Listing description
Aframomum
melegueta is a species in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. This spice,
commonly known as ossame, grains of paradise, Melegueta pepper, alligator pepper, Guinea
grains, fom wisa,
or Guinea pepper, is
obtained from the ground seeds; it imparts a pungent, peppery flavour with hints of citrus.
Detailed description
Although it is native to West Africa, it is also an important cash crop in the Basketo district (Basketo special woreda) of southern Ethiopia.[1]The Pepper Coast (or Grain Coast) is a historical coastal region
named after this commodity.
Uses
Melegueta pepper is commonly used in the cuisines of West and North
Africa, where it has been traditionally imported by caravan routes through the Sahara desert, and whence they were distributed to
Sicily and the rest of Italy. Mentioned by Pliny as "African pepper" but
subsequently forgotten in Europe, they were renamed "grains of
paradise" and became a popular substitute for black
pepper in
Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries.[3][4][5] The Ménagier de Paris recommends it for improving wine that
"smells stale". Through the Middle Ages and into the early modern
period, the theory of the four
humours governed
theorizing about nourishment on the part of doctors, herbalists and druggists:
in this context, John Russell characterized grains of paradise, in The Boke of Nurture as hot and moist.[6]
In 1469, King Afonso V of Portugal granted the monopoly of trade in the Gulf of
Guinea to
Lisbon merchant Fernão Gomes,[7] including the exclusive trade of Aframomum melegueta, then
called "malagueta" pepper - which was granted by 100,000 real-annually
in exchange for exploring 100 miles of the coast of Africa a year for five
years.[8] After Christopher Columbus reached the New World in 1492 and brought
the first samples of Capsicum frutescens, the name malagueta was then
taken to the new chili "pepper".[4] Malagueta, thanks to its low price,
remained popular in Europe even after the Portuguese opened the direct maritime
route to the Spice
Islands around
1500.[9]
The importance of the spice is shown by the designation of the
area from the St. Johns River (present day Buchanan) to Harper in Liberia as
the "Grain Coast" in honor of the availability of grains of paradise.[10] Later, the craze for the spice waned, and
its uses were reduced to a flavoring for sausages and beer. In the 18th
century, its importation to Great Britain collapsed after a Parliamentary act
of George III forbade its use in malt liquor, aqua
vita, and cordials.[11] In 1855, England imported about 15,000 to
19,000 lbs per year legally (duty paid).[10] By 1880, the Encyclopaedia Britannica (9th edition) was reporting,
"Grains of paradise are to some extent used in veterinary
practice, but for the most part illegally to give a fictitious strength
to malt liquors, gin, and cordials".[12]
The presence of the seeds in the diets of lowland
gorillas seems
to have some sort of medicinal properties for their cardiovascular health in
the wild. As captive lowland gorillas have not had them usually available in
their diets, it could be a cause of their occasionally poor cardiovascular
health in zoos.[13][14]
Today, it is sometimes used in gourmet cuisine as a replacement
for pepper, and to give unique flavors in some craft beers, gins, and
Norwegian akvavit. In America, grains of paradise
are starting to enjoy a slight resurgence in popularity due to their use by
some well-known chefs. Alton
Brown is a
fan of its use, and he uses it in okra stew and his apple pie recipe on an episode of
the TV cooking show Good
Eats. They are also used by people on certain diets, such as a raw
food diet, because they are less irritating to digestion than black
pepper.
Properties
In West African folk
medicine, grains of paradise are valued for their warming and digestive properties,
and among the Efik people in
Nigeria have been used for divination and ordeals determining guilt. A. melegueta has been introduced to the Caribbean and Latin America, where it is used in
religious (voodoo) rites.
PRICE
$150.95/KG
OR $68.61/IB
For more information:
mobile: +2348039721941
contact person: emeaba uche
e-mail: emeabau@yahoo.com
website: www.franchiseminerals.com
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