What did 70,000 Neanderthal food taste like

[cally]

I tried this recipe (with some modifications) and it was surprisingly tasty.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/26/surprisingly-tasty-putting-neanderthal-cooking-to-the-test-recipe

Evidence has been found of complex cooking by Neanderthals. Our writer finds out how their meals might have tasted
Linda Geddes Science correspondent
Sat 26 Nov 2022 02.00 EST
Pity the Neanderthal chef. With only rudimentary cooking implements – a hot rock, some scraps of animal skin, perhaps a favoured prodding stick, plus stones for pounding, cutting, scraping and grinding – their hands must have been a scarred mess, and the woodsmoke from the hearth must have played havoc with their eyes. However, according to research published this week, they did at least have access to a smörgåsbord of ingredients.

Gone is the stereotype of Neanderthals tearing into raw tubers or gnawing on a leg of roasted animal meat. Microscopic analysis of ancient food scraps unearthed from a hearth in Shanidar Cave, in Iraq, has provided the first real indication of complex cooking – and thus of food culture – among Neanderthals.

[bahboo]

1. time for an episode of Chopped Neanderthal....

that would be something.

[Warpy]

2. I'm not a bit surprised. Neanderthal groups have been found with widely varying diets

Tests on tooth tartar have shown some were heavy meat eaters with only a few plant foods, others were nearly vegetarian, and still others near the shore had a massive appetite for fish and shellfish. In other words, they were very much like us, no wonder we turned into a hybrid species.

This particular veggie cake sounds wonderful. I should point out that she used white pastry wheat berries, nto the hard, red winter wheat berries. Use the winter wheat, it will be like eating bullets.

[cally]

3. how can you tell by looking at them?

I bought wheat berries from bulk food section. I don’t know which type I bought. I was just looking for lowest price so I could try this. I soaked them with the lentils. I tried a small amount in the food processor and could not grind them. I then put them in a pot and cooked them for awhile. Then I was able to grind them with food processor. I think the Neanderthals and other hominids may have cooked the grains before mashing them. It would make it easier.

[Warpy]

4. If they're small and a reddish brown, they're winter wheat

and require at least 4 hours to cook them, even after soaking. They're hard as rocks and much higher in protein than spring or pastry wheat. Winter wheat flour makes great yeast bread.

Spring wheat varies from tan to nearly white and they are lower in protein. They don't make very good yeast bread but they are useful when they're ground into flour for everything from quick breads to cakes. They cook quite a bit faster, but I'd still suggest grinding the soaked pastry wheat berries into a near paste with the other ingredients in this recipe.

Winter wheat is planted in fall and harvested the following fall. Spring wheat is planted in spring and harvested that fall.

ETAL If you got winter wheat and you have cats, plant the wheat in some soil in a tray or even flowerpot, water, and let it sprout. The cats will love the wheat grass, especially if it's still winter where you are. They use it as a digestive aid.

[cally]

5. Thanks