aroma.
Turmeric is a perennial plant resembling reeds and growing to a height of I in (3 ft). It is cultivated in China, India, the West Indies and Java. It is propagated by means of thin pieces of the rhizome called 'fingers' and can be harvested within ten months of planting.
Cumin grows wild in Turkestan and is raised commercially chiefly on the coast of north Africa, in Malta, Sicily, the Middle East and' India. Even though it is also available already ground, it is best to stock it whole and grind it just before use so it does not lose its aroma.
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