A little Advent spice customer

Gingerbread spice, stollen spice, mulled wine spice: the scent of gingerbread, stollen and mulled wine is inextricably linked with Christmas. We owe this aromatic taste and smell to a wide variety of spices from all over the world more and more often as a specially prepared, Christmas mix. Exotic names like cardamom, coriander, ginger or allspice arouse curiosity. But what exactly is it about this aroma, which only finds its way into domestic kitchens at the end of the year?

Christmas spices, like all spices, are fresh or dried parts of certain plants that are characterized by a characteristic and very intense aroma. It is mainly the specific essential oils of the individual aromatic plants that are responsible for their typical aroma. Depending on the plant, leaves, flowers, seeds, bark and / or the roots are added to food and drinks. Spices are sold whole, grated and coarsely or finely ground. They develop their aroma best when they are freshly ground and processed immediately. Finely ground powder quickly loses its aroma and, if stored improperly, can easily take on foreign aromas. It is therefore advisable to buy the Christmas spices only in small quantities and to store them individually in jars or cans tightly closed, dry, dark and cool. On the other hand, uncomminuted spices, such as whole grains, can be kept almost indefinitely.

More and more specially formulated spice mixes are being offered for Christmas bakery, e.g. B. the "speculoos spice" contains cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, vanilla and cinnamon. Ready-made mixtures can be very helpful in the production of Christmas specialties, as they already contain the individual spices in a balanced combination. However, they lose a lot of their aroma when they are stored over the year. You don't need to store the remaining, already open pack until the next year if you value aromatic baked goods. An individual taste note, as is typical for traditional family recipes, does not naturally arise in a finished mixture. 

In the current ranking of Germany's spice imports, coriander is in third place after pepper and paprika. According to foreign trade statistics, 3.603 tons of coriander were imported in 2002, followed by caraway and ginger. However, the largest increases in imports were recorded by nutmeg and cardamom. The consumption for the Christmas mixes and in the Christmas bakery may be the cause here. In the following, the origin, meaning and main ingredients of anise, bitter almond, cardamom, cloves, ginger, coriander, nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon are presented. 

Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum)

Origin / meaning: Anise is already mentioned in the Bible and has been widespread in Europe since ancient times. Anise is probably originally from the Middle East. Today it grows in all temperate latitudes, but especially in Spain, France, Italy and Turkey. In the Christmas bakery, anise is indispensable for making cookies, gingerbread and spiced cakes. The characteristic taste gives many regional specialties, especially spirits, a unique aroma (pernot, ouzo and raki). 

Ingredients: Anise is also known as "sweet caraway". The green, dried seeds have a strongly spicy, sweet, licorice-like aroma. This is mainly due to the anise oil, which is contained in the dried fruits up to 3%. The main aroma of this oil is anethole with a maximum of 90%.

The spice is not to be confused with the star anise. This star-shaped fruit comes from the evergreen magnolia tree. Due to the high content of anethole, the aroma of star anise is very similar to the real aniseed aroma and is often used as an inexpensive substitute for real aniseed. However, the star spices very strictly and must be removed before grinding or consumption. Anise itself has a digestive, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect. It is also used in paediatrics together with fennel.

Bitter almond (Prunus dulcis var.Amara)

Origin / meaning: The almond tree probably comes from West or Central Asia. Almonds have been grown in the Mediterranean for two millennia. Almond trees are mentioned several times in the Old Testament. Bitter almonds are the seeds of the bitter almond tree. In many European countries the sale is not permitted or is only permitted to a limited extent, as unprocessed bitter almonds are poisonous. Today, therefore, one often resorts to bitter almond essence, especially when flavoring biscuits and cakes. 

Ingredients: Almonds (both sweet and bitter) contain around 50% fatty oil. Because of its high price, it is not used for cooking. This oil consists of various fatty acids: around 80% oleic acid, 15% linoleic acid and 5% palmitic acid. Bitter almonds taste very bitter and develop an intense, typical taste when chewed or baked and together with moisture. The three to five percent share of the amygdalin substance is responsible for this. During baking, the amygdalin is converted into benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide. Hydrocyanic acid is highly toxic. But it is also highly volatile and sensitive to heat. A Christmas specialty prepared with bitter almond will therefore hardly contain any significant amount of hydrogen cyanide. However, consuming uncooked bitter almonds is life-threatening, especially for children. The benzaldehyde, on the other hand, is responsible for the flavor of the bitter almond. 

