Anthro of Food exam 3 Flashcards
What are spices, and how are they different from herbs?
Herbs refer to fresh and dried leaves use as flavorings. Spices typically refer to dried seeds, fruit, bark, roots, etc
How have spices from Asia been used by European populations?
Europeans established colonies containing plantations which grew spices, sugar, coffee, tea, tobacco, etc. for European demand
How did consumption patterns of sugar change in Western Europe from the Middle Ages into the 1800s (think cost of it and who were mainly consuming it)?
Plantation production of sugar leads to increase in supply, drop in prices, and increased demand. Sugar enters into the diet of working-class people. Mass Consumption during the 1700s. British factory workers diets become focused on store-bought bread, sweetened tea, jams. Sugar becomes major source of calories, but they are ‘empty calories.
From what parts of the world did _______ originate?
Coffee – East Africa
Tea – Central Asia
Chocolate – Central and South America, tropical lowlands
What is chemically important about these three, and how does coffee, tea, and chocolate physically affect us?
The alkaloids in popular beverages tend to be stimulants and euphoriants. Increased sense of awareness, euphoria, increased tactile senses, feelings of energy, and suppressed hunger.
How does the history of European use of spices (including sugar), coffee, tea, and chocolate reflect the history of colonial expansion, social revolution, and the industrial revolution?
It reflects our strong want for amenities and how far we will go to get them (opium wars, plantations, etc).
How did coffee drinking involve religious concerns in Arabia and in Europe?
Arabia - It raised concerns of if coffee was considered an intoxicant, therefore worth banning like alcohol.
Europe – argued that it was an evil drink Christian wine vs. Islamic coffee. 1605 approved for consumption by Pope Clement VIII
How was coffee important in London business expansion during the 1600s?
In 50 years the amount of coffeehouses surpassed the amount of taverns, over 3000.
How did tea become associated with women and home life in England, while coffee was associated with men away from the home
Men - places where men went for news; political, literary, and scientific discussions; business information and opportunities; mail.
Women – were not primary consumers of coffee so tea was marketed to them, selling dry and carry out tea.
How was cocoa used in ancient Mexico?
It was a drink of the elite for Mayans and other Mesoamerican societies
How did chocolate use change after it was introduced into Europe?
Spanish used as a medicine and elite drink. Chocolate consumption was a middle class exercise, with industrialization and drop in sugar price it became a solid treat and powders could be mixed with water and used in candy.
How is ethanol produced, and what are its effects on humans?
When yeast converts carbohydrates via fermentation, ethanol is produced.
How did beer and wine consumption function in ancient cultures?
East - Wine was a drink of elites, beer was consumed universally.
New world – brewed from many carb sources, used as celebration
What is distillation, and why did distilled drinks become so popular (and so much of a problem) in Europe during the 1600s and 1700s (the Gin Craze in England)?
Distillation is a process used to produced higher alcohol content. Uses many different sources as a mash to produce grain alcohols, rum, and gin. Low cost and high alcohol content led to public intoxication, addiction, and crime.
To temperance advocates, what behaviors and health conditions were associated with drinking and with temperance?
Beer consumption seen as the safe alternative.
