The herbs and spices of the Mediterranean region owe their spread throughout Europe chiefly to Charlemagne who recognized their importance in cooking during his many military campaigns. In the year 812 he included in the instructions to the steward of the royal household a list of 74 herbs which he ordered to be grown in the imperial gardens.
This list has survived as part of his famous manuscript Capitulare de villis and includes the following: fenugreek, sage, cumin, rosemary, caraway, tarragon, anise, mint, parsley, celery, onion, chives, lovage, dill, fennel, savory and black mustard.
The siege and conquest of Rome by the Visigoth king Alaric at the beginning of the 5th century was the means whereby pepper was introduced to the Germanic peoples, with whom it rapidly became popular.
References to herbs and their use may be found in Chinese documents from as far back as 3000 B.C. Ancient Egyptian recipes on papyrus from the middle of the second millennium B.C. called for the use of herbs such as anise, mustard, caraway, coriander, mint, wormwood, cinnamon and saffron. The cuneiform inscriptions on clay tablets prove that the Sumerians cultivated fennel, caraway, coriander, saffron and thyme in Mesopotamia and that way back in ancient times the Indians were already acquainted with the use of cardamom, turmeric, cloves, nutmeg, pepper and cinnamon.
Among other things, it explains how to prepare roast peacock, fried apple blossom patties, herb salad, Hippocrates' wine and other medieval delicacies from the royal kitchens.
Tropical spices made their way to Europe by a far more complicated route. In all probability, it was used by the Indians long before that. In the first millennium B.C., the Indians made their way as far as the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, introducing pepper to the cultured nations of the Orient, mainly the Persians. Of the Europeans, the first to be introduced to pepper were the Greeks, who during the military campaigns of Alexander the Great got as far as India in 327 B.C. - 16035
This list has survived as part of his famous manuscript Capitulare de villis and includes the following: fenugreek, sage, cumin, rosemary, caraway, tarragon, anise, mint, parsley, celery, onion, chives, lovage, dill, fennel, savory and black mustard.
The siege and conquest of Rome by the Visigoth king Alaric at the beginning of the 5th century was the means whereby pepper was introduced to the Germanic peoples, with whom it rapidly became popular.
References to herbs and their use may be found in Chinese documents from as far back as 3000 B.C. Ancient Egyptian recipes on papyrus from the middle of the second millennium B.C. called for the use of herbs such as anise, mustard, caraway, coriander, mint, wormwood, cinnamon and saffron. The cuneiform inscriptions on clay tablets prove that the Sumerians cultivated fennel, caraway, coriander, saffron and thyme in Mesopotamia and that way back in ancient times the Indians were already acquainted with the use of cardamom, turmeric, cloves, nutmeg, pepper and cinnamon.
Among other things, it explains how to prepare roast peacock, fried apple blossom patties, herb salad, Hippocrates' wine and other medieval delicacies from the royal kitchens.
Tropical spices made their way to Europe by a far more complicated route. In all probability, it was used by the Indians long before that. In the first millennium B.C., the Indians made their way as far as the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, introducing pepper to the cultured nations of the Orient, mainly the Persians. Of the Europeans, the first to be introduced to pepper were the Greeks, who during the military campaigns of Alexander the Great got as far as India in 327 B.C. - 16035
