Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-05-25
The Use Of Spices.
fFrom Food and Health.

Spices make up the aesthetics of eat
ing; they are the finest and most ex
qulsite products of nature, for they con
tam the condensed aroma of essential
oils, produced by the intense RAYS of the
sun. Almost all spices grow on islands
that is the East India islands. Made.
gascar, the Mauritius, the Bandu islands
the Malincas, Sumatra, Java, Ceylon
Japan, and the West India islands: the
coasts of tropical countries are also pro
ductive of spices.
Spices have very peculiar effect upon
the human system; if taken wisely and
IN moderation, they certainly promote 8
How of saliva, Of the gastric Juice, and
having exerted pleasant action upon
the nerves of the tongue and palate, thew
communicate certain warmth to the
blood and stimulate the system bene-
fcially.
The peculiar source of the aroma If
not always in the same part of the plant.
but may be contained in the fruit. the
leaves, the bark or the root, according
to where the treasure has been de-
posted.
VI fruits, none is more useful than the
pepper, grown in East India and Cey-
Ion, and throughout the east. When
the berry Of this shrub is ground with
its dork cuticle it makes the black pep.
per, when it is ground without it, it
forms white pepper. Pepper is most
useful condiment, if used sparingly, and
enhances the natural aroma Of many
foods. It is preventive of indigestion.
stimulating the digestive organs.
Allspice is the mild West India or
Jamaica pepper, also called pimento.
Nutmeg is the fruit of eastern trees
and shrubs, and exceedingly grateful to
the palate, in fact of so exquisite and
mild flavor that it suits we'll with fari-
naceous substances.
Mace is the cuticle of nutmeg, and with
some people greater favorite still. It
suits well for delicate stews.
The Glove is the hower-bud of a tree
and becomes of dark hue, when it has
been dried in the sun.
Mustard is seed of a plant which
grows in temperate and tropical climates.
Its pungency is SO great that when
ground fine it has to be mixed with starch
to moderate it. Mustard is very USE
full and healthy condiment.
Vanilla, the fruit of vanilla plant.
indigenous to Mexico, Brazil, Peru, etc.
and cultivated in the West Indies.
Gathered before ripe, dried in the shade,
and stepped in the oil Of the Cashew nut.
This spice is the most aromatic of all
spices, and of exquisite flavor as an e.
sence.
Of the barks, cinnamon is esteemed
most; it is very valuable assistant to
digestion and can safely be given to chill
dren now and then. The young shoots
of the tree are used for the pipes, and
when dried are ground into powder.
OF roots or bulbs, ginger is the most
useful, either as preserve or used whole
in q dry state, or also ground into a
powder. Both with ginger and CHINA
mon better results are obtained by the
blending of various grades than by put
ting it up perfectly pure.
Curry powder is the combination of
many spices, and has come to us from
the east. Unfortunately our clumsy
ways often spoil the mixture by not ore
serving the delcacy of combination
which alone can produce the true flavor
it ought to possess. Curry is far more
useful in food economy than we under
stand as yet, and deserves our best at
tentiOn