Boldface page numbers indicate illustrations.
Abstinence: Aztecs and, 70, 81, 83; and chiles, 62; and chocolate, 55; Inca, 210; Maya, 167; Motecuhzoma and, 70
Acosta, José de, 13, 43, 45, 168, 171, 174, 198
Actas del cabildo, food laws in, 229–239
Agave spp., 78, 84, 94. See also Maguey; Pulque
Agouti: and Queen Elizabeth II, 175
Aldrovandi, Ulisse, 95
Alegría, 91. See sweets
Algae: Aztec use, 100–101; Inca use, 186
Allium kunthii, 159
Allwood, Montague, 49
Almendros de Chachapoya, 189
Alpaca, 171
Alvarado Tezozomoc, H., 110
Amaranth: greens 90, 93; red. in atolli, 118; seeds, 41, 90–91
Anastos, M. V., 209
Andagoya, Pascual de, 226
Arachis hypogaea, 28, 34. See Peanuts
Arce, Ruiz de, 212
Armadillo: in Maya diet, 156
Aron, Jean-Paul, 57
Arracacha, 185–186
Arriaga, Pablo José de, 175
Atahualpa, 192, 213–218, 217. See also Inca
Atolli: Aztec flavorings, 118; and beans, 163; description, 117–118; and Europeans, 139; Maya use, 123, 138–140; sour maize dough and, 118, 138
Avocado, 28, 44–46; Maya use, 166
Axolotls: Aztec consumption, 100
Aztec ideology: chocolate in 102, 106–107; dualism in, 81; equilibrium in, 81–82; warriors in 79
Aztec religion: banquets in, 111; burial customs, 111; chocolate symbolism in, 101; veneration of fowl, 96
Aztecs: animal food, 95–100; baptismal banquets, 77–78; casseroles, 115–116; chocolate use, 101–107; diet, 93; human flesh consumption, 97–99; human sacrifices, 97–98; lake-centered diet, 68, 99–101; and maize 10, 88–89; markets, 116–117; meals, 110; military rations, 118–119; morality, 80–82; and omens, 69; sauces, 115–116; temperance, 82–83; wild game consumption, 99
Aztec tribute, food in, 48, 89, 91, 102
Balché, 126, 134, 137, 150, 166. See also Drinks, alcoholic
Banks, Sir Joseph, 97
Banquets, Aztec: baptismal, 77–78; hallucinogens at, 79–80; merchant, 78–81; Motecuhzoma’s daily meal, 74–77; preparations, 112–113; religious, 111; women at, 78, 80
Banquets, Inca, 198–200
Banquets, Spanish, 241–246, 245
Barbaro, Ermolao, gardens, 42
Barrera Vásquez, Alfredo, 143
Beadle, George W., 11
Beans, 28, 30, 118, 148, 163–164; Lamon, 32–33; Lima, 33–34; scarlet runner, 31; sieva, 34; string, 32; tepary, 31; yellow, 90
Benzoni, Girolamo, 55, 130, 139
Bertonio, Ludovico, 223–224
Betancourt, Pedro, 139–140
Betanzos, Juan de, 195–196, 207, 213–214, 215
Bezoar stones, 171
Bolotov, A. T., 49
Book of Chilam Balam of Chumayel, 162
Bourreria huanita: in chocolate, 104
Bread, wheat, 9, 10, 27, 122, 235–238
Buc’hoz, Jean-Pierre, 56
Bulbs, as Aztec food, 93–94
Bulgaria: skulls as drinking vessels in, 209
Cabello Valboa, Miguel, 201
Cacao, 50–53, 57, 101–103, 129, 137, 141. See also chocolate
Cacao beans, 53–54, 102–103, 129
Cacaxtla: chocolate in, 102
Cactus: Aztec use, 94–95; Maya use, 166
Caffeine, 53
Calabash, 37, 71, 78, 123, 139
Calancha, Antonio de la, 180, 211
Calocarpum mammosum, 104–105, 137, 144
Camotes de Santa Clara, 20. See Potato, sweet
Campeche: Maya banquet in, 126
Cannibalism. See Human flesh, eating of
Cañihua: as green, 181
Capsaicin: antidotes, 63; as irritant, 62
Capsicum spp., 61–62. See also Chile
Cárdenas, Juan de, 56
Cassava, 18. See also Manioc
Casseroles, Aztec, 115–116
Cassia trees: and cinnamon, 105
Castellanos, Juan de, 23
Cattle, in New World, 231–233
Cayenne, 61. See also Chile
Cervantes de Salazar, Francisco, 11–12, 96, 117
Chamula Maya: and posolli, 137
