Thirteen Things about Food in History
Food is one of my favorite things. I have this cool book called Food in History by Reay Tannahill, which has all sorts of interesting snippets.
1. Salt was a powerful factor in the world economy. The word ’salary’ is derived from the Roman for ’salt rations’.
2. During the Middle Ages exotic conversation pieces were invented such as live birds in a pie. A pastry coffin was made with a hole in the bottom. Just before the pie was served a number of birds were stuffed through the hole. The pie was cut in front of guests allowing the birds to fly out, much to the delight and pleasure of the dinner guests.
3. The dinner fork was an oddity in most of Europe until the Eighteenth century, Most people carried their own knives and sometimes a spoon. As late as 1897 the British Navy were forbidden to use knives and forks because they were considered prejudicial to discipline and manliness. In America, however, 19th century etiquette manuals were severe about people who ate peas off their knives – with the result that America became a nation of dedicated fork-eaters.
4. Courtesy books decried scratching for fleas and lice. It was okay if it was done surreptitiously but it wasn’t polite to remove fingers from a shared bowl of food to start scratching.
5. Of all the rules of etiquette through the ages, the one against breaking wind has the longest life. A delicate burp was acceptable and sometimes commendable. Farting in public was forbidden to the Chinese as early as the sixth century. It is said the emperor Claudius planned an edict to legitimize the breaking of wind at table after hearing about a man who endangered his health by attempting to restrain himself.
6. Of all the new foodstuffs Columbus found in the Caribbean, maize was to be the most important in later history. When Columbus sighted America, its inhabitants had already developed more than 200 types of maize.
7. Tomatoes made their first appearance as weeds in prehistoric times, but careful cultivation increased yield and varieties. The tomato introduced to Europe in the 16th century may have been an oragne-yellow variety, which would account for it being called a golden apple. Britain didn’t acquire a liking for tomatoes until the 20th century. They were thought to cause gout and to be lacking in nourishment.
8. Potatoes were banned in 1619 Burgundy because it was thought too frequent use of them caused leprosy.
9. The introduction of chocolate, tea and coffee ushered in a new era of relative sobriety. Before they became popular for everyday drinking, most Europeans had to choose between water (unsafe), milk (not a thirst quencher) and wine, ale, beer or cider.
10. If English cooking was a bad as everyone said, it wasn’t because of the lack of cookbooks. The genre was very popular and The English Housewife, published in 1615 was in its eight edition by 1668.
11. Never eat the liver of a polar bear. It contains so much vitamin A that it is toxic to humans.
12. By the 18th century Scots and Irish settlers had introduced whisky distilling into North America. Like their European contemporaries, early Americans had a built-in resistance to water. Of all the drinks to warm 18th century America, rum was the most important. It was estimated by the War of Independence the colonists were downing 24 pints of it per head per year, women and children included.
13. Europeans to New Zealand liked Maori bread, which is a bit like sourdough, and they were fascinated by the Maori’s cooking methods. Where there were thermal springs the food was lowered into the water in baskets or cooked in a hangi. A hangi is a hole dug in the ground. The food is placed into the hole, on heated rocks, and covered over for several hours. This method of cooking still survives to this day. Hangi food has a delicious smoky taste.
Personally, I love the variety of fruits and vegetables that we have available to us these days. I eat lots of both and feel really unhealthy if I miss my fruit and veg. Apart from chocolate is there any food you couldn’t do without?
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