The bitter almond essence that is almost predominantly used today is obtained by distilling a mixture of ground bitter almonds and water. It is free of hydric acid and consists almost entirely of benzaldehyde. The kernels of apricots or peaches can also be used as a starting product for the production of bitter almond essence. 

The ingredients in sweet and bitter almonds are very different. Therefore, the products cannot substitute for each other. Sweet almonds are usually amygdalin free. However, it can happen that sweet almond trees occasionally carry individual bitter almonds (approx. 1% of the total sweet almond harvest). 

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)

Origin / meaning: Cardamom, along with saffron and vanilla, is one of the most expensive spices in the world. The plants only bear fruit for the first time after three years. The seeds from the very aromatic fruits of the cardamom bush are used. The shrub belongs to the ginger family. The homeland of cardamom is India and Sri Lanka. Soldiers of Alexander the Great probably brought the sweet and hot spice to Europe for the first time. To date, India is the world's most important cardamom exporter. In Germany, cardamom is mainly offered as a spice powder. To do this, the fruit capsules, which contain the aromatic seeds, are harvested shortly before they are ripe, dried and then ground. In Europe, cardamom is mainly used to season Christmas specialties such as gingerbread, marzipan, Swedish punch or spiced bread. In the Arab countries, coffee or fruit are often refined with the spice. It is also a component of many spice mixtures, e.g. B. the curry.

Ingredients: The aromatic essential oil of cardamom is contained in the seeds up to 8%. It contains a combination of different aromatic substances, such as terpineol, limonene or cineol. It is traditionally used for stomach pain and flatulence. Cardamom also stimulates the circulation.

Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)

Origin / meaning: Cloves are the dried flower buds of the evergreen tropical clove tree. The flowers are picked and dried shortly before they bloom. The originally red flowers become very hard and turn dark brown. Because of their unusual shape and color, they are also called "spice nails". The plant originally comes from the Moluccas - the "spice islands" of Indonesia. Cloves have long been known in Germany and Hildegard von Bingen used them in her recipes. Today the spice is also imported from Madagascar and Zanzibar. Cloves are indispensable for the production of gingerbread and spicy biscuits. They season mulled wine, punch, but also marinades and sauces. Tobacco is also flavored with cloves.

Ingredients: The cloves owe their warm, fragrant aroma to the clove oil, which contains a high proportion of eugenol. They taste sweet and spicy to hot. Ground cloves can develop extremely hot and should therefore be used sparingly. Whole cloves of good quality are very rich in oil and sink in the water or swim with their heads up, old goods float horizontally. Cloves have an antibacterial effect and are used in dentistry.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Origin / meaning: Ginger is the cooked, dried and peeled root of the ginger plant, which belongs to the spice lily family. Ginger originally comes from China and came to Germany around the time of Emperor Charlemagne. Today, ginger is grown in almost all tropical countries. The main supplier is still China but also Nigeria, the best quality ginger comes from Jamaica. Whole ginger is often candied and made into confectionery. Ground ginger refines gingerbread, biscuits and pumpkin dishes. In England beer is seasoned with ginger (ginger ale), in Asian cuisine it gives many rice, meat and fish dishes their characteristic aroma.  

Ingredients: Ginger has a burning spicy taste with a slightly sweet note and smells warm, woody. It owes its unique aroma to a combination of various essential oils and aromatic resins. Ginger has a medicinal effect against nausea and is therefore often used against motion sickness. Ginger can also provide relief from migraines.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)

Origin / meaning: In Germany, coriander seeds from the annual coriander herb are used almost exclusively as a spice. Coriander is one of the oldest spices in the world. The Egyptians, like the Greeks and Romans, used it as a remedy, as a spice and for preservation. Although the main exporters are Morocco, Argentina and Poland, coriander is also grown in Franconia and Thuringia. Gingerbread, Spekulatius, Aachener Printen and bread are often seasoned with coriander. 

Ingredients: The mature and dried spice grains have a spicy-resinous aroma, which is due to the high content of linalool in coriander oil. Coriander seeds act as a herbal gastrointestinal remedy.

Nutmeg (Myristica fragans)

Origin / meaning: The nutmeg is the dark brown seed core of the red-yellow nutmeg tree fruits. The orange-red dried seed coat of this kernel is called the mace or mace. Originally nutmeg comes from the Moluccas and has been known in Europe since the 12th century. Today nutmeg comes mainly from Indonesia and the West Indies. The best qualities are imported from Grenada. Nutmeg is used in the gingerbread bakery and also spices cabbage dishes and mashed potatoes.

