Spice trade introduced vinegar to India, and Franciscan priests manufactured it from coconut toddy. Indian food, adapted to the European palate, became visible in England by 1811 as exclusive establishments began catering to the tastes of both the curious and those returning from India. Opium was a part of the spice trade and some people involved in the spice trade were driven by opium addiction. Spice trade The spice trade refers to the trade between historical civilizations in Asia, Northeast Africa and Europe. Spices such as cinnamon, cassia, cardamom, ginger, pepper, and turmeric were known and used in antiquity for commerce in
Cassia fistula Cassia fistula Cassia fistula, known as golden rain tree, canafistula, and other names, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. The species is native to the Indian subcontinent and adjacent regions of Southeast Asia. It ranges from eastward throughout India to Myanmar and Thailand and south to Sri Lanka and southern Pakistan. It is the state flower of Kerala in India and of immense importance amongst the Malayali population. It is a popular ornamental plant and is also used in herbal medicine. In ancient Tamil literature, it is called கொன்றை (kondrai) and is closely associated with the Mullai (forest)