When we prepare our diner or lunch, we do not usually think about peppermill or vanilla in our ice-cream, but the power of some plants to color, flavor and preserve the delicious tastes, makes them worth more than their weight in gold.
During this summer, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, will be Full of Spice, as it explores the botanical origins of these mystical commodities: from the distant lands in which they grow, to the botanist authenticating them for hundreds of years, stories about them will come to life through a program bursting with flavor, interactive installations and exhibitions. You have the opportunity to come face-to-face with nutmeg, turmeric and tamarind in the steamy Palm House, or chillies, ginger and vanilla orchids in the Princess of Wales Conservatory.
‘Barter’ at the Spice Exchange, a hub of activity created and conceptualized by Wayward. Trade ideas, stories, recipes and remedies at the extraordinary timber pavilion interlaced with thousands of spice jars. Beneath its unique cantilevered roof, the Spice Exchange will house a small exhibition space, garden and library and participatory story exchange.
You should visit the hands on sessions and discover what parts of plants from around the world are used as spices. At a series of talks, performances and workshops, meet the Kew Scientists who continue to authenticate spices.
Spicy Saturdays follow the ancient spice trade routes from East to West. Each event will visit a different world region, featuring speakers, storytellers, performances, food demonstrations and workshops blending history, mythology, travel and cookery. The Spicy Sunday sessions take you on a musical symphony of culture, exploring different parts of the world through one of the best loved mediums.
Book yourself (and a friend!) onto a Cinnamon, Pepper or Cardamom Rickshaw for an immersive, theatrical and yet educational ride around the Gardens. As Kew passes by your guides will take you through the story of the spices you are tasting, giving you astonishing facts and figures about its history and scientific make-up. Your taste buds will be dazzled by the hit of Pepper or soothing Cardamom whilst hearing about how spices have influenced the world we live in
Take part in Rangoli workshops and play your part in contributing to large-scale folk art every weekend (in the Teepees by Climbers and Creepers). Enjoy spiced No.3 gin cocktails at a Pop-up Botanical Bar on weekends by the Palm House Pond and discover the botanical origins of your drink’s ingredients as you sip and swirl.
Why not pop into the Marianne North Gallery to enjoy her botanical illustrations of Pepper, Nutmeg and Cinnamon and see related objects from Kew’s Economic Botany Collection that reveal the process that transforms these plants into spicy powders.
Explore the 12 star spice plants through downloadable podcasts narrated by Kew Experts. Unlock the hidden lives of the treasured spice plants, explore where they originated, how they are cultivated, harvested and processed them, what they’re used for and what compounds make them spicy.
Join the guides for a tour full of spice as they weave the intriguing story of spices through the plants in the Garden. You won’t miss the giant nutmeg, garlic, ginger and 14 metre chilli Inflatables by the Princess of Wales Conservatory: Have a peep inside them and enjoy an unexpected view of their inner workings.
Enter the Spice Mix Supercomputer 2.0 by the Princess of Wales Conservatory and dream up your own unique blend to take home. This mobile creativity machine is designed to blend and record every spice combination on earth. Visitors to the computer see, smell, choose and take home their own spice blends from thousands of combinations.
Try your hand at the Chili Cha-Cha-Cha or Tamarind Tango at the Strictly Spice Dance competition on the lawn in front of the Orangery throughout the summer holidays. Saffron, Clove and Ginger will be working alongside Kew scientists to discover the hidden secrets of spices and to explore how they are grown all around the world today.
Also for the summer holidays, sample a variety of delicious breads at The Dough Kitchen and try your hand at kneading your very own spiced loaf at the Amphitheatre beside the Princess of Wales Conservatory.
No spice festival would be complete without fantastic food and indeed visitors will delight in delectable, spiced dishes and drinks from around the globe in the Orangery and Pavilion restaurants. Every week a different spicy cuisine will be in the mix.
Over the August bank holiday (29,30,31 August) delight your taste buds with a Bangladeshi slow wood fired curry, this is a traditional style of cooking a curry using spices roasted in hot oil and then cooked very slowly over a live wood fire, from Lovedesh. Lovedesh are an organization on a mission to change how the rest of the world sees and experiences some of the poorest countries in the world through food, design and travel.
So transport to exotic climes as you discover the botanical origins of spices throughout Kew Gardens this summer. Whether plant seed, root, bark (or even stigmas – female plant reproductive organs...) find out what makes a spice a spice and learn of the methods used and challenges faced by the people who grow and prepare spices today.
