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Sugar and spice and all things nice

20 October 2008

What are little boys made of, made of?
What are little boys made of?
Frogs and snails and puppy-dogs' tails;
That's what little boys are made of.

What are little girls made of, made of?
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and Spice and all things nice,
That's what little girls are made of.

So declares my battered "Baby's Mother Goose" book of Nursery Rhymes which I have kept since I was a baby! The picture shows a cheeky little boy with a toy gun in a holster and a couple of mischievous puppies on leads. The little girl depicted is plump with rosy cheeks, a straw hat and a pink dress. She sits on a chair with a spoon in her hand, about to tuck into a gooey pudding topped with a big blob of cream and a cherry. Yum! Unfortunately nowadays fattening puddings are not considered to be ideal gifts for her.

The book also features Miss Muffet, Mary Mary Quite Contrary and the Little Girl with the Curl who was sometimes good and sometimes horrid. These were the role models of my infancy. In those days, toy guns were considered suitable gifts for him but not suitable gifts for her. Acceptable gifts for her were dolls or domestic toys. Gifts for her also included such books with rhymes reminding her to be good and sweet and depicting little girls in dresses with full skirts, big sashes and frilly aprons.

Sugar is available in several different forms. It all comes from the same source (sugar beet or sugar cane) but whether it is white, light or dark brown depends on how much molasses (a strong black syrup) has been removed. Granulated is standard "table" sugar, caster is finer so blends better when making cakes, icing sugar is finer still.

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, it will also cool your mouth after a hot curry or keep cut flowers fresh for longer. A pinch of sugar on the tongue can even stop hiccups.

Whether or not she takes sugar in her tea or coffee, good ideas for gifts for her might include a personalised mug stating her name and hot drink specifications. If she's watching her figure she can enjoy the appearance and aroma of fairy cakes minus the calories with Naughty but Nice Tea Lights. And she doesn't have to have a sweet tooth to appreciate a Sweetheart Trinket Box.

Pepper is one of the most familiar spices in UK homes and is sometimes called 'King of spices'. In can be added to any savoury dish during cooking or at the table. It can also bring out the flavour of strawberries if combined with balsamic vinegar. Pepper is said to increase appetite so might be best avoided if you are trying to lose weight! In Medieval times, peppercorns were used as money which may be how the term "peppercorn rent" (a nominal rent) originated.

Ginger is warming and can help relieve cold symptoms, travel sickness and pregnancy nausea. It is enjoyed in biscuits, cake, sponge puddings and hot drinks. Gingerbread men are believed to have been first sampled by Queen Elizabeth I. Her cook made these tasty gifts for her to represent her courtiers. Ginger is also used in Oriental stir fries and goes well with carrots and with chicken.

Cinnamon is best grown near the sea. It can be used to flavour apple pies, rice puddings, mulled wine, warm milk, coffee or hot chocolate. It is delicious with sugar on buttered toast, browned under the grill. It can also be added to chilli concarne.

Nutmeg has a hard shell and a fleshy outer fruit which can be used to make jam. Ground nutmeg can be sprinkled over rice pudding prior to baking or a pinch can be added to vegetables such as spinach and carrots or to Bolognaise or Lasagne meat sauces. In the 18th century Nutmeg was used as a treatment for all sorts of ailments. But beware! Too much nutmeg can cause hallucinations.



Chillies come in over 200 varieties and are sometimes confused with peppers. It is the presence of capsaicin which makes them hot. They are a familiar ingredient in Indian, Mexican and Thai cookery. Whereas some things lose their flavour when overcooked, the longer chillies are cooked, the hotter they make a dish.

Allspice is not the same thing as mixed spice but is a specific spice which comes from a dark reddish brown Jamaican pimento berry. It was originally used by the American Indians for preserving meat and fish.

If you're shopping for a spice girl, good gifts for her might include a Hot Stuff Chilli Pocket Garden or an Indian Cookery Course Experience Day. There's also a personalised Christmas Bowl with a gingerbread design
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