Spice Up Your Life Even More
Hybrid – Friday 10:10 am – 11:50 am
March 15, 22, April 5, 12, 19, 26 (No class on March 29th)
Religion, sex, health, food – what could be bad? Spices are as old as the earth itself and were some of the original plant life on the planet. They have been used for all sorts of purposes. Come explore the world of plants used by cooks for flavoring and aroma, typically called herbs. Come discover the products of tropical plants, whole or ground, usually used in dried form and typically called spices. We will delve into plant and human history, health benefits, flavors as part of traditions, and maybe even spicier examples found in religion and sex. We will explore our own spicy experiences and share some recipes. Our experience together will definitely be flavorful!
Week One – Seeds
- We examine well-known seeds that flavor foods, such as cardamon, cumin, fenugreek, mustard, poppy and sesame seeds.
Week Two- Roots and Rhizomes
- Although root spices are somewhat rare, we investigate coriander, horseradish, licorice, ginger, turmeric and wasabi.
Week Three –Herbs
- At last! We explore the herbs we see at our favorite stores: basil, bay leaves, cilantro, chives, dill, garlic, mint, oregano, parsley, sage, tarragon, thyme – plus bananas?
Week Four – Fruits and Berries
- Could we live or eat well without these spices? Allspice, caraway, chilis, nutmeg, peppercorns, star anise, vanilla.
Week 5 – Bark and Flowers
- Bark- really?? Think cinnamon buns. Let’s also look at flowers. We get cloves, lavender, lemon grass, rosemary, rose water and saffron from flowers.
Week 6 – Salt
- Although salt is not a plant, it is the most basic seasoning. Surprisingly, all salt comes from seawater.
Elissa Kaplan is the founder and director of Growing Projects, an educational consulting company, whose vision is “leadership through critical thinking and compassionate choices.” She earned a BA in German Language and Literature at Valdosta State College, an MA in Comparative Literature at the University of Colorado, an MEd at the University of North Carolina and an EdD in Educational Leadership from The George Washington University. Elissa has served as Director of Education at four synagogues in Maryland and Connecticut, and she is the immediate Past President of The Jewish Historical Society of Fairfield County.