SC - Getting people to eat period food

[Siegfried Heydrich]

    Except during time of war, whenever the local authorities were too weak
to keep the roads clear, or were marauding the merchants themselves
(Raubritters). Hitting a load of wool or grain produced some profit, but
tagging a spice merchant could get you seriously rich. That's why they
tended to move in caravan with an established route, attending the trade
fairs together. Safety in numbers.
    I once read a translated journal written by a Hansa trade factor, and
you never heard such lamentations about the dangers of the seas, the roads,
the cheating locals, greedy customs officials, etc. It sounded a lot like
trying to get cargo through the Port of Miami.

    Sieggy
>
> << Unless you were lucky enough to
>  be close to a major trading route or port, being able to get spices and
>  exotic ingredients was severely limited,  >>
>
> This is inaccurate except in case of war when supply and trade routes were
> shattered. We are talking an agricultural society in the middle ages.
Their
> entire culture was based on trade in agricultural products and making sure
> trade routes were safe. Wars were fought over just those issues.
>
> Ras