>> I haven't heard of any Pepper Wars, though there could have been, since it was one of the first commercial products and highly sought after in trade.
I read that some Arab fort was being beseiged by Crusaders who had ridden far on short rations - bad food at that. If the Crusaders had just been patient enough to wiat for the fort to run out of water and food, they could have talen it easily.
But the canny defenders sent their cooks up onto the walls to cook the spiciest, most aromatic dishes they knew when the wind was blowing toward the besiegers. They used lots of black pepper.
The Crusaders couldn't resist the aroma, charged into a storm of arrows with rumbling stomachs, drooling mouths and no sense of strategy ... and died.
Next time, think twice before saying "I'm dieing to see what that tastes like!"
