There are many spices used today that most of us have never used or even heard of in the average household. However, some of these spices have been used for hundreds of years in other areas of the world. Here is a fine example of such a spice...TURMERIC.
The name turmeric is believed to have come from the Latin "terra merita" which means merit of the earth. Marco Polo was intrigued by the turmeric he found in Southern China: 'There is also a vegetable which has all the properties of true saffron, as well the smell and color, and yet it is not really saffron'. Lightly aromatic, turmeric smells peppery with a slight aroma of oranges and ginger. It tastes pungent, bitter and musky. Turmeric is much revered by Hindus and is associated with fertility. During Hindu wedding ceremonies, a sacred thread dipped in turmeric paste is tied around the bride's neck by the bridegroom. In Malaysia, a paste of turmeric is spread on the mother's abdomen and umbilical cord after childbirth, not only to ward off evil spirits, but also for its medicinal value as turmeric is known to be antiseptic.
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