Silk Road trade secrets

misslily The black gold of India

misslily Flavors that changed the world

Rhubarb, rhubarb, keep it moving! Without it, empires fall.

misslily How the brain-shaped nut traveled east

misslily Persian walnuts traveled to China, becoming a staple of both the diet and brain medicine.

misslily Chinese rhubarb was so highly prized in Europe as medicine that it caused trade wars.

BETA

misslily A bit too game-y. * Flavors of the Road -

Fun Fact

Ancient ice cream: Tang Dynasty emperors enjoyed a frozen dessert made from fermented milk, flour, and camphor, chilled with natural ice.

Gossip

Which flavor is worth fighting over?

Quiz

What did Tang Dynasty emperors use to flavor their early versions of ice cream?

misslily The stinky root that saved lives

Quiz

Before grapes were introduced, what did people in ancient China primarily drink?

misslily How the grape revolution changed China

Quiz

In 408 CE, what spice did the Visigoth leader Alaric demand as ransom to spare Rome?

Quiz

Where does the black pepper plant originally come from?

Quiz

Which Chinese explorer is credited with bringing grapevine seeds back to China from Central Asia?

Quiz

Why did ancient Chinese scholars believe that eating Persian walnuts could improve their memory?

Quiz

Which border town did Russia use to control the lucrative Chinese rhubarb trade?

Quiz

Why did the Russian Empire establish a strict trade monopoly on Chinese rhubarb in the 18th century?