For sweet or savory dishes, try cardamom
Pat Ernst Dugan
June 23, 2005
Quiz: Name the world's third most expensive spice. Not vanilla, not saffron but ...

It all started the day I decided to try a new Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp recipe. Call it a chef's reverence for seasonal ingredients. Add to that the fact that with so many recipes in the world, it's hard to make the same one twice.

And so I was led to my spice cupboard in search of cardamom. When I got there, my cardamom was fini. No matter; off I went to the grocery store. And what a surprise I found - ground cardamom in a 1.75-ounce glass jar cost $10.49. A delightful afternoon of research followed, including discovering more recipes that required cardamom, since its aroma and flavor dissipate rather quickly.

A call to Ann Wilder, president and chief executive officer of Vanns Spices (based in Baltimore, Md.) revealed more than a few cardamom curiosities. Until 1981, Ann was a high school art teacher with a passion for cooking and, in particular, Indian cuisine. Dissatisfied with the spices and blends available in her local markets and after visiting Asian and Indian spice markets in New York and Philadelphia, Ann developed several of her own spice blends.

Encouraged by friends, she began to sell them in the Baltimore and the D.C. area to food markets and specialty shops. So successful were they that Ann left teaching and founded Vanns Spices. Today, Vanns sells more than 200 spices and 40 spice blends to consumers, restaurants, specialty and grocery stores.

Ann describes cardamon as "undisciplined and contrary." First, because cardamom grows in moist tropical forests and jungles, dangerous areas that are not very accessible. Most of the world's supply is produced in India, Sri Lanka and Guatemala.

Secondly, harvest is difficult since the cardamom ripens over a three- to five-month period, and each bush must be picked once a week during that period. If not picked on time, the pods burst and the flavorful seeds are lost.

Harvesting requires small hands that can reach into the shrub for the hazelnut-sized, oval-shaped pod. If the pods fall into the picker's hands when touched, they are ripe. Most times, the pickers make camp in the jungle and build fires to dry the pods.

June is the month when the cardamom plant flowers bloom pink. Five months from now, the pods will begin to ripen. The bonus on the $10.49 jar of ground cardamom is a lovely drawing of the flowering plant with pod attached.

Cardamom pairs well with sweet or savory dishes. The Viking traders discovered cardamom, brought it back to the Scandinavian countries and today it is still a favored spice in Danish pastries and breads.

Most of the world's supply, however, is consumed in India for curries and in the Middle East where cardamom flavors stews and famous Arabian coffee.

In addition to ground cardamom, green and white cardamom pods are available. White cardamom pods, preferred by some, are bleached. Wilder suggests including a green cardamom pod when cooking rice for a slightly exotic bend.

Vanns Spices can be ordered by phone at 800/ 583-1693 or online at www.vannsspices.com/. The Web site also has an extensive spice primer for questions about spices when I'm not around.

Try a pinch of cardamom in biscuits and serve topped with sugared raspberries, blackberries and whipped cream. Add cardamom to your favorite coffee cake along with fresh lemon zest to create a real "eye-opener."

For the Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp topping, mix equal amount of oats, flour, brown sugar, and sliced almonds, about 1/3 cup each. Then add a 1/2 teaspoon cardamom and cut in 4 tablespoons of cold butter.

Prepare the filling by combining 5 cups sliced rhubarb, 2 cups halved strawberries, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 tablespoons flour and 2 teaspoons grated orange zest with 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom. Let filling stand 10 minutes while oven is preheating to 375 degrees. Bake in 2-quart oval dish about 45 minutes.

No words do justice to cardamom flavors. Variously described as sweet, rich, spicy, reminiscent of ginger, sharply lemony with woody balsamic notes, you could actually substitute cinnamon and cloves. But then you could also drink jug wine instead of Veuve Clicquot. Vive la difference!

Pat Ernst Dugan is a private chef, educator and food/recipe writer. E-mail her at foodlyyours@aol.com or send comments and questions to be forwarded to: Foodly Yours, Star-Gazette, Attn: Features Department, 201 Baldwin St., P.O. Box 285, Elmira, NY 14902.