Panel 3 — Colonialism
These papers view herbs and spices in the colonial context from opposite ends of the telescope: how did annatto move around the world courtesy of French colonial activity versus what…
Panel 4 — Agri-Culture: Identity, Politics, Discourses
This diverse panel explores how certain herbs and spices have been markers of identity; these papers explore their use as a tool expressing power dynamics within societies, as well as…
Panel 5 — Pharmacopoeia
Herbs and spices have long been seen as medicine: whether dealing with ways of combatting scurvy, a justification for consuming saffron with unleavened bread, or as healing cordials, these key…
Panel 6 — Interpreting Medieval Texts
Often frustratingly imprecise and obscure to the modern cook, medieval culinary texts nonetheless offer clues to the cuisines of centuries past: these papers explore mysterious ingredients in China as well…
Panel 7 — Structures of Cuisines
Why do certain local herbs and spices appear regularly in a cuisine, while other available seasonings are missing? Why do certain ‘flavour profiles’ emerge? These two papers approach these questions…
Panel 8 — Chilis on the World Table
Capsicums are nearly ubiquitous, appearing in many of the world’s cuisines, but capsicums signify different things depending on context. This panel explores their use as table condiments in Japan, Turkey,…
Panel 9 — Changing British Cuisine
No cuisine is static; these three papers trace changes in British cuisine, whether the early modern elevation of wild herbs, the desuetude of the savoury course, or the imperial messages…
Panel 10 — Contemporary Issues
Do herbs and spices have ‘terroir’ and how does this impact global marketplaces? This panel presents case studies for the development of tsiperifery pepper in Madagascar and the question of…
Panel 11 — Evidence from the Herbals
Herbals, natural histories, and medicinal writings from the 16th through 19th centuries have documented the spread of plants between Old and New Worlds—or at least that is what conventional wisdom…
Panel 12 — The Cuisines of India
The many regional cuisines of India provide a rich tapestry of culinary pleasures; these papers explore two spices that are less well-known in the West, asafoetida and stone flower (the…
Panel 13 — Flavours of Antiquity and Beyond
P. nigrum and its cousins were predominant spices in ancient Rome, appearing regularly in the Apician recipe collection as well as in literature, where it was often condemned as superfluous…
Panel 14 — Literary Spices
Literature gives subtle freedom to express cultural values. These papers explore the use of highly spiced gingerbread to communicate notions of unbridled sexuality, while spices in diasporic Indian fiction problematize…