Ingredients: The whitish layer on many nutmegs comes from milk of lime, which protects the spice from pests. The intensely spicy nutmeg aroma and the fiery sweet taste are based on a combination of numerous aromatic substances in nutmeg oil. The aroma is very volatile and should always be freshly grated and used sparingly. The nutmeg has a sweeter, slightly sweetish, bitter taste and is finer than nutmeg. The essential oils of nutmeg are used in aromatherapy and support the circulation.

Allspice (Pimenta dioica)

Origin / meaning: Allspice is the fruit of the clove pepper tree, which is harvested unripe and dried until it takes on the typical red-brown color. Allspice originally comes from Central America and was already used by the Aztecs as a herb and medicinal plant. The main exporter of the allspice is Mexico and Jamaica to this day. Ground allspice seasoning gingerbread and speculoos, the whole grains are popular for seasoning fish and game dishes

Ingredients: The essential allspice oil consists mainly of eugenol. It is spicy and at the same time reminiscent of cinnamon, pepper, clove and nutmeg, but is not that hot, which is why allspice is often referred to as an "all-spice". As a home remedy, allspice can help relieve flatulence.

Cinnamon (Cinnamonum zeylanicum)

Origin / meaning: Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of the evergreen cinnamon tree. The tree is pruned again and again, the bark is peeled off, all cork and primary layers are removed and dried. Already 3000 BC. Cinnamon is mentioned for the first time in China, but only found in the 9th century AD. to Europe. From here it was traded for centuries under the changing monopoly of Portugal, Holland and, most recently, England. Today, cinnamon comes from Sri Lanka, China and Brazil. 

Cinnamon is actually the collective name for Ceylon, Cassia and Padang cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka comes from the bark of young saplings. The dried rind is rolled on both sides, very thin, yellow-brown in color and highly aromatic. Ceylon cinnamon is the best quality spice and is usually sold in sticks made up of several interlocking barks. Cassia cinnamon from southern China comes from older branches. It is darker in color, stronger in taste and a little bit bitter. It is usually sold as powdered cinnamon. Christmas cookies, desserts, punch and cocoa are traditional cinnamon dishes. But black coffee, tea, red cabbage and chutneys are also often flavored with them.

Ingredients: Cinnamaldehyde gives cinnamon its fiery-sweet, slightly spicy taste and delicately sweet fragrance. Cinnamaldehyde is the main component of Chinese cassia oil (with a content of 75-90%), Padang cinnamon oil and Ceylon cinnamon bark oil (65-75%). The fragrance is also found in the essential oils of cinnamon leaf, patchouli and myrrh, as well as in the oil of the Melaleuca bracteata plant. Cinnamaldehyde has been isolated from cinnamon oil since the middle of the 19th century. It is a yellowish, oily liquid that is very sparingly soluble in water. It takes 700 parts of water to dissolve 1 part of the cinnamaldehyde. The substance is very sensitive to the effects of light, atmospheric oxygen and heat. Cinnamon can help with nausea and diarrhea, and relieve muscle spasms.

The Christmas aroma as a mood maker

So there is a "Christmas aroma" - almost always created from one or more of the spice components described here. The function is, however, a fundamentally different one. While honey cakes with precisely these spices were given to soldiers as long-lasting and energy-rich winter food in the wars of past centuries, the Christmas flavors now act more as an adventurous and contemplative mood-maker. In many families they convey memories of childhood, maternal recipes and festive traditions. 

The most important Christmas spices at a glance

Spice	Taste / aroma	Origin	Usage
Anis	Spicy-sweet, licorice-like	Mediterranean Sea- countries	Spirits, candies, cookies, gingerbread
Bitter- almond (-essence)	bitter	West / Central Asia, Mediterranean	Sweets, cookies, cakes
Cardamom	Sweet and hot	India	Gingerbread, marzipan, punch
Seasoning- cloves	Sweetish - spicy / warm fragrant	Indonesia	Mulled wine, gingerbread, marinades
ginger	Burning spicy / warm woody	China	Gingerbread, cookies, Asian cuisine
fresh coriander	Spicy and resinous	Africa, Europe	Bread, gingerbread, speculoos, printen
nutmeg	Fiery - sweet / spicy	Indonesia	Gingerbread, cabbage dishes
pimento	Combination of pepper, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon	South America	Gingerbread, sauces, compotes
Cinnamon	Fiery-sweet / tender-sweet	Sri Lanka, China	Christmas cookies, punch, compote

 

Source: Munich [Dr. Karin Bergmann]