[Sca-cooks] suggestions

[Terry Decker]

> Also, some sweet potato varieties grow all the way up to MA, but I doubt 
> that was true during the LIA, so it's possible that someone in the VA area 
> actually did have sweet potatoes.
>

Since there is record of sweet potatoes being introduced to Virginia, the 
Carolinas, etc. during the 18th Century, the probability they were there 
earlier is minimal.  Since a number of the people involved in the original 
colonization of Virginia knew sweet potatoes and had eaten them on other 
ventures, the fact they didn't mention sweet potatoes being there, suggests 
there weren't any to be had. sheep into the local economy

> Potatoes came from the Andes.  I don't think the *modern* varieties are 
> relevant when looking at where Europeans encountered potatoes.  Since 
> potatoes didn't catch on very quickly, it may very well have taken several 
> Drakes & Raleighs totin' taters for the tuber to take root, so to speak. 
> :)
>

The point is the Chilean subspecies was in existence at the time and capable 
of surviving in a wider range of climates.  The hardiness of the Chilean 
potato made it key in the widespread use of potatoes.

Carolus Clusius is more responsible for the spread of the potato than Drake 
or Raleigh.  And the Royal Society and Antoine Auguste Parmentier are 
certainly more responsible for their adoption as a food crop.

> I'm suspicious of a log entry that talks about 'two very fat sheep' when 
> the natives probably were using alpaca and were probas.
>

You are obviously unfamiliar with the history of colonization on the West 
Coast of the Americas.  The Spanish founded Valparaiso in 1536 and 
introduced sheep and cattle into the area.  Alpacas were primarily a 
highland mainland animal and Drake was on an island at sea level.  I'm also 
fairly certain Drake and his crew could tell sheep from some other critter.

> It's hard to know what Ol' Billy was talking about, since the term 
> 'potato' was used for 'sweet potato' and probably yams, too.
> http://www.bartleby.com/65/po/potato.html
>
>
> Duriel
>

Gee, I always thought yams was yams.  Anyway, Shakespere's usage suggests 
the sweet potato shape rather than that of some other "potato."   Unknown 
tubers that look like potatoes are "bastard potatoes."

BTW, what sources did Bartleby's reference?

Bear