Kumin, kakao i karawana. Odyseja aromatyczna

California Studies in Food and Culture #45

by Gary Paul Nabhan, Barbara Gutowska-Nowak (Translator)

Gary Paul Nabhan zabiera czytelnika w podróż w czasie i przestrzeni, pachnącą przyprawami którymi handlowano już 3 tysiące lat p.n.e. Podąża śladami kupieckich karawan, które wędrowały wzdłuż najważniejszych szlaków handlowych. Fascynująca historia handlu korzennego pomaga zrozumieć procesy globalizacji i życie codzienne ludzi, żyjących z obrotu przyprawami i rozmaitymi wonnościami. Ogromnym walorem książki są także przepisy, zachęcające do przyrządzenia potraw, których tradycja sięga kilku tysięcy lat. „Kumin, kakao i karawana” pokazuje historię ukrytą w szczypcie curry.

Książka otrzymała nagrodę w kategorii Kuchnia Arabska w konkursie Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. W 2015 roku nominowana do nagrody The Art of Eating.

Genres: History, Food, Nonfiction, Travel, Food History, Cooking, Cookbooks

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2013

About the author

Gary Paul Nabhan is an internationally-celebrated nature writer, seed saver, conservation biologist and sustainable agriculture activist who has been called "the father of the local food movement" by Utne Reader, Mother Earth News, Carleton College and Unity College. Gary is also an orchard-keeper, wild forager and Ecumenical Franciscan brother in his hometown of Patagonia, Arizona near the Mexican border. For his writing and collaborative conservation work, he has been honored with a MacArthur "genius" award, a Southwest Book Award, the John Burroughs Medal for nature writing, the Vavilov Medal, and lifetime achievement awards from the Quivira Coalition and Society for Ethnobiology.

--from the author's website

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Wow. Wow. What a revelation.

And here I thought that fusion cuisine is relatively new.

We were agape almost constantly as we read, going from a Medieval recipe for Dates Kneaded with Locusts and Spices with the instructions to "find a swarm of locusts" and "store in a saddlebag of a camel leather", to discovering that a Mongolian emperor had a Hui-Muslim physician who had travelled widely "in Central Asia, Asia Minor, and the Arabian Peninsula", to learning that a "traditional" Mexican mole is made up of both New World and Old World herbs and spices.

How foolish we are to imagine that globalization began with Columbus! Of course it didn't: Columbus only began his journey across the Atlantic to find a better route to the lands of the spices that had been discovered centuries earlier - long before the birth of Christ!

The similarities between these two recipes [for lamb stew in the New Mexican 1939 booklet Potajes Sabrosos and an Arabic-Persian stew recorded in the a medieval manuscript Yin-shan cheng-yao of recipes of the Mongolian Imperial physician Hu Szu-hui] are so uncanny that some sort of cultural diffusion makes more sense to food historians that independent invention does. [...] How in the name of heaven had the same recipe landed at one end of the line as well as at another halfway around the world, when both of these places were equally remote from the Middle East, the heartland of Arabic and Jewish spice trade? (introduction, p6)
~ ~ ~
It no longer mattered to me whether the first recorded making of mole was in the seventeenth century when it was prepared for the visit of an archbishop to the Santa Rosa convent in Puebla or for the arrival of some government dignitary to the same city. [...] What mattered was whether the spices themselves in each pot of mole could speak to me, hinting of the many places and cultures from which they have historically derived. With my eyes half shut from the warm light of sundown and the prolonged effects of the pulque, I tasted one last spoonful of mole. It began to whisper a litany of places and spices: allspice from Jamaica, aniseeds from Syria, chiles from Puebla and Oaxaca, chocolate from the lowlands of Mexico and from Brazil, cloves from the Moluccas, cinnamon from Sri Lanka, coriander from Egypt and Sudan, onions from China, peanuts from the Brazilian Amazon, and sesame seeds from India.
    Long ago, some exiled Muslim and Jewish traders had brought a near-complete world of flavors and fragrances with them to the highlands of Mexico, where they encountered a few others that made perfect complements to their treasure trove of fragrances. The descendants of the Aztecs liked what they smelled and tasted. In fact, they liked them so much that they made them their own. (Chapter 12: Drawbridge over the Eastern Ocean, p269)