Chancacas, 91. See also Sweets
Charles V of Spain, 32, 43: and bean diffusion, 32; and pineapples, 43
Charqui, 173
Chayote, 38, 93, 163, 165. See also Squash
Chenopodium ambrosioides, 151, 159, 181, 225. See also Epazote; Paiko
Chenopodium greens, 93
Chenopodium pallidicaule, 181
Chenopodium quinoa, 181–182. See also Quinoa
Chicha, 177, 187, 193, 202–210, 214, 215, 218–220; de maní, 35. See also Drinks, alcoholic
Chico zapote: Maya use, 166
Chile, 48, 57, 60–65, 83, 118, 133, 138, 148; Aztec varieties, 92–93; European reaction to, 63–64; pungency measurement, 62; smoke as punishment, 64
Chili con carne, 61
Chiranthodendron pentadactylon, 104
Chocho, 38. See also Squash
Chocolate: abstinence from, 55; alkaloids in, 53; Aztec use, 101–107; etymology, 50; European use, 55–58, 232; history, 50–58; Maya use, 102, 129, 143; in Teotihuacan, 101–102. See also Cacao beans; Drinks, chocolate
Cieza de León, P., 173, 176–177, 190, 200, 214
Ciudad Real, Antonio, 143
Clavigero, Francisco Saverio, 31, 35–36, 99, 100, 104
Clay, edible: Inca use, 179–180
Clerodendron ligustrinum, 162
Cloves, 239
Coatlicue, 106–107
Cobo, Bernabe, 34, 40, 45–46, 174–175, 178–179, 183, 184, 185, 187, 188–190, 198, 205–207, 222
Cocoa, 50. See also Chocolate
Cogolludo, Diego López, 149
Columbus, Christopher, 11–12, 43, 54, 60
Confituras, 238. See also Sweets
Conservas, 40. See also Sweets
Cookbooks, Mexican, 251
Cooking methods, Maya, 157–159
Cordia globosa, 156
Cortés, Hernán, 13, 32, 69, 74, 96, 129–130, 229, 230, 241–246
Cosimo III Medici, 56
Cowley, Dr. Abraham, 195
Cucurbita spp., 37–40. See also Squash
Cushaw, 39
Cushing, Frank, 147–148
Cuy, Inca use, 174, 175, 177, 225
Cuzco, 170, 175, 196, 226, 227
Cyclanthera pedata, 38, 214. See also Squash
Cymbopetalum penduliflorum, 78, 104, 105
Dahlia spp., 94
Dairy products, 231–233
Deer, brocket, 154
Deer, huemul, 176
Deer, white-tailed, 153, 154, 158–159, 176
De la Gama, Licenciado, 225
Díaz, Juan, 126–127
Díaz del Castillo, Bernal, 72, 74, 93, 160, 231–232, 241–246
Domestication, 3; of legumes, 31–32
Donkeys, 230–231
Drinks, alcoholic: Aztec use, 78, 84–87; Inca use, 134, 177, 187, 202–210, 215, 218, 220; Maya use, 134, 166; mezcal, 100
Drinks, Aztec: chía, 90; in street, 117
Drinks, chocolate: Aztec use, 51–52, 55–57, 59, 70, 75, 77, 101–107; European use, 56, 57, 72, 133, 243; flavorings, 78, 103–105, 143–144; making, 103; Maya 129, 140–144; preparation, 51, 142
Drinks, maize, 52; Aztec use, 52, 78, 117–118; Inca, 202–210; Maya use, 126, 134–135, 140, 141
Drinks, Maya, 129; atolli, 137–138
Drinks, stimulating, 53–54
Drunkenness: Aztecs and, 85–87; Inca and, 209, 215
Ducks, dried, 213–214
Ducks, Muscovy: Aztec use, 96; Inca use, 176; Maya use, 124
Dufour, Phillipe, 56
Durán, Diego, 83, 106–107, 111
Elizabeth II, Queen: and agouti, 175
Empanadas, 236, 243–244. See also Pies
Escabeche, 243
Esquemeling, John, 56
Estete, Miguel de, 209–210
Estrada Monroy, Agustín, 133
Etiquette: Aztec, 115; Inca, 199, 207; Maya, 128
European animals, destruction by, 230
European chroniclers, motives of, 228–229
Europeans: adoption of New World foods, 228, 248; eating habits, 203
Famine: Aztec, 248; post-conquest, 248
Fat: in avocado, 45; in cacao beans, 54; Europeans and, 36; Indian dislike of, 234; Indian use of 36; maize oil, 13; peanut oil, 36
Fauvet-Berthelot, Marie-France, 166–167
