spices

Chef Dieuveil Malonga runs the show at Meza Malonga.

World News

This chef in Rwanda wants to create a revolution in African cuisine

4:56pm June 03, 2024

Meza Malonga, a restaurant in Rwanda's capital Kigali, serves innovative Afro-fusion cuisine. Chef Dieuveil Malonga opened it in 2020, after years of working in high-end European restaurants.

Arts

Old Bay in my bag: How I make anything taste like home

6:30am July 05, 2022

by Emma Eun-joo Choi

Bland food runs wild like a plague amongst this earth! Carrying a shaker of Old Bay, I am Achilles armed with his mighty shield, running into an epic battle against unseasoned food.

In European cooking, salt reigned supreme, and pepper was one of many spices used in heavily seasoned dishes. When they met, they were destined to be. Or, rather, it was destined that they would meet.

How Did Salt And Pepper Become The Soulmates Of Western Cuisine?

2:27pm February 02, 2018

by Natalie Jacewicz

The two flavors are mainstays on nearly every Western dining table, but their dominance was far from inevitable. In fact, their dual reign resulted from a "weird accident of history."

Left, a ripe cacao pod. Right, truffles from Midunu chocolates contain spices and flavors from all over Africa.

One Woman's Quest To Tell 'The African Story Through Chocolate'

7:00am November 28, 2017

by Amy E. Robertson

A Ghana-born chocolatier found that many people — even Africans — weren't familiar with the spices and cultures from other parts of the continent. And it is those experiences she seeks to share.

A typical masala soda shop in Mumbai. Flavors sold here range from traditional Indian ones with mango, pineapple and lemon, to more westernized flavors, like strawberry, kiwi and mojito.

On A Hot Day, Indians Love To Sip A Spicy Soda That's A Bit Funky, Too

1:17pm April 14, 2017

by Leena Trivedi-Grenier

Masala soda comes in many flavors. It's usually sold by street vendors and small shop owners. Indians love this drink so much, that big soda companies are now selling it, too.

Vanilla is seemingly a prima donna spice because its pods have to be hand-pollinated and then boiled and dried in the direct sun for only one hour.

World News

Vanilla, Nutmeg Spice And Everything Nice On A Zanzibar Farm

7:27pm June 01, 2015

by Gregory Warner

Three spices that grow on the island of Zanzibar are so common they might be flavoring your morning cup of coffee. But vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg have very different origins.

Queue Listen Now

The cuisines of the classical world made use of cumin both as a flavoring and a drug.

From Ancient Sumeria To Chipotle Tacos, Cumin Has Spiced Up The World

11:44am March 13, 2015

by Adam Maskevich

Cumin has been popular since the dawn of written history: It's the only English word that can be traced directly back to Sumerian. Since then it has insinuated itself into cuisines around the world.

At about $15 a gram, saffron is the world's most expensive spice. Rumi Spice has a unique model of employing Afghan farmers who are growing it that aims to double or even triple their annual income.

How Afghanistan Vets Are Trying To Cultivate Peace Through Saffron

11:01am December 11, 2014

by James Clark

Afghanistan has an ideal climate for growing saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. But little is exported. Rumi Spice is working with small farmers there to build the U.S. market for it.