CULINARY HISTORY

LESSON - 7
“Cooking is the art and science of preparing food
for eating by the application of heat”. The term
also includes the full range of culinary
techniques:
● preparing raw and cooked foods for the table;
final dressing of meats, fish, and fowl;
● cleaning and cutting fruits and vegetables;
preparing salads;
● garnishing dishes;
● decorating desserts;
● and planning meals.
Why do we study the history of the culinary arts?
There are many different benefits you can get from studying the
history of the culinary arts and the history of French cuisine. Some of
the reasons to study history at a culinary arts school include:

● Understanding past developments in

the field.
● Predicting future developments and
trends.
● Knowing why certain foods
are popular or why certain
techniques are used.

● Increasing your understanding of the

whole field, and adding context to your
practical skills.
● Gaining a good foundation from which
to build and innovate your own dishes
● Having a good insight into human history and culture
● Helping you be aware of and appreciate diversity
● Learning the societal and cultural significance of food
 A few years ago, I read a story in National Geographic titled
“Who Invented the First Modern Restaurant?”

Unsurprisingly, it was a Parisian chef known as Mr. Boulanger. His

infamous dish of sheeps feet simmering in white sauce caught the
attention of the growing French upper and middle class.
Mr. Boulanger convinced them for the first time to leave their own
personal kitchens and venture to this new form of dining called a
“restaurant”; the French verb restaurer, meaning “to restore or
refresh.”. This kicked off a 250 year-old tradition of dining out,
which we now know encompasses bistros in Paris to burgers in
America. There are restaurants on every street corner, in every town.
PREHISTORIC TIMES -
WAYS OF COOKING
Food Evolution - Prehistoric
● Cooking was essential to our becoming human and was the first
major food revolution.
● Cooking involves the development of ritual, and a more complex
social organization results from regular cooking with fire.
● Many foods, including meat, starches, and wild grasses, were made
more digestible (or digestible for the first time) with the advent of
cooking with fire.
● Cooking also kills pathogens in food, so those who cooked survived
at greater rates than those who didn’t—a real evolutionary
advantage over all other animals
In fact, even before pottery and metallurgy, a core repertoire of
cooking methods had already come into use.

Roasting
Filling a pit with stones
and covering it with
leaves and earth.
Filling a basket with water and hot stones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydu0r9UVPHU

Using a hot stone as a griddle.

