Like the relationship between the appearance of cola, pizza and cereal and the process of human industrialization, like what is the basic diet of human beings in different times, like Louis XIV's luxurious dinner and the Manchu-Han banquet in China court, and those exotic foods that have traveled across the ocean ...
Coke, a sparkling drink that is popular all over the world, do you know that coke first appeared as a "medicine"?
That was in 1885, when drinking was forbidden in Atlanta. john pemberton, a pharmacist in the city, was a veteran of the Civil War. He used morphine to relieve pain and suffered from addiction.
Inspired by the Mariani wine which was very popular in the United States at that time, he invented the alcohol-free "French wine coke in pemberton".
This drink contains not only coca wine, but also cola kernels, which are the seeds of cola fruit trees. A year later, he slightly modified the formula and commercialized his preparation under the name "Coca-Cola".
Soon, this preparation gained a firm foothold in the circle like an auspicious drink. 1904, cocaine was removed from the list of ingredients and became a well-known sparkling drink today. To this day, the formula of Coca-Cola is carefully kept secret.
There are also many legendary stories about food that has crossed the ocean in this book.
The discovery and colonization of America brought new elements to the European table, which gradually became the main content of European food.
These conquerors first discovered some foods that they were completely unfamiliar with in America. Then, they brought a large number of newly discovered plants back to Europe, and these plants soon became important raw materials in European dishes.
1492, Christopher Columbus discovered corn in Cuba. Corn spread in Europe from the beginning of16th century. It was found that it could be ground into powder to make corn porridge and corn bread, and it tasted good.
Corn was first widely planted in hot areas such as Portugal, Spain and southern France, and then gradually spread to the whole continent, becoming one of the important staple foods to fill the stomach.
Potatoes from Peru were introduced to Europe around 1570 years ago. Potatoes were first used to feed livestock in Britain, and then introduced to France.
Tomatoes, also discovered by Columbus and brought back by the conquerors, were loved by Italians, who invented a new pizza.
In France, tomatoes were first regarded as poisonous and used as decorations on tables, and then they were welcomed by everyone.
The pineapples discovered by Columbus in Guadeloupe in 1493 were planted in greenhouses in Europe, especially in the Netherlands and Britain. Because they are similar in shape to pine cones, they are also called "pine cones".
The peppers Columbus brought to the Portuguese court after his first trip to America were soon regarded as spices for the poor.
The sugarcane introduced by Columbus from Santo Domingo soon increased the sugar production on a large scale, and before that, sugar was imported from Asia.
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The appearance of all new products had a vital impact on the ideology at that time. They help to enhance the value of items from overseas that are novel or discovered.
In the next century, this influence will be further highlighted.
This popular science book on the history of food fully shows the wonderful history of human diet.
Based on the author's multiple identities and unique perspectives, food is blended with world politics, history and culture. From prehistoric times to the present, and then to the future, the history of food evolution is also the history of human development.