This & That, Ceci et Cela

Common Name: Cardamom
Genus Species: Elettaria cardamomum
Family: Zingiberaceae
Origins: Southern India; now also found in Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Cambodia, Tanzania, and El Salvador, etc.

Particularly popular in Middle Eastern countries for flavoring coffee (half of world consumption is attributed to this), in Scandinavian and Baltic countries for baked products, and used throughout Indian, Pakistani, and Persian cuisine. The latter nations also use it as a breath freshener and in fragrance. Oh, and it has been long considered a stimulant and aphrodisiac. Yep, the honourable Cardamom is a spicy all-rounder.

Any coffee drinker would like this. This will also appeal to hardcore unadulterated coffee drinkers who occasionally yearn for a little something but know that a freakin’ caramel-blah-blah latte isn’t it. Agent Morris, our resident Chai Wallah turned me onto this and I’ve become a quick convert, now preferring 3 out of every 5 cups of java I drink to be avec (with) cardamom. Very arousing taste and aroma. Good thing Stahhbucks doesn’t serve this or you might find yourself just wanting to show some love to others in the store. Must be that aphrodisiac quality. However, a smaller coffee chain wanting to get a leg up could successfully offer this providing that the pods are the real deal and freshly ground on premises. Staler, cheaper, powdered substitutes just wouldn’t compare.

MO:

• Although it is available as whole or split pods and loose or ground seeds, it is best to buy the whole pods as it quickly loses flavour when stored in its ground state.

• Use roughly about 1 pod per cup and upgrade quantities with diminishing returns, i.e. a 10-cup or full pot brew would probably require about 6-7 pods, not ten.

• To grind seeds, use a marble or stone mortar and pestle set (wooden or steel ones aren’t heavy enough to grind harder objects as well or quickly). Grind the cardamom with the mortar and pestle and add to ground coffee beans just before brewing. For maximum flavour, don’t just break pods open, grind individual seeds within finely.

• Enjoy black, or with milk and/or sugar to taste.