Grain and its many uses and Religion (file under Hmmmm Beer a la Homer Simpson)

As long as humanity has existed we have looked for ways to seek some respite from the daily grind. Somewhere along the way we figured out that we could take simple ingredients and turn them into a great liquid. BEER!

The importance of beer to our species is almost as important as salt. To put this into perspective. Sumer, one of the great civilizations of the past used as much as 40%, no that is not a mistake, 40% of their grain yield for the production of that glorious liquid. It was so important to Sumerian culture that workers were given a ration of beer according to their station of life. (Speaking of which, if one were to get to say the Saucier station wouldn’t it be a great idea if he got a ration of beer from Chef???) A temple workman would get an allotment of just under two pints a day. Senior dignitaries and very important persons would get up to four times more, or approximately 8 pints a day. This difference led to dignitaries using beer as a form of currency.

As I’ve mentioned before there are a great many similarities between the dawn of civilization and today. One example of this is clearly demonstrated by the similarities between Hammurabi’s Code and the Campaign for Real Beer in 1980. Not to mention the Reinheitsgebot or Bavarian Purity Law which concerned itself with the purity of beer and its sale.

I mention all this because as Reay Tannahill points out the evolution of food is closely related to the evolution of drink. It has become an important part of any meal which is a celebration and indeed even a home meal. I myself have been known to drink a pint or twenty.

Now moving away from the use of grain for beer to something far more important to us as a means of survival. Bread! As long ago as the formation of Egypt and soon there after the nobles of Egypt had at their disposal more than 40 kinds of breads and pastries. When I first discovered this I was quite shocked but when I thought about the development of civilization it made a lot of sense to me. After all bread is relatively easy to make and is a good source of energy and whats more it fills the stomach quickly.

These two facts bring me to my next point. There is a direct correlation between the development of religion and food laws. When we think about it we can look today to Kosher or Halal and realize that their historical importance is much more than some arbitrary determination by some ivory temple sitting fat cat. At first these laws were designed to limit disease and sickness but, in my own opinion, as food handling and safety has improved their relevance is greatly diminished. Again I stress that this is my opinion and is based on my research and I do not pass judgment on food regulations and laws as required by certain religious sects. However, I do believe that these laws over the course of history have done more to isolate and promote persecution by allowing through food the immediate identification of your religion. Moreover, as far back as 3000 BC in the Tigris and Euphrates and Nile Valleys the diet was adapted to a centralized and farming based system which led directly to the development of despotism. Can you say Yes Pharaoh?

Once money was introduced around 625 BC it did not take long before there was a discernable difference between what the various segments of society were eating. Prior to the development of money allow there was a difference in the social order, i.e. classes, the food they all ate was relatively similar. But by the 5th century BC there was a distinct class of poor people and the diet was as such affected. Prior to this time it was the quantity and not the quality of food that was affected. This reality led, at least in part, to the development by Rome, of the first social welfare system related to food. The Annoma was established to distribute bread to relieve poverty within the city.

As I have alluded to before the ceremony and celebration of political eating had more to do with symbolism than it did with the actual meal. According to Apicius the proper etiquette for a Roman dinner party demanded that there be 9 people sitting at a table together. I’m not quite sure why the number nine but I would like to figure it out. Anyone out there know?

So we’ve worked our way up to the Spice Trade now and this is where food begins to get real interesting as you’ll find out in my next post.

An old Egyptian proverb states; “Do not cease to drink beer, to eat, to intoxicate thyself, to make love, and to celebrate the good days.” Think about it. Why would they say that?

At any rate I hope you are dreaming big and inspired.

A la prochaine

SDM