From Latin specĭesa spice it’s a seasoning and flavoring of vegetable origin that is used to season or preserve the foods. The spices are the seeds or barks of aromatic plants, although the term is also often used to name the leaves of certain herbs.

For example: “This meat tastes very good: what spice did you put in it?”, “I’m going to buy some spices for dinner tonight”, “Saffron is my favorite spice”.

The Spice Route

Most of the spices are native to the Asian tropics. Throughout history, spices have not changed much, but rather they continue to be consumed the same as several centuries ago.

In this sense, it is interesting to know that in the past there was what was called Spice Route. Specifically, we can say that it was a trade route that originated in the Eleventh centurywhen the Crusaders who were exercising their functions in Jerusalemwhen returning to Europe They realized that they needed the spices that they had enjoyed in the East to season their food and to continue enjoying its flavors.

For this reason, little by little, an itinerary carried out by merchants by land to the Asian continent was consolidated, where they carried out the purchase of all kinds of spices such as nutmeg, nail, pepper, cinnamon… However, the danger of this route, due to the significant number of bandits that were making an appearance and the lack of existing vegetation that made it difficult to feed the cattle that were in charge of transporting the goods, led to that route passing to be also maritime.

He ginger It was another of the products of this type that became highly valued merchandise on this spice route, which had as an important figure, for example, Vasco da Gama. And it is that he was the one who found an alternative route to reach Asia when the trade was closed with constantinople falling into the hands of ottoman empire.

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