Spices
Spices
In the introduction to Spices, Henry N. Ridley claims that “The history of the cultivation and use of spices is perhaps the most romantic story of any vegetable product.” His passion for the subject is one of many examples of Ridley’s overlapping interest in botany and economics. Each chapter is dedicated to a particular flavoring, often a single spice, including flavors from Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Ginger to Zedoary, Galangal, and Calamus Root.
De Pipere Cubeba Dissertatio
Cubeb, native to Java and Sumatra, is cultivated for its berries and oil and has been used for centuries in herbal medicine and as a flavoring—similar to allspice or pepper—in gin, chewing gum, and various other products. Mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman texts, as well as in the Arabian One Thousand and One Nights and The Travels of Marco Polo, the species is the focus of this university dissertation written by Professor Carl Peter Thunberg.
