Christopher Columbus’s expeditions to the Americas brought tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, beans, squash and maize to Europe, but what about the other way? What crops grew in Europe that Native Americans didn’t have? And what crops were present on both sides at that time?
Jonathan Wallace
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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There are indeed a number of highly important crops grown in the Americas that were introduced by European settlers. These include oranges and other citrus fruits, bananas, apples, almonds, onions, wheat and rice.
European settlers also introduced all the main species of agricultural livestock now reared in North America, such as cattle, sheep, domesticated pigs and horses.
Jackie French
Araluen Valley, New South Wales, Australia
A major change was that wheat became the primary grain instead of amaranth.
is thought to have been domesticated in Central and South America, and was the and other civilisations. However, the Catholic church insisted that the host – the communion bread – could only be made from wheat and outlawed grain amaranth, which had not only been a staple food, but was also used in religious ceremonies. Amaranth is hardier and more productive than wheat, but only recently has it been possible to harvest it with machinery, rather than by hand.
The invaders also brought melons, lettuce, cabbages, kale, beef and dairy products like cheese and butter, plus domestic pigs. Wild boar had been present in the Americas before, but the new, fatter pig breeds meant lard could be collected, and so recipes that involved frying, like refried beans, could be developed.
Chickpeas were introduced from the Middle East by Europeans, as were walnuts and almonds. Domesticated chickens used for meat and eggs, however, seem to have been present on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean before the time of Columbus. Araucana hens, which lay green-blue shelled eggs, are thought to originate in Chile.
Spices like cinnamon, cloves, coriander and oregano seem to have arrived via Christian missionaries, and cinnamon was soon added to flavour chocolate drinks (chocolate was only consumed by royalty in the Americas pre-invasion).
Grape cultivation was initially banned to keep wine as an import from Spain. Other imports were beer, garlic, bay leaves – where do we stop? The pre-invasion South American diet changed drastically, as did recipes. But many native foods, such as maize, the herb epazote and the many varieties of chillies, squash, beans, avocado and chocolate, are still a major part of South American cuisine.
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