While there are recipes scattered through the fascinating text, this is not really a cookbook. Or at least, the recipes didn't really speak to us in the same way that their history did. Although, on pages 19-20, at the end of the recipe for "Marak Minj (Green Lentil Curry with Frankincense, Ginger and Omani Spices", there is a very interesting looking spice mixture "bizar a'shuwa" that can be used as rub for meats before grilling.

The recipe for Zalabiya/Shaqima/Buñuelos on pages 207-208 also looks like something we may neeeeed to try.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book! Nabhan gives a history of spices -- trade, uses, and recipes -- with respect to globalization and international trade. He also traces a bit of his on ancestry which adds, dare I say, spice to the book. The book includes inserts about specific spices as well as recipes. There are many black and white photos as well. The writing brings the times and cultures alive -- I could nearly smell and taste the aromas described. In addition, there is quite a bit of Jewish and Muslin history and interactions between Christians, Jews, and Muslins as it pertains to connections of spice trade routes and recipes. The book comes forward to the pre-Columbian and post-Columbian era as well, with intriguing intersections between the New World and the Old. Completely engaging.

The book contains a List of Illustrations, a List of Recipes, a List of Spice Boxes, an Introuction,12 sumptuous chapters, an Epilogue, a section of Acknowledgements, Notes, and an Index.

Highly recommended.

[Jacob Blandford · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book lacked specificity and was much more a generalized history of spices historically associated with large regions. I’m most criticalof the bias and assumptions the author has infused throughout the book. It was a fine read during a time when I’m social distancing but I wouldn’t prioritize this book on your reading list.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fantastic journey through the world in terms of food. I loved learning about the different spices that have emerged throughout history and their significance to different people and cultures since the beginning of time. Nabhan's reflections on the linguistic evolutions for different spices was especially fascinating - I had never given much thought to how much linguistics could tell us about where spices came from and how they spread.
I do wish that there had been a little more information on the Asian portions of the Spice/Silk Roads, but in all this was a fantastic book about the history of food, people, and cultural heritage.

[TG Lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

「火雞」在英語中被稱為「土耳其雞」，代表當時美洲大陸來的貿易物品，都是先運至君士坦丁堡這個國際物流中心的。

歐洲中心論的標準史觀，又一項必須修正之處。


（以下p290書摘）

……伊莎貝拉與斐迪南先是資助收復失地運動(Reconquista)，後來又資助哥倫布往西尋找印度香料，幾乎使得國庫山窮水盡；但同時，這個被斐迪南與伊莎貝拉趕出王國的西班牙猶太商人家族，發展成門迪斯香料龍頭，很快比壓迫他們的王朝更有錢有權。


葛蕾西亞.納西把家族的香料企業撤離伊比利半島之後，就設法利用她曾從宗教審判者手中救出的改信者。她在一五五三年抵達君士坦丁堡時，已把他們安置在世界各地諸多有策略重要性的地點，因此他們能從更遙遠的國度取得香料與其他商品。其中有些人仍悄悄在西班牙與葡萄牙的港口工作，把來自印度、非洲或新大陸的壓艙走私貨取出，速速送到摩洛哥，之後再靠著塞法迪猶太人仲介，不斷在各港口轉運，直到抵達君士坦丁堡，也就是門迪斯家族的最後樞紐。


