spices

The two flavors are mainstays on nearly every Western dining table, but their dominance was far from inevitable. In fact, their dual reign resulted from a "weird accident of history."

A Ghana-born chocolatier found that many people — even Africans — weren't familiar with the spices and cultures from other parts of the continent. And it is those experiences she seeks to share.

Masala soda comes in many flavors. It's usually sold by street vendors and small shop owners. Indians love this drink so much, that big soda companies are now selling it, too.

Three spices that grow on the island of Zanzibar are so common they might be flavoring your morning cup of coffee. But vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg have very different origins.

Cumin has been popular since the dawn of written history: It's the only English word that can be traced directly back to Sumerian. Since then it has insinuated itself into cuisines around the world.

Afghanistan has an ideal climate for growing saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. But little is exported. Rumi Spice is working with small farmers there to build the U.S. market for it.