The Great Food Revolution

We take for granted basic food staples that are relatively new, without acknowledging that Native Americans deserve the credit.

Columbus and his men
Were canvassing the land,
mistaking the place for the Indies
When they discovered America's chillies';
Natives clad in ponchos
served them jalapeños
which set the men on fire
unlike any food prior.
The farms were then awash
in unfamiliar squash;
And giant grasses were yielding batches
of ears of corn, in shades of yellow --
Unseen before, by European fellows.
Potatoes -- for their starch --
made such a global march,
that it's hard to fathom we once not had them.
Regarded at first, as inedible,
Tomatoes turned out incredible!
Be grateful that you live in the era
of pasta sauce, pizza, and ketchup!
Mexico gets the bravo for healthy avocado;
While credit for papaya goes way back to Maya.
The American passion fruit
tastes as good as looks bad, which is cute;
Yet pineapple's queen, of all that is green
in its leafy crown, and spiral gown --
Who's not blown, that it wasn't known.
Vanilla's and strawberry's origin
happens to be American
But cacao is the ultimate crop
Simply put, we like chocolate a lot!
The 'proof' of this truth
'is in the' chocolate-flavored 'pudding' favored.
Sweet potatoes -- long we bake those --
are tasty roots with native roots.
Hundreds of seeds are crammed into each
northern American sunflower specimen.
Wild rice, and high-protein quinoa
are, by the way, American flora.
Not much ado over new legumes,
akin as they are, to old-world foods
But finding out that past vegetation
was string-beans free -- was a revelation;
And peanuts, of course; albeit odd,
seems like a nut, but comes in a pod.
Nuts and grapes and berries
weren't revolutionary
With the exception of pecan, a favorite of man
And the strange cashew, which is popular too.
So let's thank G-d for American foods
that only recently have debuted!

Author's Note

This poem was written to express appreciation to Native Americans for their contributions that enhance our lives.