Ah, caraway…

That’s what I said out loud, and to nobody in particular, as I was finishing this morning’s piece of toasted rye bread. It was the taste of caraway seeds that seemed to be the source of my particular enjoyment of said piece of toast (and the second one which quickly followed it!).

I somehow get the feeling, though, that caraway seeds are not front and centre in many peoples spice racks (am I wrong?). It’s undoubtedly an ancient spice, likely to have been used in the Stone Age, certainly used by the ancient Egyptians, and quite fashionable in Elizabethan and, later, in Victorian times. It’s also pretty popular in traditional German and Eastern European fare, but not really featured much around these parts, guv (except, perhaps, in the odd bit of rye bread from your local Eastern European shop).

Could it be that it has just fallen out of flavour? (sorry, just couldn’t resist that one…!)

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