Evolution Of Food

[Prudie]

I was wondering tonight while eating asparagus how did we find out that you can eat asparagus when it's shooting but not daffodils, that you eat carrot roots but not cabbage or rose roots, that egg white will whisk up, that flour and butter will thicken things etc etc. The list is endless. Was it trial and error? Did people die along the way finding out if things are poisonous?

[Old_Geezer]

Pretty much trial & error. Of course once edible plantlife is known the farmers can guide evolution by planting that they consider the best of the present generation.

[sunny-dave]

How the dickens did anyone ever discover that rhubarb was edible - poisonous leaves and shoots that require aquote[ lot ] of sugar to make them palatable.

I love the stuff, but have often wondered 'who first tried that then'.

[Sycamore3House]

It has always fascinated me how someone discovered milk from an animal was good for us and also how an egg was edible.

[humbersloop]

often wondered Prudie, though I think it might have something to do with saying to the kids "here, try this" ;)

although it does seem to have helped

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8543906.stm

[Prudie]

Interesting link humber and rhubarab and eggs are good examples, we eat millions of chicken eggs but why chickens? Anyone fancy a buzzard egg on toast? Probably not.

[humbersloop]

oh, I think any eggs would do, buzzards included

[tonyav]

Who ever invented Marmite should be taken out and shot.

[Prudie]

And gave us that ball of soil called beetroot

[Mosaic]

and when they discovered milk, what did they think they were doing to the cow / sheep / goat in question?

[humbersloop]

beetroot is wonderful, marmite the invention of culinary genius

[tonyav]

marmite the invention of culinary genius

Wot, probably some bloody hippy.

[Tilly2]

Prudie, this is an interesting post. I have often thought the same thing myself. Whoever thought that bacon and eggs would be such a lovely combination?

[humbersloop]

^^some bloody hippy who's palate was untrammelled by hanging around greasy spoons on a Lambretta, yes, soul boy

[tonyav]

Doh.

[tonyav]

Wonder what people ate before potatoes were discovered.

[EDDIE51]

Tapioca ( cassava) is the one that gets me wondering, unless the long difficult preparation is absolutly correct it is poisionous and can cause acute cyanide poisoning
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava
How did anyone ever get to eat that and live?

[Tilly2]

Turnips.

[tonyav]

Did they.

[humbersloop]

bread tony, lots of it

[Tilly2]

Yes, Yont, and carrots.