spices

Export of spices recorded a sharp rise in volume and value during October 2009 against the corresponding period a year ago. The surge in volume was supported by a sharp growth in prices of cardamom small and large, turmeric, fennel and vanilla. The price of turmeric almost doubled from Rs 49 a kg to Rs 82, while fennel prices moved up by 66% to Rs 85 from Rs 51 a kg previous year.  

Prices of different local and imported spices have slightly increased at the retail level in the local markets as the demand for the same has started going up ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. The retail traders blamed wholesalers for the increase saying this has become a common trend before Eid every year as the consumption of the spices goes up during this time. "At the wholesale level cardamom was selling at Tk 1200-Tk 1400 per kg compared with its last month's price of Tk 1150-Tk 1300 per kg," Arif, a wholesal  

Jeff Wilson had a hunch he could make good use with one of the idle greenhouses at Patterson Farms Inc. this fall. After a lot of research and with cooperation from a seed distributor, Wilson arrived at a way to grow a viable fall pepper crop. These are no ordinary peppers — the seeds are bred and developed in Canada.  

A little over a year ago, inspired by the unexpected acquisition of a bowl full of beautiful fresh quinces —and imagining what their ethereal perfume and flavor would be like in a drink—I started a small project. After removing the core and finely chopping the quinces, I placed the fragrant fruit in jars and covered it with cognac. Adding a piece of cinnamon to one jar and a few cloves to another, I sealed the jars and stuck them in the back of my liquor cabinet.  

The recently concluded international conference on the "Galleon and the Making of the Pacific" organized by the Intramuros Administration reminds us of when Manila was a major center of world trade.  

Paula Deen has a spice line out that is making its way into more store.