Categories
Food Chemistry

The Chemistry of Ginger – Flavour, Pungency & Medicinal Potential

Ginger is a spice that can be commonly found in supermarkets and in the kitchen, either as the fresh root, or in dried, powdered form. It adds a strong, pungent flavour to dishes as a consequence of a number of chemical compounds it contains; additionally, these compounds are altered when the ginger is cooked or dried, producing […]

Categories
Food Chemistry

Guarding Against Toothache & Premature Ejaculation – The Chemistry of Cloves

Cloves are a spice that you may well have stowed away somewhere in the kitchen; originally from the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, the spice itself comes from the flower buds of the clove tree. It is used to flavour food, imparting a sweet, aromatic flavour, and also one of the common spices used in the […]

Categories
Uncategorized

Chemical Compounds Herb & Spice Labels Now Available for Purchase!

The first batch of chemical compound spice labels are now available from the Etsy site here! Note that this is a different page to the Redbubble page where the site posters are available. I’ve started with a modest batch of 25 sets of herb & spice labels; however, should these prove popular, more will be […]

Categories
Food Chemistry

The Hallucinogen in Your Kitchen – The Chemistry of Nutmeg

When you think of hallucinogens, you probably wouldn’t expect to find one lurking, unbeknownst to you, in your kitchen spice rack. However, the hallucinogenic properties of nutmeg have been known for some time – historical records mention its use as a treatment for problems with the digestive system and the kidneys, and others from as […]

Categories
Food Chemistry

Chemical Compounds in Herbs & Spices

[Now available to purchase as herb/spice jar labels here!] It’s often stated that cooking is much like chemistry, or vice versa. I thought it’d be fun to take that a little further, and look at the major organic compounds present in various different herbs and spices that are frequently used in cooking, so that’s what […]