“Turmeric was first used as a dye in ancient times before its culinary and health benefits were discovered.” ~ Agriculture Facts

“Mustard seeds are ground or cracked and mixed with liquids to form a paste. The Romans mixed them with unfermented grape juice (“must”) to make “Burning Must” or “must ard.” ~ Agriculture Facts

“Chinese Five Spice is a blend of five spices (cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns), but gets its name from the five flavors it encompasses: sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty.” ~ Agriculture Facts

“Cloves are unopened, sun-dried flower buds from the tropical clove tree. In Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries, cloves were worth at least their weight in gold, due to the high cost of importing them.” ~ Agriculture Facts

“Christopher Columbus discovered Allspice in Jamaica on one of his voyages to the New World. Spice traders named the tree Allspice because its dried fruit, which looks similar to a peppercorn, had a combination of flavors: clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg.” ~ Agriculture Facts

“Nutmeg contains myristicin, a natural compound that has mind-altering affects if ingested in large doses. However, consuming large amounts of nutmeg can cause illness in most people, and some deaths from nutmeg overdose have been reported. Nutmeg is highly toxic to dogs.” ~ Agriculture Facts

“Ginger comes from the underground stem (called a rhizome) of a flowering plant in the same family as cardamom and turmeric. The rhizomes are sliced, dried, and ground to produce the spice.” ~ Agriculture Facts