Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination

The Spice Quest: How Medieval Europe's Obsession with Exotic Spices Shaped the Modern World is a captivating and informative book that explores the history, geography, economics, and culinary tastes of medieval Europe.

Author Paul Freedman delves into the surprisingly varied ways that spices were put to use in elaborate medieval cuisine, for the treatment of disease, for the promotion of well-being, and to perfume important ceremonies of the Church.

The book reveals how the demand for spices led to imperial missions that changed world history.

With vivid descriptions and engaging anecdotes, Freedman shows how spices became symbols of beauty, affluence, taste, and grace, driving the engines of commerce and conquest at the dawn of the modern era.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in European economic and social history, as well as those who appreciate the rich cultural heritage of medieval Europe.