Historical story

“New” Food Habits in the Renaissance:Favorite Vegetables and Fruits

The discovery of America (1492) forever changed the eating habits of Europeans. The “Turkish” pumpkin was among the vegetables that met the most favor of the people

The discovery of America in 1492 , among other things, it forever changed the eating habits of Europeans.

After the feat accomplished by Christopher Columbus , you know, nothing was the same as before, even at the table.

In fact, in the overseas lands, fruits and vegetables were born unknown to us, who immediately attracted the curiosity (and appetite) of the guests.

Therefore, starting from the end of the 15th century, new products began to arrive on our tables. mostly fruit and vegetables , some of which are destined to become an integral part of our diet ( see also https://www.pilloledistoria.it/6354/storia-moderna/lalificazione-nelleuropa-moderna-riso-grano-saraceno-pomodori-peperoncini-bagioli).

Curiously, vegetables destined to later become fundamental in European and, in particular, Italian diets, at first were not successful at all (I will talk about them in a special post) .

As for the fruit and vegetables from America, which immediately found positive feedback, there are the pumpkin "Turkish", the “ eyeless bean ”And corn.

The pumpkin “Turkish” caused such a furore in the Mantuan court of the Gonzaga, to lead then to the birth of the "mythical" tortellini.

The so-called “ eyeless beans” , different from the European variety "with the eye" , immediately became a must of the aristocratic tables.

Only later were they relegated to “food for the poor”.

The corn finally, introduced in Italy by the Spaniards, it found immediate response among the population ( Photo gives: lauramalinverni.wordpress.com).