There's a widespread myth that medieval people used spices to cover up the taste of rotten meat.
The whole story traces back to one book. In 1939, a scientist named J.C. Drummond published The Englishman's Food and suggested that medieval recipes were so heavily spiced because the meat was frequently tainted. No evidence. Just an assumption. One sentence in one book published 85 years ago.
And it has been repeated as fact in classrooms and documentaries ever since. Here is the major problem with it.
The only people who could afford spices in medieval Europe were the wealthy. Pepper from Asia cost roughly ten times what it costs today and saffron ran about 183 pence per pound in 15th century London. Gold was 240 pence per pound. Saffron was nearly as expensive as gold. The idea that someone wealthy enough to buy saffron was also eating rotten meat makes no logical sense.
There's a story about a tang Dynasty empress who didn't allow white pepper into the palace because it was as expensive as gold and they didn't want to be seen as extravagant and lose the mandate of heaven to lord over the people.
Between climate change, WW3, and just stupidity in leadership positions in general, I fear spices will become a luxury again, along with basic food.
Global Museum
Chu 朱
hanktank61