Ancient Foods

You may know that the civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean and Middle East did not have potatoes or yams, but did you know they also lacked tomatoes and peppers (capiscum, not the spice Piper nigrum)? Here is a list of some of the foods that are indigenous to the western hemisphere and therefore would probably be inappropriate in a work of historical fiction set in classical antiquity:

• Avocado
• Blueberries
• Cranberry
• Strawberry
• Chokecherry
• Concord grape
• Cactus pear
• Grapefruit
• Guava
• Papaya
• Passion fruit
• Pineapple
• Bell peppers
• Chile peppers
• Pumpkins
• Winter squashes
• Summer squashes
• Tomatillo
• Tomato
• Amaranth
• Corn (maize)
• Quinoa
• Wild rice
• Green beans
• Kidney beans
• Lima beans
• Peanut
• Chocolate
• Sassafras
• Vanilla
• Arrowroot
• Jerusalem artichoke
• Jicama
• Potato
• Sweet Potato
• Black walnut
• Brazil nut
• Hickory nut
• Macadamia
• Pecan

Should a work of fiction be set in the Americas, the list of inappropriate items would, of course, be entirely different. Source: (www.foodmuseum.com/foodlist.htm) Food Museum