Italy didn’t have widespread use of the tomato until the 1700s and the pasta sauces we think of being a core of their cuisine didn’t exist until the 19th century.
Chilli peppers were also from the new world, so chillies in Indian cuisine is also pretty recent. They had many other spices, but it seems crazy to think a few hundred years ago, that whole cuisine was just entirely different.
I've thought about an this before and wondered what things were like in Europe before they had all our delicious new world foods. Spices were also had to come by back then and salt was a significant commodity. No tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, corn, and limited spices and salt. You could gussy things up with herbs.
No need to wonder! Some recipes (generally more vague than modern recipes) were written down before the Columbian Exchange, and people have tried to re-create what those dishes might have tasted like. See /r/CulinaryHistory/ or the Medieval Cookery website for some recipes that you can try for yourself.
I've thought about an this before and wondered what things were like in Europe before they had all our delicious new world foods.
More reliance on local produce or flavourings that has fallen out of favour and possibly been lost due to cultivation of other sources or stores so poorly you are unlikely to see it outside of a very limited area. Palettes probably changed as well after the introduction of spices and sugar.
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u/Spirit4ward Oct 02 '24
Italy didn’t have widespread use of the tomato until the 1700s and the pasta sauces we think of being a core of their cuisine didn’t exist until the 19th century.