Reflection Week 1

This week's readings focuses on the transformation of food culture as a result of the Columbian Exchange. The exchange of commodified goods played a vital role in establishing the agricultural and trade relations between continents. The crops that were introduced to the Old World by the New World provided them with ingredients that exists in their present day 'authentic' dishes. In the tomato case, what was once believed to carry virus was later accepted by the world market for its health benefits. Evidence of the tomato being used in culinary literature and art dated back to mid-17th century. Not only so, it was a key ingredient in many region's dishes, most notably those of Italy. Tracing back the history and origins of tomatoes provides us with an understanding of regional food and national cuisine. The usage of similar ingredients allow for unification, however, the recreation and improvisation of food serves as clear distinctions between different regions, countries, cultures, and social classes. 

It is vital to study to Columbian Exchange in order to grasp how food had impacted the global world. "The Columbian Exchange refers to the exchange of diseases, ideas, food crops, and populations between the New World and Old World following the voyage to the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492" (Qian, Nunn, 163). The Old World gained staple crops such as potatoes and maize, while the soil in the New World proved to be sustainable for high-intensive crops, thus leading to the establishment of sugar and coffee plantations. The Europeans brought Old World diseases to the New World, wiping out most of its inhabitants. The Native American population of the New World had no immunity to their deadly viruses and bacteria such as smallpox, measles, typhus and cholera. Unable to staff the plantations with Native American workers, the New World imported slaves from Africa to grow their crops. The triangular trade route marked the beginning of the rise in agricultural and trade economics as well as great social disruption for the global world.

In The Columbian Exchange, Qian and Nunn notes that tomatoes had originated in South America and was later cultivated by Europeans in Spain, Italy, and France. The authors reference Atonio Latini for being the first to include tomatoes in his culinary cookbook in 1692. David Gentilcore also credits Latini for the first recorded tomato dishes in The History of Tomato in Italy. Before the 17th century, tomatoes were perceived to be a health risk. They had a short preservation life and were expensive to purchase. One could observe social class differences by tracking the tomato consumption patterns. Those who were lower class rarely consumed tomatoes in the early years as it was not as filling as other food products such as wheat bread. Higher class families had the luxury to eat what they wanted, and freely chose from a variety of vegetables. Overtime, botanists and health professionals agree that tomatoes although not rich in calories, were an important source of vitamins A and C. Today, it is widely accepted that tomatoes have antioxidant effects, meaning they protect our cells from free radicals and early aging. 

Pizza has become a globally consumed food. The preparation and presentation may vary depending on countries and regions, however, all pizzas include one main ingredient: tomato sauce. In What they Eat, Matilde Serao describes the process, consumption patterns and expense of a pizza in Naples Italy. Pizza in naples are "rounds of thin, flat, dense dough, burnt on the outside but not cooked all the way through, and laden with nearly raw tomato, garlic, pepper, and oregano: these pizzas, cut p into so many slices to be sold for a soldo" (Serao, 1). Pizza is consumed by both higher and lower class, blurring the lines of social distinctions. Pizza is also one prominent food dish that exists in many of the world's countries. Tomatoes today have become a main condiment to many food dishes. One form of tomatoes are little baby cherry tomatoes or 'heirloom' tomatoes. They are small in comparison and are usually oval shaped and red. These tomatoes could be eaten individually, where as, the originally tomato requires cutting before serving. My first encounter with cherry tomatoes was when I began cooking in college. They were a convenient alternative to large tomatoes because I could easily garnish my salads with them. I found that I also ate cherry tomatoes quicker than regular tomatoes because it took away the hassle of cutting. Since it is difficult to preserve tomatoes, cherry tomatoes were the best alternative in that I ate them quicker with more ease. The rise of tomato consumption around the world serves to show the benefits of agricultural trade since the Columbian Exchange.