In India, sesame seeds are considered a symbol of immortality, and perhaps this is one of the reasons for the exceptional longevity of the Japanese, for whom gomasio is one of their flagship condiments? What is gomasio? On paper, nothing could be simpler: sesame seeds and salt. But not just any sesame, nor just any salt. For the sesame, choose organic wholegrain (blond or black); for the salt, a sea salt such as fleur de...Continue Reading

It's the new discovery of top chefs, but little known to the general public: loumi. But what is loumi? Loumi is originally a lime that has been scalded and then dried in the sun for several days. It's better known as black lemon or dried lemon. Iraqis call it noomi basra, while in Iran it's known as limoo omani or loomi tout court in the Sultanate of Oman...Continue Reading

Pourquoi choisir des épices bio et responsables ? Le choix de consommer des épices bio et responsables n’est ni une mode, ni une tendance passagère. C’est une démarche cohérente avec une alimentation quotidienne plus saine et plus respectueuse du vivant. Aujourd’hui, de plus en plus de consommateurs privilégient des fruits et légumes issus de l’agriculture biologique ou raisonnée. Il est donc essentiel d’adopter la même exigence pour les produits secs, et notamment les épices, souvent oubliées mais pourtant très concentrées....Continue Reading

Here are some explanations to help you understand what a spice is? a. What parts of plants are eaten in spices? the root: - turmeric, ginger, galangal the fruit : - vanilla, chillies, cardamom the fruit casing : - false peppers - mace (nutmeg) the fruit seed : - nuts (nutmeg, almond, ...), peppers and false peppers - cumin, fenugreek, aniseed the flower bud...Continue Reading

Unlike true peppers, which come exclusively from the Piper Nigrum, P. longum and P. cubeba families, false peppers are not part of the Piper genus, and in fact are not even members of the Piperaceae family. So what is a false pepper? False peppers group together many things under their name: condiments, blends, berries or spices bearing the appellation pepper. They can have very different flavors...Continue Reading

On the road to Taliouine's organic saffron 12 days always go by quickly, especially in Morocco where time stands still and you take your time. Take your time, then, to get from Marrakech Menara airport to Taliouine via the Test Pass road in the High Atlas (Tizi n'Test // Tizi meaning Pass in Arabic). This road, which will soon be a century old (1924), has been badly damaged in recent weeks by heavy rain...Continue Reading

4000 years of saffron cultivation worldwide From the Latin safranum, zarparan in Persia or Sahafaran in Hebrew, traces of crocus sativus - saffron - can be found on tablets in Iraq over 2000 years BC. Present on certain Santorini frescoes, it was discovered 2000 years ago in the Roman Empire. Greece is undoubtedly the birthplace of the famous Crocus Sativus (the Greek endemic Crocus cartwrightianus being its presumed ancestor). It is...Continue Reading

From the 11th to the 13th century, a balance of strongholds The great Italian republics played an important role in the spice trade. Venice, Genoa, Amalfi, Pisa and even Florence became rivals, so important was the trade. France and the people of Marseille mastered the west coasts of Africa and Europe as far as Norway, and increasingly strengthened their position towards the East: trade flourished. Trade relations with the Levant were naturally affected by...Continue Reading

August 26 is raksha bandhan in India, the festival of brotherhood between brothers and sisters, or between friends as brother and sister. A small cord that the sister ties to her brother's wrist, asking for his protection, represents this bond. Rakhi Day is a special day in India, and even more so this year, when floods have swept across Kerala in the south of the country. It takes place at the time of the full moon at...Continue Reading

Entre pains et gâteaux, les breadcakes sont rapides à faire et conviennent parfaitement aux végétariens car ils peuvent se réaliser sans gluten ni lactose. 100% végétal donc, pour un produit super sain, énergétique et équilibré. Breadcake pour sportif Votes: 3 Rating: 3.33 You: Rate this recipe! Imprimer la recette Le matin avant d'aller faire sa sortie course, vélo ou natation, l'après-midi pour casser une petite faim ce breadcake délicieux est fait pour vous amis sportifs. Breadcake pour sportif Votes: 3...Continue Reading

It's summer, and we're avoiding turning on the oven in favor of salads, barbecues and chilled desserts. So here's a simple yet refreshing recipe for this hot summer season. Made with fresh fruit and Indian spices infused in brown cane sugar syrup, this fruit salad is a delight. Depending on your eating habits, you can replace the cane sugar with a lower glycemic index sugar. Fruit salad with Indian spices...Continue Reading

Eggplant caviar and its long series of recipes, each one different from the next. What haven't I read? Incorporated with mayonnaise for some, mixed with garlic and parsley for others, with cumin and olive oil, recipes vary according to regional moods and traditions... So what is eggplant caviar? Eggplant caviar is a reduction of the pulp of the cooked/confit fruit, which, depending on the country, can be seasoned with different...Continue Reading

I've been drinking this infusion for years, as it's an excellent revitalizer after intense or long sports training sessions. Marathon runners will appreciate it for its taste, of course, but also for its real anti-inflammatory and antioxidant virtues. Sprinters and half-distance runners will find it beneficial for their recovery after certain split sessions. In short, a powerful detoxifier. What is lemon turmeric ginger infusion? It's well known that turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory, but it's...Continue Reading

It's summer, it's hot, so it's not surprising to see Senegalese and Egyptians drinking hibiscus flower juice all day long. For thousands of years, the Egyptians' Karkadé (carcadet) has helped to lower body temperature, which is a good thing when midsummer temperatures flirt with 50 degrees in the shade. Let's discover this marvellous, tangy beverage to drink without moderation. Scientific name: Hibiscus sabdariffa English name: roselle You can...Continue Reading

Of Arabic origin, the word "coffee" comes from "qawha". Coffee was introduced to Egypt in the 15th century (during the Mamlûk period) from southern Egypt (Nubia) via Yemen and Arabia. The Mamlûks had complete control over the trade, which was initially limited to the upper social classes. As you may have read in our various episodes on the history of the world's spices, the 15th century saw the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope, enabling...Continue Reading

5th to 11th centuries: the world's spice trade in turmoil In 410 AD, the Visigoths sacked Rome. The ransom amounted to several thousand pounds of pepper. This was followed by a period when the world spice trade came to a halt (notably following the invasion of North Africa by the barbarians). For 400 years, all traffic between kingdoms ceased; laws, religions, arts and sciences seemed threatened by a...Continue Reading

Clearly, we're not all in the same boat when it comes to buying tomatoes as summer approaches. Of course, we'd be well advised to avoid imported, graded tomatoes straight from northern Europe, after having transited by truck or plane through the Mediterranean basin, if not further afield... In short, we all know the drill, but I always prefer to come back to it, because nothing beats local consumption of fresh produce. It's...Continue Reading

A friend asked me to make him a special organic gingerbread mix (he's from the Dijon region, so his request came as no surprise). Admittedly, it's not the height of the season (though?), but it still has major nutritional benefits, especially for marathon runners and trailers. Gingerbread is a sportsman's cake! Nothing too complicated, you might say: flour, honey, organic spices, but you've still got to use the right ones. Here's how...Continue Reading