Our bewildering array of ingredients was never seen by
our ancestors.Until recent times each culture had a limited palate of
flavors and textures for cooking, but a phenominal increase in world
trade starting in the 16th century took non-native foods to every corner
of the world - and now high speed transportation brings every corner of
the world to us. Understanding the cultures these ingredients are
associcated with, and learning to use them enriches our lives.
