Winter the season of warming spices
Posted on 13th December 2017 at 07:30
With the nights drawing in – and temperatures dropping – it’s not surprising that our thoughts at this time of year turn to warming and comforting treats. Spices have long been treasured for their ability to pep up our staple fare not to mention their preserving and medicinal qualities.
Many of the winter treats we still enjoy today – fruit cakes, Christmas puddings, mince pies and mulled wine – date back to medieval times, when spices were a luxury. A long anticipated treat.
These days with travel having become so much easier – and the world much smaller – spices have become an integral part of our everyday lives. However, they offer much more than simply being an ingredient of our favourite Indian or Chinese foods. They also have an important medicinal aspect which has long been recognised by many traditional forms of medicine, including Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine.