Spices are pure luxury
Spices are edible parts of plants, such as fruits, seeds, leaves, barks, roots, but also juices, which are used as a seasoning ingredient in the preparation of food and drinks due to their natural content of flavorings and fragrances (essential oils). But that's not all: they have also been used to preserve food, to ward off pests and as medicinal plants for health.
Many aromatic plants are also processed into fragrances for cosmetics production. Spices were once extremely valuable trade goods and were transported to Europe on long, arduous and sometimes risky routes, initially by land and later by ship from distant countries. They were expensive and therefore reserved exclusively for the upper echelons of society. Our most popular Christmas spices such as vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and mace are still exotic today and are imported to us from distant countries. Even though they are easier, cheaper and available to many more people nowadays, we should still treat them like a treasure. The fact that we use precious spices as a matter of course and need them in large quantities for industrially processed products such as gingerbread, vanilla ice cream or cinnamon stars also has a downside.
Because our hunger for aromatic spices leads to exploitation, child labor, environmental destruction, poaching and violence elsewhere, because the whole thing is a huge business. Anyone who deals with plants and herbs themselves knows what a great deal of effort is involved for only a small yield, whether you grow the herbs yourself or collect them in nature, where it is only permitted to take small quantities anyway, thank goodness. However, this must not lead to nature being cleared elsewhere because of our demand. Large areas are needed to achieve a large yield. It is not uncommon for wild, original and species-rich habitats to have to make way for this. Some herbs and spices also come from wild collections, and here too there are black sheep who illegally extract large quantities without permission.
Spices are expensive
Sometimes the extraction of spices is also very laborious, such as vanilla in Madagascar, where a large part of the world's vanilla production takes place. Vanilla is one of the most expensive spices in the world and actually originated in Central America. However, it has been cultivated in Madagascar for around 150 years. As there is a lack of natural pollinators that specialize in this orchid, each individual flower has to be pollinated by hand. There are only a few hours to do this, as the flowers of the vanilla plant are only open for a short time each day. The so-called vanilla pod is the fermented capsule fruit of this orchid. The fermentation process is quite complex. At the end, of course, there is still the journey to the store and kitchen shelves, which is currently still associated with the emission of climate-damaging CO2.
Now, I don't want to spoil the Advent season and Christmas for you and I don't want to use my article to promote doing without exotic spices. On the contrary, they provide many people with an income and a livelihood and, if they are of good quality, are very healthy. I have a few more Christmas spice recipes for you, in which vanilla plays a role.
Enjoy spices as a treasure!
Rather, I would like to encourage us to truly understand spices as treasures and to use them with gratitude and appreciation. If we don't take spices for granted and realize what it takes for them to find their way into our kitchens, we can see them as a luxury that we can treat ourselves to or use as a small gift to show others our attention and appreciation. If you can afford it, it's a good idea to opt for organic and Fairtrade products and to consider the origin of your spices. A conscious approach to industrially processed products can also make a contribution. Those who make things themselves have a greater influence on the ingredients used, know better what is in them and develop a better sense of their value.
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Have you ever eaten homemade granola? Give it a try, I'm curious to hear what you think. With this in mind, have fun making your own!
And why do we actually give gifts?
There are many reasons for this. Above all, giving strengthens our connections to other people and helps us to build communities. It's not about the monetary value, but more about the need and goodwill to make others happy and to care and make an effort for the well-being of others. At the end of the day, not only does giving a gift make the recipient happy, but it has also been proven to make the giver happy.