Why the Spice Trails
Spice trails are of major importance and influence in the cooking of the Mediterranean and Moorish food... why was it worth travelling all those miles across dangerous terrain and why were spices so valuable?
The travels of St Francis's monks from Italy to Inverness (Fort Augustus - Franciscian) or St Patrick via Ireland with his Chinese spirit or eau de vie - created fantastic combinations for the Highlanders kitchen.
So consider... why bother pairing, as they do in Marseille, a basic fish stew with saffron. Or a spicy rouille with the local fish soup in Nice - or for that matter how did a Bretton restaurateur start to conjour magic and spice in his cooking - so much acclaimed that a top London Indian Restaurant sent one of their chefs there to learn the sourcerers trade? (Olivier Roellinger in Cancale).
And beef and horseradish or ham and mustard - English but nonetheless meat and spice - or Haggis, now there is a spicy oddity - who decided to add the cayenne pepper to that? And is it true that a Haggis has one leg shorter than the other, because it only runs around the mountain one way?
Lamb - rosemary - where did this come from or be more morocan and add harrissa on a couscous base with spiced aubergine and a mint salsa.
Cardamom, cumin, liquorice, ginger, paprika, nutmeg, turmeric, clove, cinnamon, bay and all spice - did you know that “all spice” is actually a plant by that name? Great treasures of the mystic orient - what did the Italians use before these arrived in Venice?
How did they cure the hangover before the bloody mary? Or make paella before the arrival of saffron? Or make spaghetti before Marco Polo brought back the recipe from his travels (Fact??) - where would we be without Spaghetti Vongole!!!
Christmas would have been dull if not incensed and mulled
The use of spice is exciting in modern cooking and it is extremely relevant to a modern good food offer. It is an advancement of the 1990's fusion fad - we now want honest ingredients securely sourced and made to come alive with great sauces, pastes, salsa and dressings - to advance the flavour and quaff with wine!
And the great thing is grab the pestel - throw in some herbs and spices - beat the hell out of it - add olive oil and drizzle on fresh fish or rare beef or dip your chips in it, or marinate your shellfish before the bbq - whatever - enjoy the freshness of the life in the highlands and allow yourself to be free - Life live to the full - Live by the Bridge.
