Traditional Maltese
Spices and Herbs
When it comes to distinguishing herbs from spices we tend to confuse which is which. Indeed, while both spices and herbs are derived from plants, each of the two is distinguishable in various ways.
Some maintain that herbs are normally derived from the fleshy green parts of plants, while spices are derived from the roots, stalk, bark, seeds or fruit, very often already dry or dessicated by the harvester. But this is just a broad definition; there are instances when this is not the case.
Some have defined herbs and spices by different criteria. For instance herbs may be those plants that contain a moderately strong pleasant scent. On the other hand, spices would include those dried pieces of plants that contain oils or that produce a distinct sharp tang.
Some plants may actually be termed both as a spice as well as a herb. Take for instance, the fennel plant. This plant has its green leaves harvested and serves as an aromatic herb. The Italians love to consume the leaves raw or else savoured as a condiment with a pasta dish such as penne with cream. Meantime, if the plant becomes parched by the sheer hot temperature, its seeds can be flicked off from its dry twigs and collected to be used for seasoning on a variety of foods such as roast potatoes, fish and meat dishes to spice up the food. These seeds may well be used as herbal infusion – note that the term here is not a spicy infusion but herbal infusion.
Others have provided other definitions to distinguish spices from herbs. For instance, in his book Dangerous Tastes, Andrew Dalby refers to spices as those dried plants that are preserved and traded across geographical distances. On the other hand, he states that herbs are those aromatic plants that are grown at home by gardeners. Such definition may have taken root (pun not intended) by historians when discussing medieval trade across continents, or else, by novelists who conjured romantic images of commercial desert caravans and maritime journeys undertaken to trade exotic spices. So the definition of both herbs and spices may cling, after all, to a semantic rather than to a scientific fact.
Other publications by same author: https://kliemustorja.com/informazzjoni-dwar-pubblikazzjonijiet-ohra-tal-istess-awtur/
Spices have also been traditionally used to maintain the longevity of certain foods which would otherwise rot or else become bland and inedible by time it is consumed. Sure enough, certain foods, such as meats when cured or sun-dried for months require spices to help them achieve a longer shelf life.
Whilst herbs have been traditionally regarded as condiments that go with daily food, often consumed by the poor, spices have been regarded as a commodity that enrich meals served on the tables of the more opulent classes of society. This has been true when taking into consideration those spices that originate in countries afar as these often fetch a higher price.
One must also not forget that both herbs and spices were – and still are – used in medicine as ‘traditional, herbal remedies’. The Maltese term spiżjar, a pharmacist, comes from the Italian speziale, one who dealt in spezie, that is, spices.
In his book, L’Histoire de Malte (1841), Dominique Miège who lived in Malta for several years in the early decades of the 19th century mentions both herbs and spices, some growing wild, while others were cultivated. Miège was quoting the works of the Maltese doctor and naturalist Dr. Stefano Zerafa, Floree Melitensis Thesaurus, which had been compiled between 1827 – 1831:
– caper bush – cloves – coriander – sweet and chili peppers – black garlic / broad leaved leek – anise – wild leek – melissa – rosemary – lavander – sweet marjoram – black mustard – mint – bay laurel – myrtle – parsley – vanilla.
Hereunder are two lists, one of herbs, the other of spices and their usage. Both types of plants or their parts have been traditionally harvested by the Maltese for ages. Some of these grow locally in the wild and therefore have been consumed for hundreds of years. This is evinced by their Semitic name. The more recent plants, that were or are still consumed and have an Italian or English sounding term are often imported.
HERBS
| English & scientific name | Name in Maltese | Uses in cooking or seasoning | Medical uses | Availability |
| FennelAnaethum foeniculum | Bużbież | Meat – fish – roast or boiled potatoes | Good for stomach ailments | Grows in the wild |
| Basil Ocimum basilicum | Ħabaq | Fish and meat dishes | Cultivated locally | |
| Bay leavesLaurus nobilis | Rand | Sauces such as one that goes with rabbit dish | Cultivated in Malta | |
| CamomileMatricaria recutita | Kamumilla | Stomach ailments mental relaxation. Tea infusion | Grows in the wild | |
| CapersCapparis spinosa | Kappar | Fish dishes and bread and bread sanwiches or ftira with tomato paste | Grows in the wild | |
| ChivesAllium schoenoprasum | Kurrat irqieq | Popular with salads | Cultivated locally | |
| GarlicAllium | Tewm | Fried rabbit dish pasta and bruschetta | Good for healthy intestines | Cultivated locally |
| OnionAllium cepa | Basla | Fried or boiled with all sorts of food and sometimes eaten raw | Cultivated locally | |
| MintSc. n. mentha | Nagħniegħ | Very popular with fish dishes and bread snacks, lamb. | Cultivated locally | |
| ParsleySc. n. Petroselinum crispum | Tursin | Very popular with all dishes particularly fish dishes | Cultivated locally | |
| RosemarySc. n. Rosmarinus officinalis | Klin | Many dishes amongst which chicken red neat and fish | Cultivated locally | |
| SageSc. n. Salvia officinalis | Salvja | Meat dishes | Cultivated locally | |
| Sweet marjoramSc. n. Origanum majorana | Merdqux | Good for meat and fish dishes | Cultivated locally | |
| Wild leekSc. n. Allium porrum | Kurrat | Same like onions | Grows in the wild but also cultivated locally |
SPICES
| AniseSc. n. Pimpinella anisum | Ħlewwa | Mixed with sweet dough rings (qagħaq) | Used to grow in the wild – now imported | |
| Cinnamon | Kannella | Apple pie Christmas cake | Imported | |
| ClovesSyzygium aromaticum | Msiemer tal-qronfol | Very popular with foods and as tea infusion | Tooth aches and digestion | Imported |
| CorianderCoriandrum sativum | Kosbor | To spice Maltese sausage | Used to grow in Malta – now imported | |
| Curry (mixture of spices e.g. tumeric | Curry | Very popular to spice various sauces | Imported | |
| Fennel seed Anaethum foeniculum | Bużbież | Used with food of all sorts, such as meats and fish dishes and roast potatoes | Relieves stomach indigestion | Grows in the wild |
| Black mustardSinapis nigra | Mustarda | Meat dishes | Imported | |
| LavanderLavandula angustifolia | Sombor | Very popular as essential oil for relaxation | Used to grow in Malta – now imported | |
| PeprinPapaverum dubium | Żerriegħa tal-peprin | Boiled or roast potatoes | Grows in the wild – but is imported for use. | |
| SesameSesamum indicum | Ġunġlien | Used as condiment with bread-like soft cake (qagħaq) | ImportedImported | |
| Sweet chilli peppersCapsicum annuum | Bżar aħmar | Used to spice all sorts of food | Is grown locally | |
| Wild ThymeThymus capitatus | Sagħtar | Chicken dishes | Antiseptic | Grows wild locally |
The author tackles humour both on the individual level as well as that which was and is presented in the theatre and on screen. The writer draws from many past and present anecdotal episodes and situations to elucidate on the genral state of the Maltese psyche. Humour is a two way style of communication that sizes up the temperament of both the presenter as well as the receiver of humour.
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