Category: CULTURAL HISTORY & HERITAGE
Guggal. A fragrance known to the west since Biblical times, with medicinal properties known to Indians for long before that. Shivam Tiwari… read more
Discover a short history of the domestication of the cow and bull in India, from the Aurochs to the Zebu. Aurochs Archaeologists… read more
Discover the use of cow products in history and heritage of traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda and daily life. ETHNOMEDICINE: The use of… read more
Discover cacao in Chichen Itza, the most important archaeological vestige of the Maya-Toltec civilization in Yucatan, Mexico. I am a historian and… read more
The “hoja sagrada” or sacred leaf has enormous significance to Aymara and Quechua people in the Andes. Discover the coca leaf in… read more
Discover the curative use of cocoa among the Maya & Mexica/Aztec of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica, based on reports from the colonial era to… read more
Southamericans chew coca leaves to eradicate hunger, thirst, improve muscle stamina, to counter altitude sickness and oxygen deprivation. The leaf is also… read more
Potatoes are stem tubers and considered a starchy vegetable. There are many health benefits to potatoes, they are rich in starch, fiber,… read more
Every part of the palm is useful in one way or another. Coconut’s historical, cultural, and health significance in India, includes its… read more
All parts of the Sacred Fig are used as a medicine for their cooling and healing properties, as part of the Indian… read more
Paraguayans and North Argentinians drink Tereré – cold mate with iced water or fruit juice (orange or lemonade) and herbs such as… read more
Frankincense is the fragrant gum resin obtained from balsam trees (Boswellia), most commonly the tree resin is put on a heat source… read more
Ancient Meso-Americans consumed chocolate in a variety of ways. It could be everything from a ritual potion, to a healing elixir and… read more
Piero Fornasetti Piero Fornasetti (1913-1988) was a prolific designer, painter, sculptor, interior decorator and engraver, creating more than 11.000 items: from trays,… read more
The journey of coffee’s aroma is a sensory adventure that spans continents and cultures, from the fertile soils of the plantations to… read more
For the Incas, as well as for today’s Aymara and Quechua farmers of the Andes, the potato is more then sustenance, it… read more
The unique social fabric of the Italian bar is made by the locals, who meet there, share stories, and traditional coffee rituals.… read more
From the early sixteenth century to the Industrial Revolution, coffee houses spread from the Middle East throughout Europe and grew into important… read more
From Ethiopia and Yemen, the habit of drinking coffee traveled to Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey before becoming a dominant beverage in Europe… read more
It was at the beginning of the 18th century, with the spread of exotic drinks, like, coffee, tea, and chocolate, when refined… read more
The taste for a dark, heavy coffee, drunk out of cups, is obviously much older than the Italian espresso machine itself, and… read more
