[Sca-cooks] peanuts

[Terry Decker]

Iago, you got me curious enough to go chasing peanuts again.

In Christopher Columbus' journal of his first voyage, there is an entry, "y
ay muy lindos cuerpos de mugeres y ellas las primeras q veni an a dar gras
al cielo : y traer quato te nian en especial cosas de comer pan de ajes y
gonca avellanada"

This is translated by Oliver Dunn and James E. Kelley Jr. as "And there are
women with very pretty figures and they [are] the first who came to give
thanks to the heavens and to bring all that the had, especially things to
eat: bread made of yams, and peanuts"

A footnote provides, "1.  (42r35 Gonca avellanada.  The meaning of this
phrase is uncertain.  Jane-Vinegaras (1960) translates it as 'chufa,' a
small tubercule produced by the juncia plant; Morison (1963) says
"nut-colored (or shriveled) quinces"; Alvar (1976, 2:163), referring to Las
Casas's Apologetica Historia identifies it as 'cacahuet', or 'peanut.'"

Since the basic text for the journal is a manuscript version transcribed by
Fray Bartolome de las Casas, there is a strong probability that peanuts were
first encountered by Columbus' first expedition.  While there is no evidence
as to whether or not peanuts returned to Europe on that voyage, it is
possible peanuts arrived in Europe prior to Cortez.

Bear