The Randland Diet = Europe's Diet around 1500?

[Albanus]

This is my first thread. So be gentle

 

What stuck out me about Randland almost from the beginning of TEOTW was the attention given to foodstuff and beverages of the setting , which quickly takes on a European cast before the discovery of the new world.

 

There is no mention of tomatoes, potatoes, corn (maize), chocolate, peanuts, turkeys or anything else from the New World in the daily diet.  The exception is tobacco which is I think is a nod to JRR Tolkien and the Shire.

 

Wheat, barley, and oats are the staples of the diet.

 

The Seanchan have coffee, but they are not native to the Westlands.

 

Also not used in the Westlands are Old World foods and crops not associated with Europeans pre- 1500 like cotton (Aeil only), sugar, black pepper, and pasta.  Yes I am aware that the very rich, in Europe, had access to most of the above by 1500.

 

There is tea, but I think that the tea was made from seeping local leaves and herbs and is not the tea we know today that comes from places like Sri Lanka (Ceylon).

 

There is a new fantasy food stuff introduced called ice peppers.  Ice Peppers are Randland's spicy pepper.

 

Honey is the universal sweetener and is mentioned frequently in nearly every book.  Although on occasions apples are used to make something sweet/or used as a desert.

 

Since cheese is mentioned frequently I assume dairy is a major part of the Westland's diet just like in Europe. 

 

It is chancy drinking water (except from places like the Winespring) so everybody drinks tea or beer or punch or some similar beverage.

 

So here are my questions:

 

1)  Do these basic facts hold true throughout the Westlands? (Leaving out the Seanchan and Aeil)  I think they do.  Can anybody remember a national cuisine that contradicts the above?

 

2) Can anybody point to a named spice used in the Westlands besides Ice Peppers?

 

3) B Sanderson had in at least one scene the ladies putting sugar into their tea instead of honey.  Does everybody agree with me that this was a mistake and should have been changed to honey?

 

4) Cheese is mentioned a lot.  Is there any mention of cream, butter, yogurt or other dairy?  I remember Matt complaining about milking his Da’s cows so they probably drink milk.

 

5) I could have sworn in a latter book RJ briefly mentions a potato as an ingredient in some stew.  I think this was a rare slip on RJ's part.  What do other people think?

 

6) Sanderson came down on the side that peaches were definitely poisonous in Randland rather than rumored to be poisonous or some wild varieties being poisonous.  Was this supported in the text or is this Sanderson's interpretation of the state of the Randland peaches?

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

http://library.tarvalon.net/index.php?title=Food

 

There were taters.

 

I don't think sugar was a mistake. I think it was rare because in cold climates you'd get it from beets or sugar maples, but there may not have been sugar maples. Sugar cane wouldn't be growing up north and trade was iffy.

 

I think peaches as poison was a myth based on the cyanide present in the pits of many stone fruit. Like tomatoes are poison was a myth because they're nightshade and the leaves are poison.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

Oh and there was apparently corn for the aiel. Wheat, oats barley are what would have grown well in the climates of the mainland. Cotton needs heat and wouldn't have been as practical as wool and leather for shepherds, though I'm not sure they didn't home spin some. I never noticed its absence.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

Hmmm no actually RJ and Harriet seem to imply that peaches had evolved to actually be poisonous. Weird. I always assumed that was more misinformation the people of randland had.

[BFG]

Arad Doman seem to serve a more 'Asian' cuisine, slivers of meat and vegetable in a variety of light and dark sauces eaten with sursas, which sound a lot like chopsticks. (Arad Doman food served in Tanchico in TSR)

[Sabio]

Yes Arad Doman seems to have an Asian flair and use susra which seem like chop sticks.  I checked the BWB and  it really doesn't mention much about foods of the land.

 

Olive farms, grain, and livestock in Tear.

Icy peppers from Saldaea

Apples, tabac. wool, and apple bandy from Two Rivers.  In Shadow Rising Rand mentions turnips and cabbage in the Two Rivers.

Illian seems mostly fish

[Niniel]

The Aiel cultured many different vegetables. Zucchini, cucumber and something they called t´mat, which I assumed was tomatoes. 

 

I just read about Nynaeve and Elayne eating strawberries in Amador. They hadn´t eaten it before so I guess it doesn´t grow in Emond´s Field. 

[JenniferL]

http://www.foodtimeline.org

 

This is fun. 

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

 

Dear lord.... So many ... English housewifery for gods sake...

 

I'll see yall in a few years