The Roman Emperor Nero ordered that a year\'s supply of cinnamon be burned at the funeral of his wife as a sign of remorse.
'; quote[quote.length]='In Indonesia cloves are mixed with tobacco for the very popular kretek cigarettes, which crackle as they burn and have a unique aroma.
'; quote[quote.length]='Emperor Henry VI had the streets of Rome fumigated with nutmegs before his coronation.
'; quote[quote.length]='Nutmeg and mace are two spices produced by the same plant. Although similar in taste, mace is preferred when the dish requires a more subtle flavour.
'; quote[quote.length]='Darius III of Persia was said to have sent Alexander the Great a bag of sesame seeds to indicate the numbers in his army; Alexander responded by sending mustard seeds to indicate not only numbers but strength.
'; quote[quote.length]='It was the Spanish who first dried and ground capsicum peppers to make pimenton, or paprika.
'; quote[quote.length]='Capsicums or chilli peppers are native to the Americas and were first planted in Spain after the voyage of Columbus in 1492.
'; quote[quote.length]='In 408 AD the Goths demanded a ransom of 3000 pounds of peppercorns as part of their tribute when they laid siege to Rome.
'; quote[quote.length]='During the Middle Ages, pepper was traded ounce for ounce for gold, and it was used to pay taxes, rents, and dowries.
'; quote[quote.length]='The epic sea voyages undertaken towards the end of the 15th century by Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus, and others were mainly in search of pepper (or "black gold" as it was known).
'; quote[quote.length]='Arab traders introduced saffron to Spain where its rich colour and flavour became popular, and it was rapidly assimilated into the local Mediterranean cuisines.
'; quote[quote.length]='Tamarind is the only important spice of African origin but now grows extensively throughout India, Southeast Asia, and the West Indies.
'; quote[quote.length]='As the condiment that invariably accompanies salt in the West, pepper is the world\'s most important spice in total volume and value.
'; quote[quote.length]='Fenugreek seeds are sometimes added to the diet of horses to give their coats a healthy sheen.
'; quote[quote.length]='To relieve the burning sensation in your mouth when eating chillies, drink yoghurt or milk, not water or beer!
'; quote[quote.length]='A cotton bud soaked in oil of cloves eases toothache when applied directly to the tooth.
'; quote[quote.length]='Nutmeg graters produce a fine powder - if you don\'t have one, use the finest blade on a larger stainless steel grater.
'; quote[quote.length]='Never mix mustard powder with hot water or vinegar, as both kill the enzyme that gives this condiment its hot flavour.
'; quote[quote.length]='Saffron strands can be infused in warm water or milk until the colour of the liquid is even - add the liquid and strands to the dish (usually at the end of the cooking process).
'; quote[quote.length]='Peperine, the main alkaloid in pepper, is a natural insecticide and can be used against insect pests in the garden - mix a teaspoon of ground pepper in a litre of warm water and spray the affected plants.
'; quote[quote.length]='Always store curry powder away from direct light - tumeric, one of its primary components, loses its flavour when exposed to sunlight.
'; quote[quote.length]='The best spices to use when making your own potpourri are cinnamon sticks, whole allspice, whole cloves, and star anise.
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