Spices of Life

[Elem Bree]

Spring 23, AV 512

Elem found himself sweating slightly in the University Kitchens, but he felt alright about it considering most of the other students seemed to be uncomfortable as well. Several pots of boiling water were on the hearths as well as an arrangement of labeled cooking spices. He had actually thought for a change to bring his quill, ink and paper this time, usually forgetting it in the rush between classes. Madame Allis could be heard outside the kitchens, speaking to someone. Those gathered prepared themselves and tried to overlook the heat.

Before long, she entered, greeting the class with a nod before delving right into the lesson, as she was prone to do. "Welcome class, I hope you don't find the kitchens too hot, but believe me, once you begin your own collections and do your own home experiments, the sound of a boiling pot will be music to your ears. At least we are not commencing in summer." She smiled and stood near the hearths, her hands folded, as the class joined in a hearty chuckle of agreement.

"That said, today we will learn a bit about spices. I am not sure if many of you cook, but I would highly recommend learning, as it will be a vital part of many of your other works with herbal remedies. While there are herbs that can be eaten raw, the majority do well when added to something else or when distilled. Much of the process of distillation involves the paramagic discipline of Philtering, which I won't cover here, but again, is very useful for later experimentation." She moved to the table before her, a small labeled container with holes punched in the top sat before a plant. Six such displays were arranged ahead of time for the class to use and peruse.

She went on, Elem's quill scratching out notes as she gave them. "Spices are generally distinguished from other plants and herbs due to their aromatic and flavorful qualities, which of course is why we add them to foods. However, many of these same spices do have medicinal properties as well. Hopefully you are all eating a balanced diet already, but sometimes, adding a spice can not only add something extra to the flavor bouquet, but can also aid in the relief or cure of an ailment. First we will start with cinnamon."

She reached forward and lifted the small rolled cylinders of cinnamon for the class to inspect. "Cinnamon actually comes from the inner lining of tree bark. In this case, it is from the laurel family as a tropical evergreen. These rolled sections have been measured and cut from the raw bark. The small measured section you see here is known as a quill. Usually, spice cultivators will only allow the tree to grow as a small bush so that the bark is readily available."

"Now I am sure you are all aware of the taste of cinnamon. It naturally provides a warm aroma to most hot beverages. I like a little in my tea from time to time. If not, feel free to have a taste of the powder. Only a little, though." Moving on, she fingered the quill in her hands, occasionally sniffing at it. "It is a natural astringent, meaning that it shrinks or reduces biological tissue. It can relieve vomiting and diarrhea, in small doses it can even be used for infantile diarrhea, which has troubled many a child and mother. So, perhaps we could use it in a dessert for heavy drinkers. Might save the sleepers from putrid gas and the revelers from too much rebuking the next morning."

[Elem Bree]

She moved on, picking up a small bunch of green leaves, holding them out to the class. She sighed slightly, saying, "I do wish we could add some of these spices to food, but as you know, the current rationing forbids that. Perhaps you can experiment with the rations. They could certainly use some livening." A small assortment of smiles and chuckles reverberated through the kitchen. "Here I hold sage. A subtle herb used in cooking to add to the flavor bouquet, sage has some surprising medicinal uses as well."

Flourishing toward a pile of dried green powder, Madame Allis continued. "Grinding dried sage to a powder, sage can aid us in relieving head colds. Another astringent, it can be put into hot water and the head covered with cloth over it. The resulting steam, when inhaled, will help to alleviate stuffy noses. Also, small amounts can be used by nursing mothers to aid in drying up breast milk when they are weaning their children off of the breast." Elem's eyebrows raised instinctually, his mind's canvas painting a picture of that, sans child.

Fingering the leaves again, Madame Allis pointed out that should one develop an infection of the gums, chopped sage leaves could be placed between the lip and gum to aid in the healing and sanitation thereof. Elem raised his hand and when pointed at, he asked, "What about pain in the gums and teeth, Madame Allis? Sanitation is very important, of course, but most patients are only concerned with relieving pain." The teacher nodded and smiled, skipping over to what would have been her fourth herb, a pile of clove buds.

"Cloves are what I might recommend in relation to the sage, Elem. As an oil, we can apply cloves along the nerve in the problem area to calm pain. The powder or oil can also be used to relieve stomach pain, so either way, cloves can aid these sensitive matters, As a spice, the flavors of ham or cakes can be increased with the use of cloves." The mention of ham and cakes more than likely put many a stomach turning in the times of rationing. The professor seemed to recognize this fact. Perhaps she was making herself hungry as well. Either way, she quickly changed the topic. "Overall, cloves are very good for these kinds of pain. Another little known use is placing them in a handkerchief or in an open container to improve the smell of a container or area. Very fragrant."

Returning to the one skipped, She picked up a hearty bundle of thyme, long green shoots wrapped slightly at the base with string. "Perhaps one of the most widely used cooking herbs, thyme is very flavorful, more so when fresh like this. Of course, unless we are growing our own herbs", she said with a wink, " it only survives for perhaps a week once cut. We can add thyme to many things, such as stews, soups or meats. Each of these individual stems are known as sprigs and can be used wholly. If using just the leaves, the back of a knife or the fingers will suffice. Then chop the leaves as you see fit."

She handed the bundle of sprigs out for each student to inspect. "Infusing the leaves in water for tea can relieve coughing or bronchitis. Boiling it in water and then cooling it can make an excellent antiseptic gargle, which can clear up an irritated throat in two to five days." Elem quickly passed off the bundle so he could try to keep up with the unexpected burst of note taking. "Since this is the case, dripping the boiled and cooled solution can also aid in the sanitation of exterior wounds."