Italian or Asian Food?
It is interesting to me that most foods associated w/ Italy actually come from China and India. Has anyone noticed this?
Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil, black pepper are all staple foods of Italy, but they are all originally from India or parts of China. My Italian friend was shocked to find out that tomatoes are not from the Mediterranean region.
Even the iconic orange trees in Sicily are not indigenous. Citrus fruits are from India and China!
Isn't it strange to think that these ingredients are not considered exotic, but eating out at an authentic Chinese, Thai or Indian restaurant is.
Most of these foods were introduced to this region in the 1500s. That is pretty recent when placed in context- Garlic has been cultivated for 7000 years in central Asia.
If anything, these foods should be associated with Asian nations. Isn't that odd? It's a bit jarring to think about how many spice brands and iconography slap Italian flags on foods that were never originally Italian. I guess most Americans assume that tomatoes are from Italy, because they are not as exposed to Asian cooking and history.
Granted, Italy is a lot younger of a nation and has seen a lot of cultural exchange due to the Roman empire and trade, so it makes sense that a lot of what's considered Italian food is actually an amalgamation.
How does this shape your perception of cuisine and cultural exchange?