cardamomo / cardamom (or cardamon)

I love receiving packages. We have a PO box, so, as I bike, or drive, or walk to our ufficio postale (post office), I have time to try and imagine what I will find when I get there. A few days ago, in our little box (casella postale) I found an envelope coming da molto lontano (from far away) that packed a lot of flavor.

Let me backstep a second. Last month, Katie of Thyme for Cooking and Lindsay of Country Girl City Living launched their Seasoned Eatings event. I could not resist the offer of sending and receiving a surprise package. The most amazing thing is that when I opened what I received, it contained a spice I had been meaning to get for a while. I call this simple serendipity (serendipità pura e semplice).

As you may have already guessed from the title, my surprise package contained cardamom, pods of green cardamom, to be precise (baccelli di cardamomo verde), sent to me by Wendy of A Wee Bit of Cooking, who lives in Scotland. She also sent me a delicious recipe for White Chocolate Cardamom Mousse, which I am planning to make after I come back from my Holiday travels. Grazie mille, Wendy (thank you so much, Wendy): you made me really happy with your gift.

Before moving to California, I had never tasted cardamom and only heard about it. In his "On Food and Cooking" Harold McGee provides some interesting pieces of information about cardamom, "the world's third most expensive spice after saffron and vanilla." The cardamom plant, which belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), "is indigenous to the mountains of southwest India, and was grown only there until around 1900. German immigrants then brought it to Guatemala, which is now the largest producer." The seeds I received come, indeed, from Guatemala, a fact that, on opening the envelope, I had immediately noticed. The seed-carrying capsules (capsule) are harvested by hand. On this page, I read that, although it is possible to buy cardamom seeds (semi) and ground cardamom, "it's preferable to use the pods, either removing the seeds and grinding them or grinding the whole pod - quickly done with a pestle and mortar."

Since I really wanted to try and use my newly-received gift (regalo), I decided to make a recipe I had encountered while hosting Weekend Herb blogging #112: Carrot and Cardamom Mash presented by Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. To crush the cardamom pods, I used my recently-purchased mortar and pestle (mortaio e pestello). The result was much appreciated at the dinner table.

You can follow one part of the trail of gifts and recipes here and the other part here.

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Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post: 

cardamomo

or launch the  cardamomo  audio file [mp3].

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Comments

[anna maria]

I love discovering ways of using cardamom in my food, because it has such a wonderful aroma. I have attempted putting it in hot chocolate, but I did not quite achieve the result I hoped for. I will try again.

[lennyl]

Ti lascio i miei più affettuosi auguri di Buon Natale e felice Anno nuovo.
Ciao

[Peter]

I like that you still enjoy riding your bike, even for little errands. It seems too many people use the car even to go visit a neighbor!

As for cardamom, it's a foreign spice to my kitchen but I do enjoy it if foods when dining out.

I'll have to start looking for ways to bring it into my kitchen.

[Katie]

I'm not familiar with cardamom, but I just bought some so I can learn. Love the idea with carrots. Thanks for the info - and isn't it fun when the post box gives pressies!

[Maryann]

What a cool event. I missed it somehow. Maybe next year...

[Laurie Constantino]

I was at the spice store today listening to the woman in front of me buying the ingredients for Chai, including green cardamom pods. It inspired me to go home and make hot buttered rums with cardamom, a drink I learned from an old boyfriend -- it is so good! Then I came to your page and found this discussion of cardamom. Three times in one day -- it must mean something (I think that I need more cardamom in my diet.) Can't wait for the cardamom white chocolate mousse recipe. It sounds wonderful.

[Ulrike aka ostwestwind]

North Germans are not very familar with cardamom, I can't wait for the recipe

[Paz]

I love cardamom. Only discovered it when I started blogging -- about a year and a half ago.

Paz

[Simona]

Ciao Anna Maria. I hope you try again and let us know when you find the right combination.

Tanti auguri anche a te, Lenny.

Hi Peter, I try to leave the car behind as much as possible.

It is fun, Katie and I am looking forward to doing this again, maybe with egg-shaped packages for Easter.

Sorry you missed it, Maryann. I am sure we'll do it again next year.

Hi Laurie: hot buttered rum? That sounds quite interesting. I will definitely make the mousse and write about it.

That's interesting Ulrike.

Hi Paz. That's nice when through blogging we learn about new foods or spices.

[Chris]

I have only used cardamom a couple of times. The first time I bought it was years ago when I tried to emulate a Martha Stewart recipe.

This was a fun event. I can't wait for next year!

[Susan]

Simona, I can easily imagine your constitutional of visiting the P.O. box. It's the little daily routines that mean the most. And the serendipity (and synchronicity
! ) make it that much more special. Nice, nice post. So glad you are enjoying the wonder of cardamom.

[Lori Lynn]

Hi Simona - You have reminded me to make a delicious old recipe - basmati rice with ghee, cashews and cardamom.

Wendy sent such a neat gift. It's a spice that sparks the cooking imagination for sure.

Happy Holidays!

[Simona]

Hi Chris. I agree, it was a lot of fun.

Thanks, Susan. Now I want to use it in other recipes as well.

Hi Lori Lynn. Will you show it to us? I'd love to see it. Happy Holidays to you!

[jann]

I don't have many recipes that call for this spice ~maybe I can track more down. It is such an interesting spice...the gift/spice exchange was great fun!I can just see you riding on your bike to the post office~Good for you!