Food - Drink
The Food Galileo Had On His Grocery List
By MATTHEW SPINA
Galileo is known as the father of modern science, but even the smartest of humans get hungry. It’s normal to write down a grocery list when you start thinking of the food you need to buy, and it seems Galileo was no different, writing his shopping list right next to his important science-related notes and objects.
Dated from November 1609, Galileo’s grocery list included some items you’re probably familiar with — lentils, chickpeas, rice, spelt, oranges, sugar, spices, and jam. The food items definitely sound like the makings of a lentil soup; however, his list was also rounded off with two artillery balls, crystals, and an organ.
So much of what we eat today has a history behind it; chickpeas have been grown in the Middle East for 10,000 years, while a recipe for a fruit preserve was found in the oldest surviving cookbook, per Planting Seeds. The meals Galileo ate can easily be recreated, showing how food traditions have been passed down through the ages.