Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange refers to the exchange of diseases, ideas, food crops, and populations between the New World (the Americas) in the Western Hemisphere, and the Old World (Afro-Eurasia) in the Eastern Hemisphere, in the late 15th and following centuries.[1] The term was coined by Alfred W. Crosby, an American historian at the University of Texas at Austin. His 1972 book The Columbian Exchange, and subsequent volumes within the same decade cemented the term in the popular imagination.[2] It is however, critically important to remember that the Columbian Exchange was not an exchange of foods.To quote Rachel Lauden
Pigs went to Mexico, dry-cured hams did not. Maize went to Europe, but treating maize with alkali did not. Chiles made it round the world, but pureed chile sauces did not either.
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Within the context of Asturian gastronomy, the Columbian Exchange stands out as the largest event in the history of eating. The impact it has had is nothing less than seismic.
Notable "new world" food stuffs entered Asturian cooking in the three centuries following the Columbus expeditions. None of these staple Asturian ingredients were available prior to the Exchange.[4]
Asturian Crops From the Columbian Exchange
| Latin | English | Asturian | Castilian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zea mays | Corn | ||
| Phaseolus vulgaris | Pinto Beans | Fabes pintas | frijoles pintas |
| Phaseolus lunatus | Lima Beans | garrafón | |
| Phaseolus vulgaris | Green Beans | Fabes de granxa | |
| Phaseolus vulgaris | Kidney Beans | ||
| Pleurotus eryngii | Oyster Mushroom | Seta de cardo | |
| Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus | Blueberry | Arando | Arandano |
| Capsicum annuum sect. Grossum | Bell Pepper | Pimientu | Pimiento |
| Capsicum frutescen / chinense | Chili Pepper | Pimientu | Pimiento |
| Cucurbita moschata | Butternut Squash | ||
| Cucurbita pepo var. pepo | Pumpkin | ||
| Cucurbita pepo var. cylindrica | Zucchini | ||
| Solanum tuberosum | Potato | Pataca | patata / papa |
| Fragaria × ananassa | Strawberry | Fresón | Fresa |
| Solanum lycopersicum | Tomato | tomate | tomate |
- ↑ Nunn, Nathan, and Nancy Qian. “The Columbian Exchange: A History of Disease, Food, and Ideas.” The Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 24, no. 2, 2010, pp. 163–88. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.24.2.163.
- ↑ Crosby, Alfred W. The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492. 30th anniversary ed, Praeger, 2003.
- ↑ Laudan, Rachel. “Why Didn’t the Spanish Dry-Cure Ham in Mexico?" - Rachel Laudan.” Rachel Laudan, 7 Mar. 2023, www.rachellaudan.com/2023/03/why-didnt-the-spanish-dry-cure-ham-in-mexico.html.
- ↑ Civitello, Linda. Cuisine and Culture: A History of Food and People. 2nd ed, pp 129. John Wiley, 2007.
