The History of Foods from the New World
Imagine tomato soup without tomatoes or chili cheese fries without potatoes. Now, think about going to the movie theater to see a Hollywood feature, but neither popcorn nor chocolate are sold at the refreshment stand. What a flavorless world! Many of the most popular foods in the world have essential ingredients that have their origin in what is known as the New World. These fruits and vegetables weren’t introduced to Europe until the 16th century.
The tomato, for example, was used as an ornamental plant when it arrived for the first time in Europe, because it was thought to be poisonous. Its earliest use in a recipe was published in Italy in the late-17th century. However tomatoes and corn were already the base for (1) dishes across Latin America for many centuries by the time the Spanish (2) colonists arrived there in the late-15th century.
The potato was a (3) staple food for the Incans, who inhabited the Andes region of South America. They (4) dehydrated potatoes to stockpile food supplies. Cacao (the plant that is used to make chocolate) was very important for the Aztecs and the Mayans who lived in what is now known as Mexico. The cacao plant’s seeds were used as money and as a key ingredient in diverse sauces. They also ground up the seeds to make a drink in which they mixed hot water and chili powder. This is similar to our hot chocolate but unsweetened and with a bite.
Avocadoes, guava fruit, papayas, pineapples, and passion fruit (also known as maracuyá in Spanish) are some other examples of fruits that come from the Americas, and that today are known throughout the world. So, the next time you sit down at the table to eat your spaghetti, remember the (5) course the tomatoes in your sauce might have taken, from decorative centerpiece to your plate.
In paragraph 1, why does the author ask the reader to imagine the world without tomatoes, potatoes, corn, or cacao?
