Tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes are native to the Americas. That means that before Transatlantic trade, there were no hot peppers in China, no potatoes in Ireland, and not tomatoes in Italy.
Imagine many common Indian dishes without tomatoes or chilis. How about the popular trope of a Native American on horseback? Horses went extinct in the US many thousands of years before Europeans arrived with a different kind. It’s amazing how quickly the cultural exchange happened so long ago.
Tangential fact: syphillis originated in the Americas, likely from llamas. It’s the only instance of a transmittable disease to be imported to the old world.
This also makes me a bit annoyed at the show 'Apothecary Diaries" as it depicts syphillis existing in China in the 700AD
Tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes are native to the Americas. That means that before Transatlantic trade, there were no hot peppers in China, no potatoes in Ireland, and not tomatoes in Italy.
That’s why if you ask someone in Bologna how much tomato to add to your Bolognese they will chase you out of town with a kitchen knife.
What did they use instead?
Tomaytos.
Oh hey is that like the Irish stew with Potaytoes instead of Potahtoes?
Which is weird, considering the dish was only invented in the 19th century, so tomatoes were absolutely available.
Italian cuisine in general has way less tradition that people think.
That’s documented serving. You don’t seriously believe that a slow stew on the basis of meat, wine and misofritto only appeared in the 19th century?
No, but at what point would you start calling it bolognese then? It’s every meat/wine stew from Bologna bolognese?
Imagine many common Indian dishes without tomatoes or chilis. How about the popular trope of a Native American on horseback? Horses went extinct in the US many thousands of years before Europeans arrived with a different kind. It’s amazing how quickly the cultural exchange happened so long ago.
Tangential fact: syphillis originated in the Americas, likely from llamas. It’s the only instance of a transmittable disease to be imported to the old world.
This also makes me a bit annoyed at the show 'Apothecary Diaries" as it depicts syphillis existing in China in the 700AD
They also depict a mushroom that only grows in Japan growing in China but the show is pretty anachronistic overall.
I thought Romans had syphilis and that’s why they were bald
Romans had lead poisoning
Only the rich ones though right?
Not sure, everyone’s water came in lead pipes. The wealthy had more lead though
The wealthy Romans deliberately added lead to their wine to make it sweeter