We often think of Charles Darwin as the first and most famous naturalist who gave us the theory of evolution. However, did you know Darwin would also love to eat the exotic creatures he encountered during his travels? Indeed, the man consumed his research.
Darwin was particularly fond of two animals: an armadillo and a puma. He said that the armadillo looked and tasted like a duck. Puma was Darwin’s favourite meat. Darwin reportedly wrote “The Origin of Species” while eating an armadillo.
A sauce worthy of a President
George Washington, who became the United States’ first President, had strange tastes. Apart from crossing the Delaware River and the cherry tree myth, Washington enjoyed an odd sauce that he preferred.
The weird-but-true favorite? Mushroom ketchup. They brewed a concoction of mushrooms, anchovies, and horseradish and drank it. They used it, especially among 18th-century American soldiers. Doesn’t it make you see ketchup bottles from a slightly different perspective?
Chaplin’s Trip(e) to Flavor Town
Charlie Chaplin—the man who makes us laugh without saying anything. But if they could, what could make Chaplin’s taste buds sing? Thinking in terms of chocolate cake or any sweet thing is wrong.
He used to love stew and tripe in particular. This silent film genius found this appealing – the lining of a cow’s stomach. He also loved lamb stew and curry, but lamb stew tripe was his favorite. Talk about an acquired taste.
Helen Keller’s All-American Choice
Helen Keller became the pioneer deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree in America. She was a writer, activist, and extraordinary in many more ways. Interestingly, her favorite food was quite an ordinary delicacy.
Keller loved hot dogs. This was why her secretary had to limit their availability because Keller, according to reports, would eat nothing else if allowed. Indeed, a great person can also enjoy a simple hot dog.
Churchill’s Soup of Controversy
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was well-known for his powerful speeches and victory in the Second World War. Then, do you know what helped him survive the war in the kitchen’s terms? A bowl of turtle soup!
He would even take some of the soup on his travels; he loved it that much. Nevertheless, most of the turtle species are under the category of threatened or extinct and thus illegal in many places. Now, that’s an old-fashioned flavor!
A Monarch’s Fatal Attraction
Lampreys used to be a favorite delicacy for King Henry I, a 12th-century English monarch. I can feel the cringe as I say this, but it was past.
In a rather ironic way, it is rumored that King Henry I died from consuming too much of this dish, even though his physician had advised against eating this diet. Too much of a good thing can, in fact, be deadly.
Henry VIII’s Royal Feast
Talking about English monarchs, King Henry VIII. Henry, of course, was known for many marriages, establishing the Church of England, and being a foodie. You should make your way to his palace to eat some lavish food.
Some of his favorites included grilled beaver tails, swan, whale, and peacock. However, Henry was not one to discriminate, for he would eat chicken, pig, or cow. It is safe to say that Henry’s culinary taste was as large as his waistline.
Mozart’s Sugar Rush
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the great composer, made some of the most memorable symphonies, operas, and chamber music. However, there was a delicious indulgence that most of us are familiar with, but when he wasn’t busy creating masterpieces.
Mozart loved marzipan, which is a sugary confection made using almond meal. In fact, it was rumored that he would treat himself to these sweet goods after many hours of composing. That is what made his compositions so sweet.
Tolstoy’s Plant-Based Enlightenment
While you may have known Leo Tolstoy as the Russian author of “War and Peace,” this intellectual giant and vegetarian was also the same person. Tolstoy came to realization of wrongfulness of animal cruelty and abstained from all products from animal origin in his last days.
His favorite meal was kasha, a kind of porridge that was a common dish in Russia. It was made from buckwheat grains, and it was a completely different dish from the rich, meaty Russian dishes that most of his contemporaries enjoyed. Tolstoy also preached veganism, which makes him to be counted among the first adherents of vegetarianism.
Hitchcock’s Paradox
The greatest filmmaker of all time gave us ‘Psycho’ and ‘The Birds’. He, however, had an odd relationship with food, especially eggs, that revolted him to the depths of the grave.
Interestingly, eggs formed a part of Hitchcock’s most preferred dish—ham pie. That is ham and egg pie with salt, nutmeg, cayenne, and milk in a wheat crust. Therefore, eggs scared him but didn’t make him mind eating them as they were part of the pies.
