From Scarcity to Luxury: The History of Dishes Created During Economic Crises

Salad is no longer an available dish on the table of British families, and this picture explains everything. The vegetable shelves seem empty of fresh vegetables in light of the supply chain crisis.

In an attempt to devise solutions to the crisis, British Environment Secretary Therese Coffey called on citizens to eat kale instead of tomatoes and lettuce.

The British minister’s invitation sparked sarcastic comments on social media, but experts say that throughout history economic crises and famines have contributed to creating dishes that keep pace with the scarcity and high cost of some foodstuffs.
Indeed, many of the dishes that are served in fancy restaurants today were associated with the poor when they were created because their ingredients are cheap and available.

Let’s start with pizza, which has turned into a global meal, as its liquid cheese arouses the appetite of the hungry.

The pizza dish in its current form began to take shape in southern Italy in the sixteenth century as a fast food for the poor, as pizza was sold in the streets of Naples.

As for the sushi rolls with attractive colors, which are served in the most luxurious restaurants, they were once food for the poor in Japan. Fishermen used to stuff rice with what they picked up from raw fish from the ocean shores to satisfy their hunger.

and “paella”; The famous Spanish dish that attracts tourists also has a story, dating back to the days of Arab rule in Andalusia. When the princes and wealthy people finished their banquets, they gave the rest of the food to the poor.
Rice was mixed with meat, chicken and various vegetables.

This mixture was appreciated by those who tasted it, even from the well-to-do themselves, so that the paella dish moved again from the tables of the poor to the tables of the rich.