Ginkgo Echinacea Ginseng ginsenosides Ginseng Longevity The Chinese

Ginkgo

Echinacea

Ginseng ginsenosides

Ginseng Longevity - The Chinese have long attributed this to ginseng * * * * * Memory improvement Stress reduction Normalization of blood pressure. Immune system enhancement Normalization of blood sugar. Libido enhancement. Lowering of cholesterol Prevention of blood clots Energy Stamina

Horticultural Classification • Miscellaneous horticultural crops – Condiments = spices and products that enhance flavor of foods – "spices" traditionally referred to the tropical aromatics only – "herbs" (pronounced “urbs”, not “herbs”) refer specifically to the leaves and seeds of certain temperate-zone plants. – The term, "spice" has come also to mean the whole family of dried plant seasonings, including spices, herbs, blends and dehydrated vegetables.

Horticultural Classification • Miscellaneous horticultural crops – Condiments & spices websites • http: //www. botanical. com/ • http: //www. astaspice. org/ • http: //www. americanspice. com/ • http: //www. bulkfoods. com/spices. asp • http: //www. herbphoto. com/index. html

Horticultural Classification • Miscellaneous horticultural crops – Condiments • Allspice = dried berries of Pimenta officianalis, an evergreen tree from Central and South America • Cinnamon = bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum or C. lourerii from tropical Asia • Clove = dried buds of Eugenia aromatica, an evergreen tree in E. India and Moluccas or Spice Islands of Indonesia • Ginger - rhizome of Zingiber officinalis • Mustard = seed from Brassica nigra from Eurasia

Allspice

Cinnamon

Clove • Used in China for more than 2000 years. Cloves are believed to be an aphrodisiac. Clove oil is a time-honored remedy for toothache and is highly antiseptic • Native to Moluccas or Spice Islands of Indonesia

Moluccas or Spice Islands of Indonesia

Moluccas or Spice Islands of Indonesia

Ginger • Said to be a native of Asia • Cultivated in West Indies, Jamaica, Africa

West Indies, Jamaica

Ginger • Fresh • Dried • Pickled • Minced

Ginger

Mustard

Mustard

Mustard • Mustard is the oldest condiment known! • In cultivation as early as 5000 -4000 BC, mustard seeds have been found in Egypt's great pyramids • First record that mustard was being manufactured in the Dijon region of France was in 1336 • Not until 1904, when Francis French developed a recipe based exclusively on white mustard seeds • Today, French's mustard is bright yellow from turmeric and tart from vinegar & accounts for 40% of all mustard consumed in this country

Mustard http: //www. mustardweb. com/

Horticultural Classification • Miscellaneous horticultural crops – Condiments • Nutmeg = dried seed of Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree in E. India • Pepper = dried seeds from Piper nigrum, a woody vine in E. India • Vanilla = alcohol extract of the dried seed pod of an orchid vine (Vanilla planifolia)

Nutmeg • A tropical, dioecious evergreen tree native to the Moluccas or Spice Islands of Indonesia • Around 1600 it became important as an expensive commercial spice of the Western world (Dutch introduced)

Nutmeg

Nutmeg

Nutmeg

Pepper • The best pepper of commerce comes from the Malabar Coast of India • Pepper is mentioned by Roman writers in the fifth century • It is said that Attila demanded among other items 3, 000 lb. of pepper in ransom for the city of Rome

Malabar Coast

Pepper

Pepper

Vanilla • Totonaco Indians of Mexico first used vanilla • They were defeated by the Aztecs & had to turn over their vanilla plants (called Tlilxochitl vine) • Then the Aztecs were defeated by the Spaniard, Hernando Cortez in 1519, who took vanilla to Spain • There it was combined with cacao as a drink of nobility or the very rich • In 1602, Hugh Morgan, apothecary to Queen Elizabeth I, suggested that vanilla could be used as a flavoring all by itself. Dutch East India company also founded this year. • Thomas Jefferson is credited with vanilla’s arrival in the United States. He brought it with him when he returned from his ambassadorship to France in 1789.

Uses of vanilla • Vanilla is added to chocolate, ice cream & yogurt • Vanilla is known to settle your stomach (it is found in Coca Cola as a “natural favoring”) • It is used in aroma therapy and has a calming effect (Sloane-Kettering Hospital and other medical facilities use the vanilla aroma to calm patients undergoing MRI and CAT scans) • It is used in perfume and is considered an aphrodisiac

Where vanilla is now grown 90% • Madagascar, an island off the coast of Africa • Indonesia • Mexico • Tahiti • Many vanilla plantations in Madagascar were destroyed by a typhoon in 2001 & the tsunami in 2005 www. vanilla. com

Vanilla

1, 400 tons of dried vanilla produced annually 97% of vanilla used as a flavor and fragrance is synthetic

Vanilla

Vanilla • There are 250+ organic components creating its unique flavor and aroma • Vanillin is the synthetic version of vanilla developed in Germany in the 1880’s • Although labeled as “natural” most vanilla sold in Mexico at “tourist centers” is synthetic. There is no regulatory control on these products • The US FDA requires a minimum of 13. 35 ounces of vanilla beans to a gallon of a minimum of 35% alcohol to 65% water mixture • Take home message… if it is cheap… it is probably fake…

Horticultural Classification • Miscellaneous horticultural crops • Basil (Ocimum basilicum) • Dill (Anethum graveolens) • Mint (Mentha spp. ) • Oregano (Origanum vulgare) • Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) • Rosemary (Rosemarinus officianalis) • Sage (Salvia spp. ) • Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Basil Genova or Genovese Basil African Blue Basil Cinnamon Basil Cuban Basil Holy or Sacred Basil Holy Red and Green Basil Lemon Basil Lime Basil Miniature Basil New Guinea Basil Napoletano Basil Osmin Purple Basil Purple Ruffles Basil Red Rubin Basil Thai Basil

Dill

Mint Mentha spicata (spearmint) or Mentha piperita (peppermint)

Oregano

Parsley

Rosemary

Rosemary

Sage

Thyme