History and Influence

of Spices

Few foods have influenced the course of history as much as spices. They led to the discovery of America, were after gold - precious stones and silk among the oldest trade goods and played a significant role in mythology and superstition. In the Middle Ages, the spice trade even led to skirmishes and wars. Arab, Venetian, German and Dutch merchants became wealthy by trading in spices. Some species were, at that time, so precious that they were more expensive than gold.

Except for seasoning dishes and preserving foodstuffs, spices played an important role in natural medicine. To date, the knowledge about spices is still in use. Spices make our food healthier and tastier because they contain essential nutrients that benefit our health.

Spices have something magical; they have fascinated mankind since ancient times by their

The spice store opened;/I 1743 mul has bee" oJVlled lind operllted/or 1II0re tillill 130 yellrs by tile Oldellboolll/lll11i1y. They sell leas, herbs, spices, licorice 1II1l/lozenges

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Cornelis Peters Director,

Europa Ayurveda Centrum, Witharcl1wcg 9,

7738 PE Witharen, The Netherlands,

e-mail: illlo@aYIl.1I1

exotic aromas and delicious flavours. For centuries, they were a privilege of the rich and the powerful. Nowadays they are accessible to everyone. Found in almost every supermarkets, herbs and aromas from around the world are available in great variety. And now most people do know how to cope with this variety of seasonings. There are plenty of books, how to use herbs and spices.

The Netherlands, where 1 am from, played a significant role in the trade of sp ices· to Europe during the 17th and 18th Century. We founded the Dutch East Indian Company in 1602 - the first multinational in trade - to collect the spices from the Far East. 11 was also the first company to issue stocks. 11 was a dominant firm that strikes even its COll1S.

When you visit Amsterdam, you still can see traces of that history in parts of the city. 1 was living for seven years near the river IJ where in olden time ships from the East India Company unloaded their spices on the shore. Here you can see one of

Pun'eyor to tlte Royal

Hem/ quattres o/Dutclt Ellst IIll/itl COJlljJallY ill Amsterdalll

those places that were both a shipyard and a store area. That building at the end is not anymore. Much changed but some buildings still are present in Amsterdam.

This photo is of a building from 1660 on the Oostenburgergracht in the Netherlands. In our folk language, we call this the 'Suikerhuis' or sugarhouse. In the beginning, it served as an office and a storehouse for ropes and hemp and later for sugar.

Another remarkable building from those times is the East India house in Amsterdam. Both buildings

Heritage site in the Netherlands. The first spices that came from India and still belong to our number one spice in the Netherlands is pepper, followed by clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Much changed but some things are still the same and that is our fascination for spices and herbs.

There is still one small spice shop in Amsterdam that started in 1743. The man who started this shop is Jacob Hooy, and his name is similar to Indian spices in the Netherlands. The interior of the shop is unchanged and an enormous tourist attraction because of the giant wooden snakes intertwined with each other above the counter. The all seeing eyes of the snakes protect the herbs so that nothing will happen to the high quality of herbs where Jacob Hooy stands for.

The present owner is a family named Oldenboom. On this picture, you see Rik and Arne Oldenboom, two brothers who are in charge. Their

be Ion g tot heN a t i 0 na I Tlte spice sltop opellel/ ill East India l/ays ill Alllsten/alll is noJV a toudst attractioll

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family is in charge of this company from 1846 onwards.

In Holland, it IS a tradition that when a corporation is more than 100 years in the hand of one family they can apply for the designation' Royal Warrant Holder' by His Majesty the King. Jacob Hooy is, at least, a hundred years old company with a good reputat ion in the region. They distinguished by quality, so lidity and continuity. They carry with pride the royal coat of arms and the title 'Purveyor to the Royal.' I enclose the emblem that they have on their wall.

The predicate is a Royal honor for small and medium-size enterprises that do not necessarily have to supply the Court.

What the Dutch likes about spices and herbs is not only the taste but also the fl avour of the far east, the fantasy of tropical countries and the fantastic s tories of the fabulous dishes that stand with sharp contrast against our simple recipe for potatoes and cabbages.

With spices from India not only our dishes changed but our whole world changed. Our trade instinct awoke, and we crossed half the world to establish the

Spices Board Participated in Goa Agri Expo

Mr. Billoy Palll, Field Officer, SDA, Haveri, Ms. Sherly Jalli/a, Agri. Demollstrator, Field Officer, POllda, Goa, Mr. M. Y. HOIlllllr, Assistallt Director, Spices Board, ShivlIlllogga ill Goa AgT; Expo extellt/illg ill/orlllatioll to 'he visitors

Spices Board participated in the three days Goa Agri Expo-2016 held at Ravindrabhavan, Margao, Goa from 15'" to 17'h January 2016. Expo was organized by State Agricultural Management and Ex tension Training institute, Goa (SAMETI) and Directorate of Agriculture, Government of Goa.

Dignitaries visited Board stall are Mr. Vlhas B. Pai Kakode, Director Agriculture,

with swashbuckling adventurers and traders to follow their dreams.

Till to date, the Dutch love spices and we do spend quite some time in our kitchens to play with different combinations to achieve incredible

Government of Goa, Mr. Larry Barreto, Managing Director, Goa State Horticulture Corporation Ltd & Mr. Subhash Phal Desai MLA, Sanguem, Goa.

Spices Board represented by Mr. M.Y. Honnur, Assistant Director, Spices Board , Shivamogga, Mr. Binoy Paul , Field Officer, Haveri & Ms. Sheriy Janifa , Agri. Demonstrator, Field Office, Ponda, Goa. '

the huge interest of our people in food flavoured with spices.

first multinational in the dishes. On our televisions cooking fonn of wooden boats filled programs are rating high because of

Many things are changing : countries, boundaries our climate but nothing will change our love for food and spices and specially spices from India.

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