On: In praise of mass-market American tacos

[thaumasiotes]

India was the commercial source of (black) pepper; that's why Columbus' stated aim was to get to India.

Tomatoes, potatoes, and chili ("red pepper") are all New World plants foreign to India.

[bumby → thaumasiotes]

I believe the fact that Columbus thought he was in the Indies was why chiles derived the name of a “pepper” even though they are technically a different taxonomy, correct?

[taeric → bumby]

The names of foods are often... merely suggestive of there culinary use and fairly divorced from their scientific taxonomy. Consider that most of the "nuts" in a container of mixed nuts... aren't nuts.

[bumby → taeric]

Huh. I knew the common peanut was a legume but has no idea most of the other nuts are botanical fruits/drupes. In my container, the only real nut is the hazelnut

[taeric → bumby]

Exactly. And at least peanut has the word pea in the name. :)

Pretty sure the distinction of fruit is ignored often, as well. Coffee is my favorite example. Bean only in shape.