[Sca-cooks] More on potatoes and chilies

[Terry Decker]

>Was definitely thinking of you when I started this line of inquiry, Bear
;-)
>
>
>Saint Phlip,

Why, thank you; thank you very much.  Now I have to add the new information
to the Papas and Batatas lecture I'm doing in about 10 days.

I had forgotten about the Manila galleon, which made yearly treasure and
trade runs across the Pacific.  It would have been a major vehicle for
introducing Central American foods into Asia.  I'll leave aside the
arguments for Chinese trade with the Americas in the first half of the 15th
Centuries.

The reason I'm sure white potatoes and sweet potatoes didn't arrive in China
together is geographical.  Sweet potatoes were the common potato in South
and Central America.  White potatoes were a high altitude replacement crop
for maize limited to the Andean highlands and do not appear to have been
used outside of the region.  Europeans had sweet potatoes for almost 50
years before the first European expedition into the Andean Highlands.

Now, I have some more references to look for.  Thanks.

Bear