[Sca-cooks] capsicums as period

[Terry Decker]

Katzer has a couple of interesting tidbits.  According to the long pepper 
page, the term long pepper was used both for P. longum and the capsicums in 
the 16th Century.  The chile page points out that Spanish pepper (Dutch 
Spaanese peper) derives from introduction by the Spanish.  Thus, if one is 
not cautious about usage at a precise point in time, the long pepper (Piper 
longum) of the Roman Empire becomes the long pepper (Capsicum longum annum 
or just capsicum peppers in general) of the 16th Century and Spanish pepper 
becomes a Roman delicacy.  I haven't found the Victorian "hysterian" who 
made the stretch yet.

Bear



>
> As usual, I can't remember where I saw this, but one of the older and less 
> reliable history-of-cooking books apparently did not know what LONG PEPPER 
> was, and decided that it was chilies.  Well, they're long, right?
>
> Maybe someone else remembers the citation?
>
> Devra (recovered from Pennsic and eager to push books again...)