These look like the real deal
Readers may be surprised to discover how many culinary traditions were shaped by political events. Looking at different cuisines can demonstrate how food can reflect power dynamics, cultural exchange, and even insight into conflicts. Between colonialism, protest, and a source of identity, what's on our plates can tell a story bigger than what appears.
How can food tell a story? Click on to learn more.
Many culinary crossovers changed how people eat across the globe, introducing new ingredients that have now become staples in countries’ cuisines.
The European colonization of the Americas, including the transatlantic slave trade, resulted in a mix-match of cuisines. European, Latin, and African cooking traditions shape much of the cuisine that emerged in the United States.
In Europe, the exchange from the Americas resulted in many dietary staples we now strongly associate with countries like Ireland and Italy. In Ireland, for example, potatoes, made their way from Peru. Similarly, tomatoes from Latin America completely transformed Italian cuisine.
Sugar was a significant driver of wealth in the Caribbean colonies. Overwhelmingly produced through the labor of enslaved people, many revolts throughout the 17th century were actually staged on sugar plantations.
Europeans brought wheat, which had made its way there from the Middle East, to the Americas, deeply impacting indigenous diets.
One of the most famous cuisines in the United States comes from Creole and Cajun traditions, mixed with European and African influences. Louisiana’s iconic gumbo dish has its origins in Benin.
Some may associate chili peppers with cuisine like Thai and Indian, but did you know that in the 16th century it was Portuguese traders who brought chili peppers to India?
French colonialism in Southeast Asia also blended together their culinary traditions, particularly in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
The famous Vietnamese sandwich bánh mì is a French baguette filled with pickled vegetables, cilantro, and marinated pork. Sometimes pâté is also included, which also has French origins.
Vietnamese coffee is also a result of colonial fusions. Made using the French drip method, it combines condensed milk with coffee to make a sugary caffeinated treat.
The famous Jamaican patty, a pastry stuffed with spiced meat, came to be following British colonialism in the Caribbean. East Indian spices, in particular, were brought to Jamaica by British traders.
Vindaloo, a typical staple in Indian restaurants, comes from a mix of Portuguese and Goan cuisines. Goa was subjected to Portuguese colonization for over 450 years. The dish is an Indian version of a traditional Portuguese stew. The dish’s name combines the Portuguese words vinho (meaning "wine") and alho (meaning "garlic").
Although pasta may be readily associated with Italy, its origins are actually in China. While it’s not entirely certain, it is said that it was Arab traders who brought pasta westward. Traditionally reserved for the upper class, noodle-making was already a staple in Chinese cuisine before 200 BCE.
Chinese noodles were appropriated by the Japanese during conquest. Ramen noodles were a derivative of Chinese noodles. The Japanese version was developed to have a yellow tint. They were saltier and chewier as well.
The influence of the Chinese noodle didn’t stop at Japan. The iconic stir-friend dish of Pad Thai offers another example of how this ingredient marked different cuisines. Chinese immigrants had brought rice noodles to Thailand, and, in combination with Thai flavors and proteins, Pad Thai became a national dish.
Although sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) is now tied to German cuisine and traditions, the dish originated in China, where it was consumed for its health benefits.
In the United States, Chinese immigrants who came in the 19th century to work in mines brought their culinary traditions with them. Chinese-American cuisine has become a staple throughout the country with dishes like chop suey and General Tso’s chicken (a dish with origins in Taiwan) popularized in the US.
The Silk Road (c. 114 BCE–c. 1450 CE) Eurasian trade routes facilitated the spread of the Chinese noodle to the Mediterranean, but it also introduced fermented dairy, products like yogurt, from Central Asian nomadic tribes to the Middle East and Europe.
Therefore, it might not be surprising to learn that ice cream’s origins aren’t Italian, but Mongolian. The theory is that horsemen took cream on long journeys across the Gobi Desert, sometimes in sub-zero temperatures. As the horses galloped, the cream was shaken and ice cream appeared.
Japanese tempura, a special way to batter and fry products, has its origins in the 16th-century accidental landing of Portuguese sailors on the Japanese island of Tanegashima. A traditional Portuguese dish called peixinhos da horta ("fish of the garden"), consisting of fried green beans, inspired the emergence of tempura in Japan.
While coffee is heavily embedded in the cultures of people throughout the world, its origins are in Ethiopia. From Ethiopia, it made its way to the Arabian Peninsula, and eventually to the Americas and Europe.
Donuts’ history dates back to the first Olympic Games. Loukoumades, balls of fried dough dusted with honey, were viewed as rewards. They made their way through the Ottoman Empire and into Europe. The Dutch brought the treat to the Americas, transforming it into the popular treat of today.
Similarly, cheesecake, a dessert strongly associated with the city of New York, had its origins in Greece. The earliest recipe dates back to 230 CE. A popular treat in the Olympic Games and in weddings, it made its way to Europe via the ancient Romans. Many centuries later, with the invention of cream cheese, the dish transformed into its most popular iteration.
The beloved pizza, strongly associated with Italy, actually derives from manakeesh, a flatbread eaten in the Levant countries. The dish likely made its way to Europe via the Romans, where it was transformed into what we know today as pizza.
Visitors to IKEA have undoubtedly encountered their famed Swedish meatballs. Well, the dish was brought to Sweden via King Charles XII's travels to the Ottoman Empire. It was then adapted to Swedish palates.
Tea, heavily associated with Indian traditions and British cultures, originated in China. European colonialism established tea plantations in different lands, subsequently spreading through trade.
In 1850, Danish bakers went on strike to demand better wages. Bakery owners replaced workers with Austrians who had a knack for making buttery, flaky treats, creating the iconic Danish pastry. Mixing the Austrian baking methods and the original Danish recipe gave life to the famous pastry. The word for the treat in Danish is wienerbrod, which translates to "Vienna bread."
Colonialism and trade routes are the foundation for much of the enduring global culinary diversity we see today. These histories created merged ingredients, techniques, and flavors from different parts of the world. Food serves as a reminder of these histories.
Sources: (BBC) (Smithsonian Magazine) (National Geographic) (UNESCO)
See also: Fascinating photos of street food around the world
Despite their popularity in Britain, Scotch eggs, mistakenly attributed to Scotland, have their origins in the Indian dish nargisi kofta, a dish of minced beef over eggs seasoned with curry. English soldiers brought home the dish in the 19th century.
When food meets politics: cultural mash-ups and historic culinary ties
Conflicts, power dynamics, and cultural exchange
FOOD Curiosities
Readers may be surprised to discover how many culinary traditions were shaped by political events. Looking at different cuisines can demonstrate how food can reflect power dynamics, cultural exchange, and even insight into conflicts. Between colonialism, protest, and a source of identity, what's on our plates can tell a story bigger than what appears.
How can food tell a story? Click on to learn more.