有趣的是，多數新大陸的珍貴物品進入歐洲市場與文化的過程，並非透過西班牙，而是透過土耳其。天主教西班牙與葡萄牙長期以來對哥倫布大交換的貢獻實在是被高估，因為那些作物與牲口的流通，只是在全球化逐步完整的過程中的一個階段。送到美洲與加勒比海的種子、果實與牲畜品種，多半來自加納利群島，而不是西班牙本土。 小米在歐洲部分地區稱為「grano turco 」，意思是「土耳其穀類」，新大陸菸草稱為土耳其菸草。向日葵、南瓜、辣椒的軌跡也差不多。無論從遙遠的土地送來哪些新奇的料理與香料，可能都是靠著門迪斯家族引介到歐洲，並掌握這些東西的交易。雖然斐迪南、伊莎貝拉眼中只有美洲送來的黃金與貴重金屬，但更珍貴久遠的影響卻從他們手中溜過，反而前往土耳其，之後再進入東歐、北非、小亞細亞與更多地方。


一開始，這些新奇的東西能送到市場上，就是仰賴葛蕾西亞.納西的網絡。上百個基督教國王、主教與教宗只能望其項背。

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, in depth history of the spice trade (and global trade and exploration) both before and during Europe's Age of Discovery. Points out the contributions of the Islamic world to both, often far before their European counterparts. Fascinating journey, both historical and personal on the part of the author globetrotting from one continent to another in search of the traces of the once most powerful economic driver on the planet. Challenges assumptions about European dominance of the land and seas, which can make it a challenging read for some.

[Aalap Chikhalikar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating research into the history of the spice trade. A bit too focused on the Middle east but an excellent read

[Nick · Rating 1 out of 5]

"spice must flow" all jokes aside spices are one of the most important luxury resources in world history and are a fascinating point of interaction between non state peoples and sedentary states (such as explored by James C scott) with one trading staple foods for the flavors those people craved. So any book that delves deeper in that long origin of spice trading is welcome; however they better not be the chaotic and misleading mess that Paul Nabhan made of it.

What is this book trying to be? It is both travel account, a story of finding ones roots, historical account, cook recipes, a wiki on spices and a half baked take on the origins of globalization. Chapters jump from one thing to another at a dime with only a loose chronology holding it together. Let me start with the latter; to Nabhan the spice trade is the true origin of globalization and the measure of spices. Now, let me be clear there is a valid point that could be made that it is but the problem I have is that he presents this a self evident; we don't get his clear cut theory on what globalization means according to him, based on his book I would wager it is presence of foreign traders trading culinary influences which is...a theory or idea but by far not the only valid one out there. To me more troubling is the extent to which he pushes the phenom; namely in prehistory when the first cultivators of spice were trading mire and frankincense with their regional neighbors around the red sea somewhere in the pre bronze age. I mean if that is all it takes why not the trade in amber from the Baltic region all over northern Europe? Is that not a form of globalization then? I am pretty sure an equally valued theory of globalization can be made based on the trade of jewelry and the power of elites making it happen rather the wily spice traders from the middle east.

Which brings me to my biggest complaint; the book is a chaotic mess and one gets the feeling that this book started as a personal account of getting in touch with the authors middle eastern roots which seem to originate from trading communities in (pre) bronze age Oman. Which, you know, that is fine there is nothing wrong with that nor with trying to find remains of earlier trading communities and echoes of the past but getting the personal intermixed with the history ends up with quite a few statements and claims on "we did this" that are at best built on shake foundation and at worst seem close to willfully bending the truth to fit the narrative. About half way the book the narrative also switches from traders itself to the spread of Islam as the engine of globalization and now here this is familiar terrain as the world of Ibn Battuta is often seen as a first globalized world but it also frustrates me because he used this hitch his own earlier spice merchants from Oman and Nabatea to this later world and makes it seem as if the one logically helped made possible the latter. Again it is not that I reject that idea out of hand but he presents it is as self evident, which is a big turn off for me.

I think the book would have been salvageable, even if cause of a lot of debate, if it had been four parts. A historical part, a contemporary travel account, an annex on the spices and an annex on the recipes. Then at least one could really delve into something rather being constantly whiplashed from one thing to another from one paragraph to the next.

[Liz Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very slow and thoughtful book, but it is an excellent read. I bought it because I wanted a book on the history of the Silk Road and the spices traded on it. This is a book about the spices traded on routes off the road and the history surrounding it - my mistake, but still a delightful book!

