SPICE #17 ANSWERS

1 - Vanilla is a spice - True - vanilla beans seed pods from climbing orchids native to Central America and South America.

2 - Ground spices have a longer shelf life than whole spices - False - When a spice is ground, its essential oils are more exposed to air, which makes them lose their aroma and flavor.

3 - Nutmeg and mace come from the same tree - True - Both spices come from the nutmeg tree; mace is the bright red outer covering of the nutmeg seed.

4 - Star anise is a fruit - True - The star-shaped spice comes from an evergreen tree.

5 - Spices most often come from a plant's leaves - False - Spices come from the non-leafy parts of a plant, such as the seeds, bark, roots, berries and fruit.  Herbs come from the plant's leaves.

6 - Allspice is a blend of cinnamon, cloves and black pepper - False - Allspice is a berry from the Jamaican bayberry tree.  It's called allspice for its complex taste, which resembles a mix of spices.

7 - Anise seeds are the same as fennel seeds - False - Both have a similar licorice flavor, but the seeds come from two different plants.

So - how did you do.  I didn't do so well with my answers but I sure did learn a lot.