Ferdinand of Spain, 42
Fernández de Oviedo, Gonzalo, 19–20, 43, 45, 54, 128–129, 235
Fish, Maya, salted, 158
Flesh consumption: Inca, 221, 224–225; Maya, 153–160
Fowl: Maya, 123–125; New World varieties, 124
Frogs: Aztec use, 100; Inca use, 177–178; Maya use, 156–157
Fruit: Aztec, 95; European, in New World, 239; Inca, 186–191; Maya, 165
Game, wild: Aztec consumption, 99; Inca, 176–177, 219
Garcilaso de la Vega, I., 181–182, 185–187, 192–193, 207–208, 219, 221–223
Gardens, botanical, 42
Garlic vine, 159
González Holguín, Diego, 223
Goosefoot, 90. See also Chenopodium
Grapes, in New World, 239
Greens: Aztec, 90, 93–95; and beans, 163; chocho, 182; epazote, 181; as food for poor, 28, 220; Inca, 181, 182, 185, 220; Maya, 153, 154, 164–165; and posolli, 137; teosinte, 12
Gregory XIII, Pope, 55
Grijalva, Juan de, 127–129
Gruel. See Atolli
Guacamole, 45. See also Avocado
Guadeloupe, island of, 43
Guaman Poma de Ayala, Felipe: on Inca, 195, 196–198, 201, 219–220
Guanaco: Inca use, 171
Guatemala highlands, 139, 144, 154, 158
Guinea pig: Inca use, 174–175; Maya use, 127
Guzmán, Juan de, 48
Hamblin, Nancy L., 154
Harner, Michael, 97–99
Hernández, Francisco, 92, 99, 100–101, 114–115, 117–118
Hernández de Córdoba, Francisco, 122–123, 125–126
Hog plum tree, 137
Honey, 137, 148; Maya use, 125–126
Horchata, 40
Huaina Capac, 190, 191, 192, 202, 210–211
Huánuco, Peru, 44, 198; pineapples in, 44
Huauhtli, 90. See also Amaranth; Chenopodium
Huehueteotl, 109
Huitlacoche, 94
Human flesh, eating of: Aztec, 97–99; and chiles, 92; Incas and, 171; Maya, 160; Motecuhzoma and, 74; as test of divinity, 71, 73
Human skulls, as drinking vessels, 208–209
Iguanas, 154
Inca: banquets, 198–200; burial rituals, 220; clay consumption, 179–180; communal eating, 199–200; drinks, alcoholic, 202–210; and drunkenness, 204, 209; encounter with Europeans, 203; etiquette, 199; and European food, 213–214; flavorings, 225–226; flesh cookery, 225; food distribution, 196–200; food gifts, 214; food laws, 196–198; food preservation, 178–179; highland food, 220; hunting preserves, 176–177; kitchens, 218, 222; llama rituals, 173; lowland food, 220–221; meals, 220; origin myths, 192–194; and potatoes, 25, 183; potato harvest, 22; raw flesh consumption, 221; royal hunts, 219
Inca warehouses, 194, 195–198, 197, 200, 214, 218, 226
Insects as food: Aztec use, 99–100; Inca use, 178; Maya use, 159; in modern Mexico, 100; in modern world, 249
Ireland: and potatoes, 23–25
Jacaratia mexicana, 165
Jatropha aconitifolia, 149, 153, 164
Jicama, 93; in Maya food riddles, 162
Jicama, wild: as famine food, 162
Jiménez de Quesada, Gonzalo, 23
Juegos de caña: in New World 231, 244–245
Kalm, Peter, 13
Kaplan, Lawrence, 33
Kitchens: Aztec, 109; Inca, 218, 222
Lacandon Maya, 137, 151, 167, 234
La Farge, Oliver, 12
La Fayette, Eugene, 65
Lakes as Aztec food source 68, 99–101
Lamanai, Belize, Maya burials, 154
Lama spp., 171. See llama
Landa, Diego de, 132–144, 145, 156, 158–159, 161, 167
Lard, 234
Las Casas, Bartolomé de, 19, 123, 126, 128–129, 174, 179, 199–200, 218
L’Ecluse, Jules Charles de, 21
Legumes, 28, 30–32; Aztec, 89–90; Maya, 163–164. See also Beans
Lepidium mayenii, 185
Lewis, Dio, 49
Lima, Peru: pies in, 237
Litsea neesiana, 151
Littera madata, 160
Lizard, dried: as Inca food, 213
Llamas, 171–174, 172, 214, 224
Lonchocarpus longistylus, 134
