Barley Blog

Evidence indicates that barley was domesticated 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent from the plant Hordeum spontaneum. It was one of the first crops of the Neolithic farming communities of the Middle East and helped lead to a sedentary lifestyle.  It was also the basis of one of the first alcoholic drinks developed and was later used as currency. Barley is utilized for many purposes including animal feed, human consumption, and malting. The crop can be given to livestock and acts as a good source of protein. Barley can also be turned into flour and be used for eating. Barley water has been used for various medicinal purposes, including lowering cholesterol. Today it is the fourth largest grain in the world.

http://www.bh24.co.zw/barley-production-set-to-decline/

And one of the most important and influential uses of barley is for the business of beer. The earliest brewing was in Mesopotamia and began with barley bread from sprouted grains. The process of making barley malt begins by soaking the whole barley seeds for several days until they sprout. During this time, the proteins in the bran become converted into enzymes that work to change the starches into sugars. Hops are added for the familiar beer flavor.

http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/outdoor/carlsberg-beer-banana-9310855/

Barley is one of the few ingredients that the Carlsberg Group uses for beer brewing. The Carlsberg Laboratory prides themselves on the quality of their barley, as it is central for the quality of the beer. The company does not genetically modify their crops, which I found very interesting. Instead, they chemically treat the barley to identify advantageous traits in mutants and different varieties of barley. Carlsberg focuses on researching varieties with low energy and water requirements during the malting and brewing process. I was truly impressed with the lab’s innovative brewing techniques and beer production. And at the end of the day we learned that, without barley, there would be no beer!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlsberg_Laboratory#mediaviewer/File:Carlsberg_Laboratory.jpg

interesting facts on barley plus recipes!

http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch410.html

Today the word “spice” is thrown in everyday life without a second thought. However, its paramount effect on world history should not be overlooked. Originally, Arabs had a strong hold on the spice trade that endured through the Middle Ages, but it wasn’t long until Europe tried to get their hands on it. The Romans began voyages from Egypt to India making Alexandria the most lucrative commercial center of the world in 80 BC. Spices such as cinnamon, pepper, saffron, and cloves became a part of the markets in the Greek and Roman empires. Although this weakened the Arab hold on the spice trade, it had not broken it.

The spice trade opened up an era of European imperialism in the eastern part of the world. For decades, sailors had tried to reach the Indies with very little success. Luckily, in 1498, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed on the Malabar Coast – a pepper haven. This discovery tremendously improved the economy of the Portuguese Empire, which previously was built on trade along the northern and coastal West Africa. More and more Portuguese ships infringed upon the Arab-Venetian trade monopoly, helping the Portuguese dominate this trade for years. Lisbon flourished as a place of wealth and fame and Portugal became a long lasting colonial empire in Asia.

http://18explorers.tripod.com/Vasco%20Da%20Gama.htm

http://www.keralacafe.com/all_about_kerala/index2.html

The spice market fostered dirty competition between the European empires for several years. Soon enough, another monarchy wanted to get their share of the trade – the Dutch. They captured business from the Portuguese, in turn enabling Amsterdam to become an important center for spices. Now it was Britain’s turn to get involved. The British had won many colonial wars solely for spices, which caused London to prosper. Thus, it is evident that today’s major cities gained their power and dominance as a result of the spice trade. The European discovery of the sea routes, conquest of the spices countries, and final payments to the Arabs allowed for the commercial and colonial expansion in Europe. The Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and British powers all set war on one another just to be able to control the native populations of spice suppliers. This rage continued through the 16^th century, a time when cloves, pepper, and nutmeg dominated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_culinary_herbs_and_spices

Check this link out!

http://www.economist.com/node/179810