[Magdalen] Heather Cook

[Jim Guthrie]

I get the impression that although Cumin is an old spice, it was not familiar to
most American palates.

When Albert and I started cooking together after he came from Cuba, he was
absolutely insistent that rice HAD to have enough Cumin in it to make it
yellow.I searched supermarkets large and small, specialty delis, bodegas and the
rest searching for Cumin.

We were in NYC, and I was introducing Albert to Greenwich Village, and saw a
Gourmet Specialty Store on Bleeker street. I went in and asked, mostly on a lark
but also to prove to Albert I was working on it.

Lo and behold,they had a bunch of tiny containers of Cumin on the shelf. Albert
scooped up the guy's entire stock-- maybe about 15 of these little containers
that held maybe two tablespoons each.

And we lived happily ever after.

I have seem Cumin in most supermarket spice depts during the past 20 years or
so, seeming that it has become quite popular in cooling.

Cheers,
Jim

PS I inherited Coriander from my grandmother's rack, but didn't start using it 
until making garam masala for those Indian-spiced recipes and a few 
semi-inventions. I especially like it in a fried eggplant casserole I make from 
time to time