Loroco, 149
Lucuma, 188–189
Luehea speciosa, 133
Lupinus mutabilis, 182
Macal: Maya use, 162
Magalotti, Lorenzo, 59
Magnolia mexicana; in chocolate, 104
Maguey, 78, 84, 94, 118; worms, Aztec use, 100. See also Agave spp.; Pulque
Maize, 4, 6, 9–16, 38, 90; Aztec use, 83, 88–89, 94, 110, 113–114, 116–118; grinding, 110, 130; Inca use, 183, 193, 221–224; Maya use, 121, 123, 128, 133, 135, 136–137, 154; nixtamalization, 14, 130; in Old World, 15; tamale types, 114, 116–117; 118; and teosinte, 11–12; tortilla types, 113–114. See also Atolli; Drinks, maize; Mote; Pinolli; Quinoa
Maize dough: Aztec use, 52; Inca use, 222–223; Maya use, 132, 148, 150, 159; sour, 118, 151
Mamey sapote, 127
Manatee: in Maya diet, 156
Manioc, 5, 16–18; Aztec use, 93; bitter, 6, 17; bread, 18, 129; Maya use, 162; post-conquest use, 29; sweet, 6, 16–17
Mantaro valley, Peru, 221
Marcus, Joyce, 177
Marroquín, Francisco, 131
Maya: burials, 141; chocolate merchants, 102; Classic, and chocolate, 141, 142; Classic, tamales, 148; cooking methods, 147, 157–159; in explorers’ eyes, 131; food storage, 133; fowl, 123–125; hearths, 166–167; highland culture, 121; language, food, and eating, 161; lowland culture, 121; noble diet, 154; nobles, visit to Spain, 133; orchards, 165; orchards, European destruction of, 166; religion, maize in, 121; ritual, food in, 125, 129, 137, 140, 143, 150, 157; root crops, 162–163
Maya food riddles, 140, 143, 162
Mayfly, Inca use, 178
Mena, Cristóbal de, 208
Mexico City, 10, in, 230, 231, 232, 237–239, 241–246, 248
Molcajete, 109
Molina, Cristóbal de, 208
Monkeys: in Maya diet, 156
Morgan, Lewis Henry, 76–77
Motecuhzoma II: abstinence and, 70, 84, 118–119; banquets, in; chocolate consumption, 75, 251; culinary tests, 69, 71; daily meal, 74–77; and European food, 70–71
Motolinía, 83–85, 94, 96, 97, 100
Murrey, Thomas, 12
Murua, Martín de, 193–194, 201, 218
Mushrooms, edible: Aztec use, 94; Maya use, 165
Mushrooms, hallucinogenic: Aztec use, 79–80; Maya use, 165
Nasturtiums, 183–184
Navagero, Andrea, 42
Nezahualcoyotl, 86
Nixtamalization, 14, 15, 118, 130, 150–151; Inca, lack of, 221; Maya use, 130, 135, 140; and snail shells, 156
Nostoc, 186. See also Algae
Oil. See Fat
Oregano, Mexican, 151
Paiko, 181, 225. See also Epazote
Palafox y Mendoza, Juan de, 82–83
Paqay, 188
Passion fruit, 187
Peacock sauce, 239
Peccary, 155
Pectis linifolia, 159
Pepino, 189–190
Pepper, black, 239
Pepper tree, fruits, 186–187
Phaseolus spp. See Beans; Legumes
Philip II of Spain, 21, 66–67, 133
Pies, 236–238. See also Bread; Wheat
Pigweed, 90. See also Chenopodium
Pimiento, 193. See also Chile
Pinolli, 118, 139, 141. See also Maize
Pizarro, Francisco, 212–213, 216
Pizarro, Pedro, 188, 194, 202, 210, 213, 215, 216–218
Piztle, 104–105. See also Sapayul
Plantains, 194
Polymnia sonchifolia, 185
Posolli, 123, 136–137. See also Drinks, maize; Maize
Potato, 19–26; in Aymara language, 224; Aztec use, 93; blight, 25; European uses, 20–26; Inca use, 182–183, 221; post-conquest use, 29; Quechua nomenclature, 25
Potato, sweet, 19–23; in Maya diet, 127, 139, 162
Produce: Inca, 181–191; Maya, 161–168; New World, and Europeans, 27; New World varieties, 27–65
Puebla, Mexico, 20
Pulque, 78, 84–87, 85, 99. See Drinks, alcoholic
Purslane, 164–165
Quetzalcoatl: and pulque, 86–87
Rabinal Achí, 134
Ramusio, Giovanni Battista, 15
