An article by Sandra Oliver in Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors describes how fiery pepers and garlic flavors are uncommon in New England cooking but are frequently found in tropical climates. "Why is it that when the Acadians went to Louisiana, they became Cajuns and began cooking food that would have blistered a Nova Scotian tongue" Her hypothesis is that people in tropical climes need to induce sweat. That's pretty specious to me. She doesn't explain why (according to her) people in hot dry climates (deserts) don't eat fiery food, but food with aromatic spices.
Your idea is as good as mine....?
On the topic of peppers, I was surprised to learn some time ago on visit to the Freer Gallery of Asian Art in Washington, DC, that jalapena peppers are not native to Chna (where they appear ubiquitously in cooking.) Jalapenas are native to South America and were exported to China several hundred years ago. What was Chinese cooking like before the advent of peppers?
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