SC - potatoes

[Stefan li Rous]

Chante asked:
> I have been told by several different people that potatoes are not period,
> but if latkes are period, how can potatoes not be? The Jews have been eating
> them for centuries and they (the Jews) were in all countries. I would really
> like some clarification. Thanks!

The potato question again! Awk! Sorry, Chante. One way to express this is
to look at your statement "Jews have been eating them for centuries". Ok,
let's assume the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. That's for a number
of centuries, but it doesn't include the SCA period. Frankly, I would
doubt the Jews were cooking latkes (at least not out of potatoes) in the
17th century.

For a bit more on the history of the potato, including it's introduction
to the Old World, take a look at some of the comments in this file in
the new FOOD-VEGETABLES section of my Florilegium:
root-veg-msg     (103K) 11/30/99    Medieval and period root vegetables.

I have just gotten a copy of a book on the history of potatoes. After 
I've had a chance to look at it, I'll try to give a more detailed
description and if I think it is any good for our purposes.

- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****
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