Spinach

Spinach originated in central and southwest Asia, where it may have been domesticated from the wild Spinacia tetranda, which is still gathered as an edible green in what is now Turkey. The first references to spinach are from the Sasanian Empire (about 226-640 A.D.) in Persia (what is now Iran). Arab traders brought spinach into India, and in 647 A.D., spinach was sent as a gift from the king of Nepal to China, where it is still known as the "Persian green."

Spinach does not grow well in hot weather, but Islamic farmers used sophisticated irrigation techniques to successfully cultivate it in the Mediterranean regions, probably as early as the 8th century A.D.. Spinach became a popular vegetable in the Islamic Mediterranean. It reportedly arrived in Italy in 847 A.D. In Venice, cooks integrated Muslim flavoring techniques by using pine nuts and raisins in spinach dishes. Spinach appears in three 10th-century Arabian texts, one medical and two agricultural. It arrived in Spain by the 11th or 12th century. A popular dish in Islamic Cordoba was reportedly sajina, also called ásida, a kind of watery soup made with wheat flour cooked with spinach.

In Turkey, spinach was known by the 13th century, if not earlier, and was popular with the Seljuk Turks. The Italians were important for promoting the role this new vegetable played in the Mediterranean diet, as they favored spinach in their gardens beginning in the 13th century. Mediterranean Jews, the Sephardim, were also fond of spinach and prepared dishes such as shpongous, a savory casserole that was customary on Shavuot, the holiday fifty days after Passover celebrating the Palestinian harvest and the anniversary of the giving of the Law. In 13th-century Damascus, burani was a popular spinach dish of Persian origin. The prickly-seeded form of spinach was known in Germany by the 13th century.

Spinach first appeared in England in the 14th century, probably via Spain. In fact, for a while, spinach was known as "the Spanish vegetable" in England. It gained quick popularity because it appeared in early spring, when other vegetables were scarce and when Lenten dietary restrictions discouraged consumption of other foods. Spinach is mentioned in the first known English cookbook, The Forme of Cury (1390), where it is referred to as spinnedge and/or spynoches.

Spinach was first mentioned in a German cookbook sometime in 1485. When spinach reached Provence in the 15th century, it became the second most popular vegetable, behind cabbage. In 1533, Catherine de' Medici became queen of France. She brought many vegetables with her from Florence, but her favorite was spinach: she reportedly insisted it be served at every meal. To this day, dishes prepared on a bed of spinach are referred to as "a la Florentine."

In 1614, Giangiacomo Castelvetro wrote Breve Racconto di Tutte le Radici di Tutte l'Herbe et di Tutti i Frutti (A Brief Account of All Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit), in which he called for spinach to be used as the stuffing for tortelli.

In the 17th century, English philosopher John Locke reported having had a spinach and herb soup during his travels in southwestern France.

Bernard McMahon from Philadelphia listed three types of Spinach in his broadside catalog in 1804. In 1809 and 1812, Thomas Jefferson cultivated spinach at Monticello, but the dark leafy green vegetable only became popular in the U.S. in the late 19th century.

With the advent of canning and freezing, spinach became much more popular throughout the world and is now available in many countries that did not have a suitable climate to produce it. As people learned of its many nutritional advantages, spinach increased in popularity worldwide. In the 1930s, the cartoon character Popeye the Sailor promoted the consumption of spinach, and boosted its popularity, especially among children. During World War I, wine fortified with spinach juice was given to French soldiers weakened by hemorrhage.

You need a reasonable Dry White Wine

An Alsatian Gewurztraminer white wine (I prefer a dry one) or a Neuchatel blanc, are two wines which I have found work very well with a Swiss cheese fondue.

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