Five Spices That I Absolutely Adore

Today I have brought to you five spices that I love cooking with, and they are surprisingly diverse. Take a look ;)

Garlic
Garlic is indispensable in many cuisines! There are many different types of garlics, the most common being the white papery-skinned ones.

• Interestingly, garlic also features in mythology, culture and religion of many countries. For example, Arab legend has it that garlic grew from one of the devil’s footprints, while in Chinese mythology, garlic has been considered capable of warding off the evil eye, the symbol of misfortune and ill-fate.
• Garlic can be used in many forms including garlic salt and garlic granules (for dry marinades) , minced garlic or garlic paste (for wetter marinades), or simple garlic slices or crushed garlic in sauces and curries, sometimes garlic is also rubbed on salad bowls to give a hint of flavor and roasted garlic is used for flavoring pot roasts and casseroles.

Chillies

Chilli is the most popular spice, often people think of chillies when subjected to the word “spice” , chillies are native to Mexico ( a thank you is in order), they have a chemical effect on our bodies that some of us enjoy more than others. They stimulate appetite and cool the body, and thus create a sense of calmness. (hard to believe isn't it?)

• There are more than 150 types of chillies of all shapes and sizes, as the size decreases, they become hotter, the characteristic pungency of chillies is caused by the presence of a chemical called “capsaicin” and the heat of chillies is measured in scoville units ranging from 0(bell peppers) to 300,000(habanero). 

• Chillies are used for a variety of purposes in many cuisines, from tex-mex to Italian to Indian, in sauces, with different meats, fish, crab you name it, everything tastes better with chillies.(apparently even chocolate!) 

Cinnamon
Cinnamon and cassia (a relative spice) have long been associated with ancient rituals of sacrifice and pleasure. Throughout the old testament in the bible, references to cinnamon suggest that it was more precious than gold.

• Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka, Burma and the southern coastal tip of India. A bouquet of cinnamon is delightfully exotic, sweet and fragrant, and its flavor is sweet and warm.
• Cinnamon is used in many dishes across the world, quills of cinnamon in casseroles, mulled wines, rice dishes, punches and syrups for poaching fruit. And powdered cinnamon in pies, cakes, pancakes and hot chocolates is just divine!

Star Anise
Traditionally the Japanese used to burn the beautifully aromatic tree for incense. Star anise is one of the most important spices in Chinese cooking, as well as a dominant part of the five spice mixture.

• The star anise has distinct licorice like aroma and flavor, mostly the whole star anise is used for cooking traditionally oriental meals. It goes especially well with duck and pork and is often used along with an onion while roasting them in an oriental way.

Vanilla
The name vanilla comes from the Spanish word “vainilla” meaning “little pod”. A drink that combines chocolate and vanilla may seem modern, but the Aztecs discovered this combination of exotic flavors centuries ago. Vanilla is traditionally a long seed pod of a tropical orchid, a native of Mexico (I am starting to become a fan, first the chillies and now this?), but it’s also available as an extract or essence.

• Real vanilla is highly fragrant with an exotic and memorable aroma; the taste reflects the smell with a soft and smooth mellowness!
• Vanilla is one of the most well-known flavors associated with everything sweet! Cakes, pancakes, cupcakes, puddings, cookies and even liqueurs. Vanilla has been making everything taste better since 1520. Whoa, that’s a LONG time.

So these were my top 5 spices, what are yours? 
Feel free to comment and I will make sure to give you information about them.
I hope you found this was helpful!!!