Up-to-Date Flavors from an Ancient Spice

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One of the oldest and most popular seasonings in the world, cumin has been used since antiquity. It is mentioned in the Bible (in Isaiah and Matthew) and in the writings of Hippocrates and Dioscorides, and has been used historically in foods, beverages, medicines and perfumes.

CUMIN’S ANCIENT ORIGINS

Cumin originated in the Nile River Valley. The ancient Egyptians employed a combination of cumin, myrrh and lotus flowers to treat headaches and used the seeds to flavor fish and meat, aid digestion and as an essential herb in mummifying the dead.

From Egypt, cumin spread to neighboring North Africa, the Mediterranean and east to Asia. The Moors (Muslims of Northwest Africa) introduced the seed to Spain after conquering the country in the eighth century a.d. From there, it spread throughout Europe, to Mexico and eventually to the rest of North America.

SOWING THE SEEDS

Cumin bears slender, branched stems finely divided into long, blue-green linear leaves. Cumin’s white or pink flowers appear as stalked compound umbels (think upside-down umbrellas) with four to six rays, each about 1/3 inch long.

The elliptically shaped seeds possess overlapping oil channels responsible for the seed’s strong odor and pungent taste.

Although the plant prefers hot climates, it will survive as far north as Manitoba, Canada, or Norway, grown under glass in the spring. It thrives in sandy, loamy, well-drained soil.

To grow cumin, plant the seeds in abundance, 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, fairly close together. Plant in blocks rather than rows, so flowering plants can support each other to prevent their heavy seed heads from falling over.

Plant in October or November for an early spring harvest, or in spring for fruits in June or July. Use row covers until all chance of frost has passed. Water well.

Begin harvesting the plants individually as the heads ripen — about 120 days after planting — when the seeds turn brown and dry and crackle when pinched between your thumb and forefinger. Cut off ripe seed heads, hang over a catch cloth and allow the seeds to dry completely. To thresh (remove hulls), beat the seed-filled cloth bags against a hard surface to loosen the outer layer. Sift through a wire mesh hardware cloth to remove the chaff, then store the seeds in an airtight container.