ANY DISHES savored during the autumnal months of October and November feature at least one of these five spices. Learn more about them, from their historical significance to the foods they most favorably complement.
 

Allspice

1. It is believed that Spanish explorers came upon allspice in the early 1500s, on one of their voyages to the new world.
2. Native to South America and the West Indies, with Jamaica as the world's leading supplier.
3. Its English name "allspice" is indicative of its flavor. At one time, it was believed to be a combination of spices, as its flavor is reminiscent of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
4. Allspice is a key component of Jamaican Jerk cooking.
5. The complexity of its flavor can be used to enhance foods such as:
   • apples
   • cabbage
   • carrots
   • cherries
   • chicken
   • chocolate
   • goose
   • lamb
   • parsnips
   • peas
   • pumpkin
   • spinach
   • turkey
   • tomatoes
   • winter squash

Cinnamon

1. Highly prized by ancient civilizations, cinnamon was often used on Roman funeral pyres; it is said that the Roman Emperor Nero burned a year's supply of cinnamon in 65 AD for his wife Poppaea Sabina's funeral.
2. There are two types of cinnamon: Ceylon cinnamon and cassia, each valued for their own distinctive qualities.
3. As early as 2000 BC, the spice is thought to have arrived in Egypt, having been imported to China from its native India.
4. Indonesia is the world's largest producer of cinnamon today, but it is Vietnamese cinnamon that is most highly desired.
5. Wonderfully aromatic and flavorful, cinnamon is used in a versatile range of recipes, many of which include one or more of the following ingredients:
   • apples
   • beef
   • beets
   • carrots
   • cherries
   • chocolate
   • pears
   • pork
   • pumpkin
   • sweet potatoes
   • winter squash

Cloves

1. The Chinese used cloves for their fragrance as early as the 3rd century BC. Well before the first century AD, cloves were available in Europe and the Middle East.
2. Historically, cloves grew only on the Spice Islands. Today, they are found in places that include Brazil, India, Madagascar and Zanzibar, as well as Indonesia, which is the largest producer.
3. Available whole or ground, cloves are regarded as one of the most important spices in the world.
4. The clove harvest typically lasts 2 to 3 months.
5. Pungent and spicy-sweet, this robustly flavored spice adds depth and complexity to foods, including:such as:
   • apples
   • beans (dried)
   • beets
   • carrots
   • chocolate
   • onions
   • pears
   • pumpkin
   • sweet potatoes
   • winter squash

Ginger

1. Used as a spice throughout the world, it is believed to have originated in China, before being spread to places including India, West Africa and the Caribbean.
2. Its fragrance comes from the essential oil that it contains.
3. The name gingerroot comes from the Sanskrit term for "horn root".
4. Fresh ginger is available in two forms: young and mature. Ginger also is available in other forms, including: dried and ground, candied (or crystallized), and pickled.
5. Slightly sweet and peppery in taste, with a spicy aroma, ginger is used to complement foods that include:
   • apples
   • avocados
   • beets
   • cabbage
   • carrots
   • chicken
   • chocolate
   • duck
   • goose
   • ham
   • pears
   • pork
   • rice
   • salmon
   • seafood
   • soups/stews
   • stuffing
   • turkey
   • venison

Nutmeg

1. Nutmeg was very popular during Elizabethan times, when it was believed to help ward off the plague.
2. Hurricane Ivan of 2004 drastically limited the cultivation of nutmeg in Grenada, one of the world's major nutmeg producers. About 75% of the spice, however, comes from Indonesia.
3. Most nutmeg trees today are farmed in a series of small islands, located within 5 degrees north and south of the equator, that border the Molucca Sea.
4. Christopher Columbus sought out this spice during his journey from Spain to the East Indies.
5. The distinctive flavor of nutmeg is spicy and sweet; it offers a harmonious element of flavor to foods such as:
   • carrots
   • cheese
   • cherries
   • chicken
   • eggplant
   • greens
   • mushrooms
   • onions
   • parsnips
   • spinach
   • stuffing
   • sweet potatoes
   • turkey