Hospitality: spices that mark them
The cardamom coffee, the cup of chai and the spice that says welcome.
Hospitality is where spice appears as an act of welcome, in a cup of cardamom coffee, a tray of tea with ginger, a plate of nuts with chilli or a pinch of salt shared at the door.
Offering a drink
Arabic coffee, flavoured with cardamom and offered in small cups, is a sign of welcome across the Gulf and Levant. Chai with ginger and cardamom is offered in South Asian homes, and mint tea is the Moroccan greeting.
Offering food
A host who offers spiced food shows generosity. Georgian supra, Ethiopian coffee ceremony and Indian thali meals express hospitality through plenty.
Etiquette
Guests are usually expected to accept at least a little. Say if you have a food restriction, which hosts will usually understand.
Hospitality on EveryMasala
The spices written up so far, best known first.
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 4 moreFennel
The anise-scented seeds and crisp bulb of a Mediterranean perennial herbSeed 路 Anise and liquorice 路 Sweet and mellow
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 4 moreThyme
The dried leaves of a Mediterranean mint-family herb, used to perfume stews and baths alike.Leaf 路 Earthy and deep 路 Warm and sweet-spiced
馃嚠馃嚬 Italy and 2 moreCommon sage
The gray-green leaves of a Mediterranean perennial used in European roasts and traditional remedies.Leaf 路 Herbal and green
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 5 moreRoselle
The deep red calyx of a hibiscus plant, steeped into a tart drink or cooked as a leafy green.Fruit 路 Sour and tart 路 Citrus and bright
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Thyme: Evan-Amos, CC0, source
- Common sage: Kurt St眉ber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Roselle: Bamouzou, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source