October 1492 Returned to Spain in March gold, turkey, pineapple, tobacco but no spice

Most important event

Domesticated animals muscovy duck turkey guinea pig llamas alpacas No large herd domesticated animals

cornkidney beans peanutslima beans potatoestobacco tomatoessquashes avocadosquinoa pineapplecotton PeppersCacao VanillaNutmeg

Peppers Columbus 1495 Within 50 years spread world Portuguese to piri-piri to Africa from Brazil, around horn of Africa to India thrived, now thought native All species in Africa today

Why so popular? 1.Grow easily 2.Many varieties 3.Maintain heat when dried

3,000 varieties worldwide

Peppers in nightshade family related to tomatoes, potatoes eggplant, tobacco datura, henbane

Chile, chilli, chili Capsaicin indestructible cold, heat, water Vitamin A9x more green pepper Vitamin C 2x more than oranges Potassium Magnesium Antioxidants

Chili peppers Capsaicinoids reduce blood clots dissolves fibrin relieve arthritis (topical) lower cholesterol increase blood flow in vessels release endorphins

Increase immune system decrease inflammation Decrease blood pressure Decrease stomach acid help ulcers Antimicrobial kills salmonella, H. pylori Antiviral stops transcription

Pain killer release neurotransmitter (substance P) Arthritis 3months, 81% relief Nerve pain 50% improvement Shingles Diabetic neuropathy Headaches (nostril)

Wilbur Scoville 1912 Now use liquid chromatography

Pure capsaicin 16 million SHU Pepper spray 5 million SHU Varies soil more sunlight = hotter

Trinidad moruga scorpion 2 million SHUs Carolina reaper 2.2 million SHUs Ghost pepper or naga 1 million SHUs

Uses: flavor smeared on fences hand grenades pepper spray

Red Savina 250,000 Scoville Habanero 100, ,000 SHU Cayenne 30,000-50,000 SHU

Serrano 10,000-25,000 SHU

Jalapeno 2,500-5,000 SHUs Tabasco, paprika 2,500-8,000 SHU

Poblano 1,000-2,000 SHU rellenos

Anaheim 500-2,500 SHUs Pimento, banana Pepperoncini SHU

Pimiento (cherry pepper) Indigenous to Jamaica Major pepper produced in Jamaica Today export $5 million, 1000 metric tons

Used in cheese Sandwich meat Stuffed olives mixed with gelatin, large sheets machine stuffed 1962

Sweet bell peppers 0

Put out the fire! NO WATER Fat milk yogurt ice cream Peanut butter Alcohol beer

Chili powder Actually a mixture of spices Aztecs used similar Developed in Texas 1835

Vanilla 250 active ingredients Foods, perfumes, toothpaste Ice cream Florida, Australia, New Zealand 5.5 million ton of vanilla consumed/yr

Most popular flavor in the world Only edible orchid

Montezuma gifted to Spanish Aztecs gave to Quetzalcoatl at Tenochtitlan Gave Cortez chocolatl ground cacao annatto seeds chile pepper vanilla

Why expensive??? Orchid pollinated by indigenous bees, hummingbirds Seed pods take 6-9 months to mature Hand pollinated if not native soil Dried, wrapped to prevent fermentation Cured in airtight metal boxes

Vanilla planifolia Epiphyte

Commercially grown on bamboo

200 phytonutrients Mainly vanillin cancer influences 64 genes with a role in cancer Sickle cell anemia

Cacao Native to American tropics Small tree, rich soil, lots of water 4 years, harvest until 80 Flower forms on main trunk red pod full of beans fermented, dried Contains caffeine and theobromine

Gift from the gods Originally bitter drink used for ceremonies or added to other dishes NahuatlNahuatl word xocolātl Aphrodisiacs 1900 BC

OlmecVera Cruz Mayan Aztectraded 100 beans worth a canoe 100 beans worth a turkey Pueblo traded with Mesoamerica

Columbus found on 4 th trip did not understand its importance Cortes first to drink1519

1500s added sugar from West Indies Spread throughout Europe Dutchman Casparus van Houten learned to add milk found how to remove fat by hydraulic Press 1828 and make a cake of the chocolate

Dutched chocolate treated with alkaline lighter, sweeter neutral pH can not be used in recipes calling for baking soda Only baking powder

Cadburyboxed chocolates1868 Nestlemilk chocolate1875 Lindtconching (machine)1879 Hersheychoc. Covered carmels 1893

1831 Cadbury planned chocolate factory 1894 Milton Hershey, Penn Hershey’s kisses ,000 products from chocolate

Alkaloids: salsolinol phenylethylamine antidepressant caffeine stimulant theobromine

Pimento tree

Discovered by Columbus 1494 but did not get recognized until 17 th century Only spice native to W. hemisphere Leading industry in Jamaica

Flavors: Jamaican jerk German sauerbraten Scandinavian Pickled herring Cincinnati chile

Medicine Eugenolpain desensitizer (i.e. cloves) Antiviral Antibacterial Analgesic Anesthetic AntifungalAthlete’s foot

Antioxidant 25 active phenols Decrease BP by increase blood flow Russian soldier, 1812, Napolean