Filling a stone-lined
pit (below the water
table) with water
and hot rocks or
smeared with clay
and fired.
Placing food on a wooden rack over hot coals in a pit (barbequing)
PREHISTORIC TIMES -
UTENSILS
(Painting by Nola Davis, courtesy Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department and the Lubbock Lake Landmark.)
MANO & METATE
Holding a long wooden
pestle, a Caddo Indian
woman processes foods
inside a wooden
mortar.
● Just as we use blenders,
Cuisinarts, and other food
processors today, Indians used a
variety of tools to prepare their
foods for cooking.
● Made of stone or wood, these
simple tools required a lot of
human energy to power them, in
order to crush, pound, and grind
the thousands of hard seeds,
grains, or nuts needed to make
flour or meal.
● Mortars and pestles may have been
the first such tools used by prehistoric
peoples.
● A mortar is the "bowl" part of the
tool, where the food was placed to be
crushed.
● Mortars could be as simple as a hole
or depression in a flat rock.
● Other mortars were made of a
hollowed-out log.
● To complete this "machine," an instrument called a pestle
was needed, either a long rounded stone or a wooden stick
with a rounded end.
● Many of the wooden mortar and pestles resembled butter
churns.
 INVASIONS THAT
INFLUENCED
FOOD EVOLUTION
● Throughout history, India's culinary landscape has been shaped
by a tapestry of invaders – Persians, Greeks, Mongols, Arabs,
and Europeans – each leaving behind a delectable imprint on
the country's diverse and vibrant gastronomy.
● India possesses a remarkably heterogeneous civilization, and
its culinary traditions are equally diverse.
● The process of making each dish varies based on geographical
area, religion, and culture.
● If we talk about the culinary traditions of India, it has been
significantly shaped by historical events such as foreign
invasions from Persia, Greece, Rome, the Mongol Empire,
Western Asia and more.
● Notably, the arrival of ingredients such as potatoes, a
treasure brought by Portuguese explorers and Arab
traders during the 16th century, stands as an exemplar of
the blend of cultures that stirred India's culinary pot.
● Trade invasions painted a culinary panorama that is both
diverse and mesmerizing.
● Each invasion, be it from the west or the east, lent distinct
flavors and techniques, merging with indigenous culinary
practices to create a symphony of tastes that our palates
enjoy today.
The
British
● The most influential force in the development and
dissemination of Indian food was the British Empire.
● During the period of British colonial rule in India, a multitude of
intricate culinary techniques were introduced to Indian
kitchens.
● Incorporation of various english cooking styles into the menu.
● The practise of grilling on cast iron pans and roasting has been
introduced to us by the British.
● Among the notable British contributions was the infusion of
whisky and tea into the Indian gastronomic landscape,
shaping cultural preferences and social practices.
● The inception of curries combined with rice, which took root
during this era.
● The realm of Anglo-Indian cuisine, epitomized by Raj
cuisine, emerged as a remarkable outcome of this culinary
confluence.
● Innovations like Kedgeree, an interpretation of Indian
Khichdi, as well as various shorbas, were bestowed upon
Indian kitchens by British culinary traditions.
● This marked the advent of soups in Indian culinary repertoire,
with creations like mulligatawny becoming esteemed classics.
● The restaurant culture that emerged from these
establishments during the twentieth century's colonial and
postcolonial migrations spread from Britain to the rest of the
world, including India.
❖ Mulligatawny is a soup which
originated from South Indian
cuisine.
❖ The name originates from the
Tamil words miḷagu, and
thanneer; literally,
"pepper-water".
❖ It is related to the dish rasam.
❖ Main ingredients commonly
include chicken, mutton, and
lentils.
● The arrival of Vasco da Gama in India brought about a
significant transformation in Indian cuisine.
● The introduction of spices, including the widely used
ingredient chilli, can be attributed to Vasco da Gama in 1498.
● In contemporary times, it is increasingly challenging to encounter
a meal that does not incorporate this essential component.
● The legacy of Portuguese influence is perhaps most
pronounced in Goa's culinary landscape.
● The names of dishes themselves bear the imprint of Portuguese culture,
and the distinctive flavors of Goan cuisine—vividly tangy, boldly spicy,
and profoundly aromatic—attest to the interplay of these culinary
heritages.
● Portugal's culinary footprint extends to seafood, where prawns make a
prominent appearance, and meats like pork and beef become regional
delicacies prepared in diverse manners.
● The iconic Vindaloo exemplifies this fusion, with its roots tracing back to
Portuguese mariners who brought meat preserved in wine and garlic to
Goa's shores.
The culinary journey
continues to dessert, where
the Portuguese legacy is
encapsulated in the opulent
Bebinca — a decadent
confection crafted from
luscious layers of
egg-based batter.
Additionally, everyday
sustenance, represented by
bread, assumed a vital
role on Goan breakfast
tables, testifying to the
Portuguese influence.
● Present-day Goan Catholic food is a living evidence to the
lasting influence of Portuguese customs.
● The region's rich cashew resources were significant, since
they allowed for the cultivation of cashew nuts, which played
an important role in the development of regional cuisine.
● Incorporating cashew fruit into the making of feni, a lively
local favourite, is a fascinating example of the innovation that
developed from the intersection of two cultures in the kitchen.
● Feni is alcoholic beverage
locally prepared from
cashew apples whose
strength is 45% above,
exclusively in Goa.
● In the traditional method of
making cashew feni, only
tree ripened cashew apples
that have fallen are picked
and taken for the crush.
● The cashew apples are
de-seeded and then dropped
into the stomping area.
Portuguese Impact on the Cuisine of Bengal
Portuguese introduced a variety of fruits
to their region, including cashew nuts,
tomatoes, pumpkins, pineapples, guavas,
and passion fruits, which were sourced
from the tropical Caribbean islands.
This gastronomic exchange wasn't
confined to Bengal alone; Abida
Rasheed, a celebrity chef specializing in
Malabari cuisine says,“ Being on the
coastline in Malabar, we have seen a
blend of coastal food getting
transformed and coconut milk taking
centerstage in most of the curries. And
then the Mahe territory was a Union
territory, and they had a lot of French
people which gave rise to the fineness
of French cooking.”
The Greeks
● Greece is renowned for its assortment of fresh herbs and the

