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I recently learned that there was basically no spicy-hot food in the Old World before Columbus. Apparently Indian black pepper, or something called long pepper

I recently learned that there was basically no spicy-hot food in the Old World before Columbus. Apparently Indian black pepper, or something called long pepper which has a little more kick, were the hottest spices around. Can anyone confirm or deny this? The internet seems to agree. It still seems crazy to me.

wazoox 4y ago
Mustard, horseradish are pretty strong, however it's a entirely distinct sensation from chili.
- zikduruqe 4y ago
  "It's not even the same sport" - Jules from Pulp Fiction. /s Allyl isothiocyanateallyl isothiocyanateAllyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is the organosulfur compound with the formula CH2CHCH2NCS that gives horseradish its unique flavor.
FooHentai 4y ago
Mustard was around from the early Romans/Gauls I think, if that counts.
aidenn0 4y ago
I can confirm that chili (and bell) peppers are new-world plants. They got the name "pepper" as an analogy to the main source of spiciness, black-pepper, which is from an old-world plant. In fact I believe the only nightshade used as food in the old-word was the Eggplant, with potatoes and tomatoes also being new-world. So prior to 1492, there was no tomato in Italian food and no chili in Thai food.
- yamtaddle 4y ago
  Potatoes, maize/corn, tomatoes, chile peppers, chocolate. Old-world food was a hell of a lot more boring before the Columbian exchange. It transformed food so much that most of what we think of as "traditional" cuisines in various old-world countries or regions are largely products of the 16th century or later. The exchange also cut the rate and severity of previously-regular famines dramatically, enabling a huge population boom and economic expansion (see: Mann's 1493). Mainly due to maize and potatoes, maize being incredibly efficient on a calories-per-acre basis, and potatoes being stupid-easy to grow almost anywhere, having decent caloric content and not-bad nutrient profile (gotta eat the skin, though) and being easy to store for the medium-term to cover gaps when other crops fail (you just... leave them in the ground)
  - akiselev 4y ago
    > Old-world food was a hell of a lot more boring before the Columbian exchange. Turnips. It was mostly wheat, barley, and rice with a side of turnips. Not the modern turnip that’s been through 20th century breeding for some semblance of flavor, mind, but an “heirloom” variety that is even more boring than turnips are now. The only flavor worth mentioning was in the leafy parts.

wazoox 4y ago

Mustard, horseradish are pretty strong, however it's a entirely distinct sensation from chili.

zikduruqe 4y ago
"It's not even the same sport" - Jules from Pulp Fiction. /s Allyl isothiocyanateallyl isothiocyanateAllyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is the organosulfur compound with the formula CH2CHCH2NCS that gives horseradish its unique flavor.

FooHentai 4y ago

Mustard was around from the early Romans/Gauls I think, if that counts.

aidenn0 4y ago

I can confirm that chili (and bell) peppers are new-world plants. They got the name "pepper" as an analogy to the main source of spiciness, black-pepper, which is from an old-world plant. In fact I believe the only nightshade used as food in the old-word was the Eggplant, with potatoes and tomatoes also being new-world. So prior to 1492, there was no tomato in Italian food and no chili in Thai food.

yamtaddle 4y ago
Potatoes, maize/corn, tomatoes, chile peppers, chocolate. Old-world food was a hell of a lot more boring before the Columbian exchange. It transformed food so much that most of what we think of as "traditional" cuisines in various old-world countries or regions are largely products of the 16th century or later. The exchange also cut the rate and severity of previously-regular famines dramatically, enabling a huge population boom and economic expansion (see: Mann's 1493). Mainly due to maize and potatoes, maize being incredibly efficient on a calories-per-acre basis, and potatoes being stupid-easy to grow almost anywhere, having decent caloric content and not-bad nutrient profile (gotta eat the skin, though) and being easy to store for the medium-term to cover gaps when other crops fail (you just... leave them in the ground)
- akiselev 4y ago
  > Old-world food was a hell of a lot more boring before the Columbian exchange. Turnips. It was mostly wheat, barley, and rice with a side of turnips. Not the modern turnip that’s been through 20th century breeding for some semblance of flavor, mind, but an “heirloom” variety that is even more boring than turnips are now. The only flavor worth mentioning was in the leafy parts.