The Spice Nobody Wanted (Unless You Were Poor)

Jon Townsend is an expert in how colonial Americans lived, and especially how they ate. This particular video isn't limited to America, and we won't hear about the Revolutionary War. Back in the 1700s, when spices cost a lot of money (and fueled world conquest), what did poor people enhance their food with? They found a way, with their own herb gardens. In fact, the rich looked down on what the poor folk ate, including the onions, garlic, peppers, and herbs they used to flavor their food. Today, we know that what's good doesn't always have to be imported. I used to think that line in the movie It's a Wonderful Life used "garlic eaters" as an ethnic slur toward Italian immigrants. Well, it may have meant that specifically, but the term was used for many folks who used garlic because they couldn't afford more expensive imported spices. The recipe Jon talks about here sound totally delicious, even if they don't have anything fancy in them. It contains lamb, olive oil, tomatoes, and garlic.