Raynal, Guillaume, 58–59
Remesal, Antonio de, 126
Réunion, island of, 60
Río Azul, Guatemala: burials in, 141
Root crops: Aztec, 93–94; Inca, 182–186, 220; Maya, 162–163
Ruiz López, Hipólito, 44
Saffron, 239
Sahagún, Bernardino de, 51–52, 66, 74–81, 82, 85, 88, 89–90, 92, 93, 94–95, 96–97, 98, 101, 102, 103–106, 108, 109, 112–114, 115–116, 118–119, 232
Saka, 140
Santacruz Pachacuti Yamqui, Juan, 210–211
Santillan, Fernando de, 205
Sapayul, 137, 144. See also Piztle
Sapote, 165
Sauces: Aztec 115–117; Maya, 151; peacock, 239
Scappi, Bartolomeo, 175
Schultes, Richard E., 144
Seafood: Aztec, 99; Maya, 154; Inca, 177
Seaweed: Inca use, 186
Serra, Juan de Santa Gertrudis, 18, 27, 45
Shrimp, lake, 100
Sierra de Leguizamo, Mancio, 227
Snails, freshwater, 156
Snakes: Aztec consumption, 99
Solanum andigenum, 23, 24, 25. See also Potato
Solanum lycopersicon, 47–48. See also Tomato and tomatillo
Solanum muricatum, 189
Solanum pimpinellifolium, 47. See also Tomato and tomatillo
Solanum tuberiferum, 25
Solanum tuberosum, 19, 21, 23–24, 182. See also Potato
Spices, European: in New World, 239
Squash (cucurbits), 37–41, 164. See also Calabash; Cayua; Chayote
Squash seeds, 28, 40, 91, 138, 148, 151, 163, 164, 238–239
Squier, E. G., 174
Staple, carbohydrate: Aztec, 113; definition, 9; Inca, 183, 221–222; maize, 9, 88, 89, 113; Maya, 121, 145–152; modern, 121–122, 249; veneration of, 9–10; wheat as, 122, 235–238
Stews: Inca 223–225; Maya, 159
Sumpweed, 4
Sweets: alegría 41, 91; almendrados, 35; avocado, 45; Aztec, 91; chancacas, 91; confituras, 238; conservas, 40; European, in New World, 238–239; Inca 183, 186; Maya, 126; pineapple, 44; squash seeds, 91, 164; suplicaciones, 243; turrones, 35
Tabasco sauce, 61. See also Chile
Tadpoles, Aztec use, 100
Tamales: Aztec types, 79, 114, 116–117; Maya types, 145–146, 148–150, 156
Tapirella bairdii, 156
Tarwi, 182
Tax, Sol, 159
Tehuacan valley, 11, 31, 35, 44, 61, 94, 124,
Tenochtitlan, 70, 74. See also Mexico City
Teosinte, 11–12
Teotihuacan, 101–102
Teresa de Jesús of Avila, 20
Tezcatlipoca: and pulque, 86–87
Tezozomoc, Alvarado, 70
Theobroma bicolor, 103, 144. See also Chocolate
Theobroma cacao, 51–53. See also Chocolate
Theobromine: in chocolate, 53
Thompson, Donald E., 198
Tigridia pavonia, 93–94
Tlaxcallans: encounter with Europeans, 73
Tomato and tomatillo, 46–50; currant, 47; Europeans and, 29, 48–50; husk, 47
Torquemada, Juan de, 96
Tortillas: Aztec, 76, 113–114, 116–117; Maya, 145–146, 151
Totonac Indians: vanilla cultivation, 60
Trujillo, Diego de, 214
Tudela de la Orden, José, 111
Tuna, 95. See also Cactus
Turkeys: in atolli, 139; Aztec use, 95, 96; European acceptance of, 124–125; history, 124; Maya use, 124–125, 149, 153, 154; ocellated, 154; wild, 125
Turtles, river, 157
Ullucu, 184–185
Valenzuela, Nicolás de, 130, 151, 158
Valera, Blas, 200
Valeriano, Pierio, 67
Van Houten, Conrad, 56–57, 141
Vanillin, 60
Vavilov, Nikolai, 24
Vegetable pears, 38. See also Squash
Vegetables, European, 239
Vicuña: Inca use, 171
Vilmorin-Andrieux, M., 184
Vizcacha: Inca use, 176
Water bugs: Aztec use, 99
Women: as army cooks, 130; Aztec, 80, 106, 108–109, 110; Inca, 199, 218; Maya, 135, 167
Xanthosoma nigrum, 162
Xerez, Francisco de, 214
Xiu, Gaspar Antonio, 163
Yacovleff, E., 186
Yams, 19
Yucatan, 122, 125, 129–130, 132
Zanon, Antonio, 24
Zea diploperennis, 11