Cardamom

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is a perennial herb in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is native to southern India. Because it is a tropical herb, it needs to be planted in pots and overwintered indoors in our climate if it is to survive the cold. Even then, do not expect to produce flowers and seeds for culinary use. However, the showy greenery is welcome as a lovely house and garden plant. In an accommodating climate, cardamom will grow from rhizomes like ginger and turmeric to reach heights around fifteen feet tall.

Now grown primarily in Guatemala, cardamom seed (also called cardamom) is the third most costly spice in the world after saffron and vanilla. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, cardamom along with ginger, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper and cinnamon became fashionable additions to banquets of European aristocrats. The allure of cardamom’s exotic and mysterious origins fueled an obsession with the rare flavor. By 1800 the middle class could also afford cardamom as increased supplies reached Europe after the expansion of trade and exploration routes. The use of cardamom in Scandinavia has remained a favorite flavoring for baked goods. In Middle Eastern countries cardamom is favored in coffee and teas. Explore the wealth of cardamom uses such as an addition to curry powder!

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