Out of the East : spices and the medieval imagination

Paul Freedman Surveys The History, Geography, Economics, And Culinary Tastes Of The Middle Ages To Uncover The Surprisingly Varied Ways That Spices Were Put To Use--in Elaborate Medieval Cuisine, In The Treatment Of Disease, For The Promotion Of Well-being, And To Perfume Important Ceremonies Of The Church. Spices Became Symbols Of Beauty, Affluence, Taste, And Grace, Freedman Shows, And Their Expense And Fragrance Drove The Engines Of Commerce And Conquest At The Dawn Of The Modern Era. -- From Publisher Description. The Demand For Spices In Medieval Europe Was Extravagant And Was Reflected In The Pursuit Of Fashion, The Formation Of Taste, And The Growth Of Luxury Trade. It Inspired Geographical And Commercial Exploration , As Traders Pursued Such Common Spices As Pepper And Cinnamon And Rarer Aromatic Products, Including Ambergris And Musk. Ultimately, The Spice Quest Led To Imperial Missions That Were To Change World History. This Engaging Book Explores The Demand For Spices: Why Were They So Popular, And Why So Expensive? Paul Freedman Surveys The History, Geography, Economics, And Culinary Tastes Of The Middle Ages To Uncover The Surprisingly Varied Ways That Spices Were Put To Use--in Elaborate Medieval Cuisine, In The Treatment Of Disease, For The Promotion Of Well-being, And To Perfume Important Ceremonies Of The Church. Spices Became Symbols Of Beauty, Affluence, Taste, And Grace, Freedman Shows, And Their Expense And Fragrance Drove The Engines Of Commerce And Conquest At The Dawn Of The Modern Era. -- Publisher's Description. Spices And Medieval Cuisine -- Medicine : Spices As Drugs -- The Odors Of Paradise -- Trade And Prices -- Scarcity, Abundance, And Profit -- That Damned Pepper : Spices And Moral Danger -- Searching For The Realms Of Spices -- Finding The Realms Of Spices : Portugal And Spain. Paul Freedman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 245-258) And Index. How medieval Europe’s infatuation with expensive, fragrant, exotic spices led to an era of colonial expansion and discovery: “A consummate delight.” —Marion Nestle, James Beard Award–winning author of Unsavory Truth The demand for spices in medieval Europe was extravagant—and was reflected in the pursuit of fashion, the formation of taste, and the growth of luxury trade. It inspired geographical and commercial exploration, as traders pursued such common spices as pepper and cinnamon and rarer aromatic products, including ambergris and musk. Ultimately, the spice quest led to imperial missions that were to change world history. This engaging book explores the demand for spices: Why were they so popular, and why so expensive? Paul Freedman surveys the history, geography, economics, and culinary tastes of the Middle Ages to uncover the surprisingly varied ways that spices were put to use—in elaborate medieval cuisine, in the treatment of disease, for the promotion of well-being, and to perfume important ceremonies of the Church. Spices became symbols of beauty, affluence, taste, and grace, Freedman shows, and their expense and fragrance drove the engines of commerce and conquest at the dawn of the modern era. “A magnificent, very well written, and often entertaining book that is also a major contribution to European economic and social history, and indeed one with a truly global perspective.” — American Historical Review The demand for spices in medieval Europe was huge, and inspired geographical and commercial exploration as traders pursued pepper, cinnamon, ambergris etc. Ultimately, the spice quest led to imperial missions that would change the world forever. This book not only looks at the trade, but at the uses to which spices were put. The demand for spices in medieval Europe was extravagant and was reflected in the pursuit of fashion, the formation of taste, and the growth of luxury trade. It inspired geographical and commercial exploration, as traders pursued such common spices as pepper and cinnamon and rarer aromatic products, including ambergris and musk. Ultimately, the spice quest led to imperial missions that were to change world history. This engaging book explores the demand for spices: why were they so popular, and why so expensive? Paul Freedman surveys the history, geography, economics, and culinary tastes of the Middle Ages to uncover the surprisingly varied ways that spices were put to use--in elaborate medieval cuisine, in the treatment of disease, for the promotion of well-being, and to perfume important ceremonies of the Church. Spices became symbols of beauty, affluence, taste, and grace, Freedman shows, and their expense and fragrance drove the engines of commerce and conquest at the dawn of the modern era

The demand for spices in medieval Europe was extravagant and was reflected in the pursuit of fashion, the formation of taste, and the growth of luxury trade. It inspired geographical and commercial exploration ,as traders pursued such common spices as pepper and cinnamon and rarer aromatic products, including ambergris and musk. Ultimately, the spice quest led to imperial missions that were to change world history.

 

This engaging book explores the demand for spices: why were they so popular, and why so expensive?  Paul Freedman surveys the history, geography, economics, and culinary tastes of the Middle Ages to uncover the surprisingly varied ways that spices were put to use--in elaborate medieval cuisine, in the treatment of disease, for the promotion of well-being, and to perfume important ceremonies of the Church. Spices became symbols of beauty, affluence, taste, and grace, Freedman shows, and their expense and fragrance drove the engines of commerce and conquest at the dawn of the modern era.

 

Preface Introduction: Spices: A Global Commodity One: Spices and Medieval Cuisine Two: Medicine: Spices as Drugs Three: Odors of Paradise Four: Trade and Prices Five: Scarcity, Abundance, and Profit Six: "That Damned Pepper": Spices and Moral Danger Seven: Searching for the Realms of Spices Eight: Finding the Realsm of Spices: Portugal and Spain Conclusion: The Rise and Fall of Spices Notes Bibliography Index