SC - Re: speaking of peanuts...

[CorwynWdwd at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/7/2001 12:20:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
solstice at moscow.com writes:

> Peanuts are african, so surely there were some of them floating around 
> somewhere from 1150- 1603

It's my understanding that peanuts are from Peru originally. They were 
brought to East Africa by the Portuguese, where they eventually spread to 
North America via the slave trade.

On the good side, they WERE known in Europe, as curiosities at least in the 
1500's. I also think I saw a reference to them in Gerard's Herbal, but I 
won't say for sure because I can't lay hands on it at the moment.

> and they are an inexpensive, and
>  here in Idaho, EXOTIC snack food. I'd love to be able to serve them to all 
> those that haven't had 'em

I was told that boiled peanuts seem to be exotic much west of the 
Mississippi, and I sure didn't notice any at flea markets in Colorado. I'm 
sure they feel the lack of them <G>.

Corwyn

We need justice. We need toleration, honesty and moral courage. These are 
modern virtues without which we cannot hope to control the forces science has 
let loose among us. --I.A.R. Wylie