Marathon runners tend to drink this beverage on a daily basis for a reason. This is what we call an "effort" or isotonic drink, with the difference that in our recipe we won't be adding maltodextrin-type sugars (slow sugars excellent for endurance and recovery). In these hot weather conditions, drinking an "effort" drink may seem rather surprising, but in the end it's not. In summer, we become much more dehydrated...Continue Reading

A wide-ranging debate, but a simple reality: spices have a harvesting time. In fact, spices are flowers, bark, buds, roots and other leaves, parts of plants that are harvested at a very specific time, which varies according to the plant species. Unfortunately, when you buy a spice from a retailer, especially a supermarket, you don't know the harvest date, and yet it's from this date that the...Continue Reading

Masala chai, or "spiced tea", is renowned for its abundance of comforting spices. There are many variations of chai spices, depending on region, family tradition and individual preference. Here's a guide to the Masala chai spices used in India and elsewhere. Main organic spices in Masala chai These spices are present in almost all versions of Masala chai: Real cinnamon Cinnamon is rich, very slightly pungent and tannic - a great base for most...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

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

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

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

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