You would never have guessed.

If you were some ancient explorer who happened across peppercorn, you would never guess that it could have such a profound impact on the world. Who would? Standing in the jungle next to your newly discovered plant it would be crazy to think that this small spice, with no noticeable pharmaceutical properties, could drive whole empires to war. But, it did.

Among the forces that have shaped the world, the desire for a certain type of pain is surely a strange one. Yet, the desire for the tang of peppercorn caused the Romans to send a fleet of 120 ships to the Malbar Coast of India…annually. Ramesses II was buried with some of it. Wars were fought, countries were conquered.

It was like the oil of ancient times. Something of such value that by producing it you ran the risk of having your country conquered to control it. the Indian town of Goa was once conquered by the Portuguese for the pepper trade. However, unlike many of the extreme sources of oil, Goa has palm trees, warm beaches, and magnificent ocean sunsets.

Today this has created one of the best vacation spots in the world. Not only is Goa a tropical paradise with sparkling beaches, it also has magnificent cuisine. Cuisine that combines Portuguese cooking, incredible access to a huge variety of spices, and a very long tradition of seafaring. Goa’s vindaloos, fish curries, and perfectly spiced potatoes alone are almost worth the trip.

Creative Commons picture by jmsuarez.