From the very first spice, frankincense, there is a wealth of information and the author takes you on his own personal journey as well. There are recipes listed to try (although most of them are not realistically accessible, they are intriguing) and little embedded notes about each spice.

The history is deep and fascinating and links well throughout the book - from the Middle East to Mexico with a handful of spices!

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it lots of info and its and easy read. Love all the history great book

[Avital]

HD 9210 A2 N33 2014

[Cab · Rating 1 out of 5]

The best is to treat it as a very limited cookbook. The rest can be a great example how to flatten very interesting topic to the level that it is not worth reading. Not recommended.

[Devin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the early multicultural history of the spice trade. This book raises important questions about globalization, most notably:

“Of the more than 6800 linguistically encoded cultural world views that have emerged on this planet, why have only a handful enabled and driven the trajectory of the worldwide spice trade? Or, why have the three monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam played such dominant roles in cultural, ecological, and culinary imperialism? I have no answer to these crucial questions and I believe that it will take a long time and many minds to resolve them. But one tenet in which I do believe is that this trio of monotheistic religions and our modern economic structures emerged from the same ideologies, and that even today, they are not that far removed from one another.”

[Pierre · Rating 5 out of 5]

The publisher’s details give a good summary of the book. The amount of knowledge gathered to write this book, written as a historical and culinary journey in time and space, starting with the deserts of Yemen and the Middle East, following their trade routes, later along the terrestrial and maritime so-called silk roads, and finally to the Americas and specifically Mexico, is mind-blowing. There are so many facts, insights and anecdotes, as well as spice and food-related facts, that they are impossible to summarize. Yet one never gets lost into details as the salient facts are underlined.
GP Nabhan is a passionate fact gatherer, traveler and writer. If I could put 6 stars to this book, I would.
Whether you are passionate with history, food and spices or cultures of the world, this is a book I strongly advise you to read.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved this book for free through a Goodreads First Reader Giveaway.

The breadth of the book is fascinating, much like the reach of spices today. I found the combination of personal experience and accessible history of the spice trade to be a satisfying one. I enjoyed reading the many recipes, though I question how feasible some of them are for the average cook to make. Overall, I very much enjoyed the colorful, flavorful journey in the roots of globalization, and one man's person ancestry.

[Leda Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food, history, botany, ambition, lust, money, religion, culture...this is a fascinating look, through the history of the spice trade, at the ancient trend towards today's globalized commerce. The only reason I didn't give this book five stars instead of four is that it is SO thoroughly researched that scholarly historical detail sometimes wins out over it being an engaging read. But most often it IS a wonderful read: entertaining, informative, and will leave you with a new way of understanding how we got to this point in humanity's story. Highly recommended!

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is highly informative and fascinating study of the origin, development, and globalization of the spice trade and how the semitic speakers of the desert became masters of the craft. I would have liked there to be more maps which placed ancient trade centers and there was a proliferation of names that were hard to keep straight. That said, it is a book well worth reading, written by a man who loves his subject and who, it turns out, has a family interest in the trade.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book. I wish there had been more maps and the ones included had been more thorough. Also sometimes the level of detail gets overwhelming - and I would have loved a bit more placing of the specific details in a larger context. Dates also get confusing, a lot of moving around. But overall the most thorough and informative account of the origins of not just the spice trade but of globalization I've read. Definitely worth a read!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent. Without becoming overly dry, Nabhan traces the history of the spice trade from 3000BCE to the present; and from Arabian tribes, the Phoenicians, the Turks, the Romans, Greeks, Jews, Syrians, Yemini, Egyptian among others who developed both the spices and the trade routes to transport them.

It is truly fascinating.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing journey across the globe and through history with Mr. Nabhan! My appetite is whetted for further explorations through recipes, bibliographic notes, and other monographs in California Studies in Food and Culture from University of California Press.

[Charlie Miksicek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got me combing my local markets looking for exotic spices and fragrances and started a north African to central Asian cooking jag.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, but dense read. I learned a lot.