What was it like before new world produce?

What was pizza, and spaghetti like before tomatoe sauce? And corn?

Things like tomatoes are new world produce. Italian cooking, which embraced the tomatoe, must have been so much different before new world produce made it to the old world!

What new world produce could you not be without?

I think tomato, and peppers.

Not all Sicilian cooking uses tomatoes. Personally I like sliced strips of a chicken beast(s) on a bed of angel hair amid butter and garlic. Some cities utilize their fishing industry. Dishes from Napoli are different from anything else in the entire country.

The subject of pizza is still a debate. Many people believe it is an American rendition, like "chop suey." I wouldn't bark that idea too loudly in some Italian restaurants, however.

Like anything else, food evolves. European chocolate tastes different to me, and I'm not a big fan, actually. I like creamed corn, but French sauces leave me wanting. And as a Milwaukee boy I grew up on Velveeta. Cheese is as common as wallpaper paste in Wisconsin. Even a kid with Wonder Bread, Velveeta and his mom's steam iron can make a toasted cheese sandwich. Don't ask...

Interesting thought Bob. I had not considered it before. So many outstanding dishes use the tomato in particular that chefs must've jumped for joy when shipments came in.

What other vegetables were unique to the New World?

Chcio, I've done a lot and eaten most everything imaginable ... but I've never had a velveta sandwich nor have I made a toasted sandwich with a steam iron.

...we weren't allowed 'hot plates' in our dorm rooms...

Being the *ahem* law abiding citizen that I have always been, I adhered to the letter of the law. The "spirit" of the law is something I always have trouble with. At least that's what some Super Moderators have told me.

The iron was Teflon, bread is cheap and Velveeta melts easily--even with just "harsh language."

I think I was the one with the knife...

The Tourist said:

...we weren't allowed 'hot plates' in our dorm rooms...

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We weren't either. Steam iron and a popcorn popper. You would be amazed at what you can cook in a popcorn popper.

jim_slagle said:

We weren't either. Steam iron and a popcorn popper. You would be amazed at what you can cook in a popcorn popper.

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Like what?

Stews most of the time. The Campus had a lot of pecan trees and there was an abundant supply of squirrels.

Doc said:

What other vegetables were unique to the New World?

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Corn(Maize) is another one.

Before "New" world produce there was meat (id you were rich) gruel and unleavened bread!

And if you were lucky enough to be Scottish, there was Haggis!

Haggis and the word lucky just don't match.

Funny about pasta as I do like it with the typical tomato based sauces my favorite way to eat it is with olive oil, butter, fresh garlic (crushed), basil and a bit of pepper. I top this with cheese and good to go.

Italy didn't get pasta until Marco Polo went to China which is where the noodle originated from. Most foods originally came from China though and spread through the world in to Greece and later into Italy. The Chinese where growing crops long before the Europeans had stopped eating bugs and started cooking their foods.

joec said:

Haggis and the word lucky just don't match.

Funny about pasta as I do like it with the typical tomato based sauces my favorite way to eat it is with olive oil, butter, fresh garlic (crushed), basil and a bit of pepper. I top this with cheese and good to go.

Italy didn't get pasta until Marco Polo went to China which is where the noodle originated from. Most foods originally came from China though and spread through the world in to Greece and later into Italy. The Chinese where growing crops long before the Europeans had stopped eating bugs and started cooking their foods.

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Spaghetti with diced garlic fried in olive oil! YES!