Be careful of what's on the menu.

[Turjan]

The term 'corn' is always used for the most important grain of an area. In German, it means either wheat or rye, depending on the part of the country. In medieval times, it might have meant millet or barley.

Let's not forget sugar.

In Europe, sugar is made from beets. Therefore, no problem, .

 

[S'mon]

Sugar beet is a very recent thing; pre-Colombian Europe didn't have refined sugar, we just had honey, and good* teeth.

*Well, peasant teeth got worn down from all the stone chips in the flour, but tooth decay wasn't common until cane sugar started coming in ca 16th century. Medieval people didn't all have rotten teeth, although Enlightenment mostly people did, funnily enough.

 

[Turjan]

Sugar beet is a very recent thing; pre-Colombian Europe didn't have refined sugar, we just had honey, and good* teeth.

True. It's a very complicated and industrialized process, and before cane sugar was known, nobody had the idea to develop sugar beets from the normal ones.

*Well, peasant teeth got worn down from all the stone chips in the flour, but tooth decay wasn't common until cane sugar started coming in ca 16th century. Medieval people didn't all have rotten teeth, although Enlightenment mostly people did, funnily enough.

Actually, the standard of living and the general state of health for most people was much higher in large parts of the Middle Ages than in the 'Age of Enlightenment'. E.g., it's known for Berlin that a medieval journeyman spent about the same part of his disposable income for food as a modern middle class employee, and they got their weekly visit to the public baths paid. In the 'Age of Enlightenment', bathing got out of fashion .

 

[Hand of Evil]

Most beans also came from the americas too...(there is a fart joke in there somewhere).

Oh, watch out for 'long pork'.

 

[Henrix]

There's planty of beans that are not from the americas. It has always been a staple of most diets.

The first time I realized that americans use corn for maize was when I was reading about the American Civil War, and a large body of soldiers hid in the corn field. Pretty hard to do in a barley field.

 

[Kuld]

The first time I realized that americans use corn for maize was when I was reading about the American Civil War, and a large body of soldiers hid in the corn field. Pretty hard to do in a barley field.

So, I guess you could say that you would be barley hidden

 

[Henry]

It amaizes me wheat some people will do to work in a good corny pun.

Funny thing is, I didn't know that "corn" was a generic term until a week ago, myself, doing a little digging into Ancient Roman culture. And then, I remember that "corned gun powder" has been around for longer than the European presence in the new world, and it sorta fell into place.

 

[Henrix]

Nor is it always generic, my dictionary says that in England it is generally wheat, in Scotland oats, and in the US short for indian corn, i.e maize.

(And in swedish korn is barley, to add to my confusion.)

But the word really is the same as grain, that is fairly generic.

 

[jasper]

I know it a general term for the local stable crop but it is hard to remember sometimes. Especially since some American authors will use the specific crop wheat, oats, etc and others will use corn. While non American use corn as the generic but a few will use the specfic. (Or the editors for the U.S. release change the words)

 

[Turjan]

And in swedish korn is barley, to add to my confusion.

In the northern parts of Europe and in the earlier Middle Ages, barley was the basis of the daily diet, usually in the form of barley gruel. Barley is a little less demanding than wheat as far as the quality of the soil is concerned. It took some time until a common weed in wheat fields, rye, took over the place as main grain in the colder areas of Europe. The rye seeds were co-selected with wheat during the harvesting procedure and simply replaced wheat after cold winters or on sandy soil.