Merrilees Parker, Padma Lakshmi, Tyler Florence and Peter Gordon travel the world to see how control of the spice trails has made great cities and destroyed ancient civilizations. Our guides travel from the Molucca Islands of Indonesia, the original home of cloves and nutmeg, to the Indian province of Kerala, with its native pepper and cardamom. Leaving behind Sri Lanka's sublime cinnamon, they cross the oceans on Arab dhows, Chinese treasure junks and Portuguese caravels, in search of the world's flavor. Other stops along the trail include Venice, Beirut, Cairo, China, Spain and the Caribbean. Viewers will discover the secret spice blends that define the great cuisines of the world, including Jamaican jerk seasoning, Indian garam masala, Chinese 5-spice powder and Middle Eastern harissa.