arrival of Alexander the Great in India in 350 BC marked a

significant event, as it facilitated the introduction of Greek herbs

and spices (oregano, mint, dill, basil, cinnamon, cumin, and

coriander) to the region.

● Greek cuisine is a fusion of culinary traditions from the

Roman Empire and Turkey.

● Indian cuisine experienced a notable infusion of saffron.
● Greek cuisine is also renowned for its assortment of fruits,
cheese, nuts, grains, and oils.
● This has made significant contributions to India's vegetable
diversity, including popular varieties such as aubergine and
zucchini.
● The pan-fried kalhari, originating from Jammu, India,
exhibits a flavour profile reminiscent of the Greek cheese
known as kasseri.
Kalahari Cheese
The Persian
● The Muslims who migrated from western Asia brought with
them a culinary tradition known as Mughlai.
● The emergence of Awadhi cuisine in Lucknow can be
attributed to the invasion of Mughals from Persia into Uttar
Pradesh, during the reign of Nawab Asaf ul Daulah.
● The introduction of sugar cane to Egypt from India is
attributed to the Arabs. The Egyptians were significant in the
development of crystal sugar, which eventually made its way
back to India and became known as misri.
● The tandoor cooking technique has been promoted by Central
Asia. The credit for the creation of leavened bread, specifically
khamiri roti, can also be attributed to the Persians.
● The technique of roasting and slow cooking in stages has been
derived from Indian culinary traditions.
● Pilaf and spices are two examples, among many others, that are
integral to Central Asian cuisine.
● They introduced several new culinary techniques, including the
use of cardamom, mace, nutmeg, and a wide range of nuts
including almonds and pistachios.
● The cooking styles also underwent a transformation with the
introduction of spitfire roasts, leading to the emergence of kebabs
and tandoori dishes.
● The incorporation of milk, cream, nuts, and dried fruits has
contributed to the development of biryanis and pilafs, which
continue to hold significant importance within Indian culture.
● The Mughals favoured meats as their preferred dietary choice, in
contrast to the Aryans who advocated vegetarianism.
The Chinese and Mongolia
● The culinary influences of China and Mongolia have
significantly impacted the cuisine of East India, particularly in
states like Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and
Manipur, which share geographical proximity to these regions.
● The Mongols introduced the concept of hot pots and stews,
altering the cooking landscape.
● The creation of hot pot dishes involves crafting minced meat
dumplings cooked in a flavorful broth.
● Even elements such as sugar and mustard oil have been
influenced by Mongolian culture, enhancing the flavor profile.
● The prevalence of stir-fries in Indian dishes is a testament to this
connection.
 Once the Governor-general Mr Warren Hastings
granted the Chinese the land for setting up a sugar
factory, the first Chinese settlement in India was then
born and Chinese Sugar got introduced into Indian
Tea. Because of its origin in China,
Locals named it “Chini.
The Dutch
● Through Dutch trade routes, Indonesian spices like nutmeg,
cloves, and cinnamon made their way to India.
● Pastries baked in the Dutch style, such as bol, were
incorporated into local desserts.
● The Dutch had a relatively short colonial presence compared to
others, but their impact may be tasted in the varied cuisine of
places like Kerala, where delicacies like Ericheri (Erissery)
recall the region's historical ties to the Netherlands.
● As we descend to the coastal plains, spices and seafood take
center stage, painting a vivid portrait of the land's maritime
traditions. Journeying south, coconut, tamarind, and rice define
the culinary landscape, reflecting the coastal expanse.