• BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca
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    5 months ago

    Fermented foods are where I get confused. Who thought it was a good idea to eat cabbage that they left in a sealed pot for a few months.

    I’m assuming someone got desperate.

    Foods that are poisonous if not cooked also… Various types of beans, Cassava, etc.

    • ccunning@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      It’s really easy to imagine it happening in a time before refrigeration.

      Fermentation can happen quite fast, especially in warmer climates. My wife ferments mustard greens (similar to sauerkraut) for only a day or two depending on the temperature. It’s easy to imagine someone concluding “if a day tastes this good, I wonder what 5 days tastes like?”. And so on until they eventually recognize the preservative nature of fermenting.