in 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed west from Europe searching for a better way
from Europe searching for a better way
from Europe searching for a better way to get to the spices of the Far East
to get to the spices of the Far East
to get to the spices of the Far East particularly black pepper in January the
particularly black pepper in January the
particularly black pepper in January the following year things were not going
following year things were not going
following year things were not going well for the Genoese navigator two of
well for the Genoese navigator two of
well for the Genoese navigator two of his ships were taking on water one of
his ships were taking on water one of
his ships were taking on water one of them a direct his interactions with the
them a direct his interactions with the
them a direct his interactions with the indigenous people and the islands he
indigenous people and the islands he
indigenous people and the islands he bumped into had turned violent and he
bumped into had turned violent and he
bumped into had turned violent and he hadn’t found any of the spices he’d come
hadn’t found any of the spices he’d come
hadn’t found any of the spices he’d come looking for on the day before Columbus
looking for on the day before Columbus
looking for on the day before Columbus was set to turn around and head back to
was set to turn around and head back to
was set to turn around and head back to Europe he did find something that would
Europe he did find something that would
Europe he did find something that would transform the world more than black
transform the world more than black
transform the world more than black pepper ever could chiles Columbus
pepper ever could chiles Columbus
pepper ever could chiles Columbus thought he had found some kind of super
thought he had found some kind of super
thought he had found some kind of super potent form of black pepper and he
potent form of black pepper and he
potent form of black pepper and he brought it back to Spain where he
brought it back to Spain where he
brought it back to Spain where he introduced it as such which is why we
introduced it as such which is why we
introduced it as such which is why we sometimes called Chile’s peppers today
sometimes called Chile’s peppers today
sometimes called Chile’s peppers today although the plants are totally distinct
although the plants are totally distinct
although the plants are totally distinct only chilies contain the chemical
only chilies contain the chemical
only chilies contain the chemical capsaicin that makes things spicy in the
capsaicin that makes things spicy in the
capsaicin that makes things spicy in the sense that they burn and chilies are
sense that they burn and chilies are
sense that they burn and chilies are native only to the Americas which is to
native only to the Americas which is to
native only to the Americas which is to say that in 1492 when Columbus sailed
say that in 1492 when Columbus sailed
say that in 1492 when Columbus sailed west for India Indian food was not truly
west for India Indian food was not truly
west for India Indian food was not truly spicy neither was Thai food Malay food
spicy neither was Thai food Malay food
spicy neither was Thai food Malay food Indonesian food Ethiopian food any
Indonesian food Ethiopian food any
Indonesian food Ethiopian food any cuisine outside of the Americas in time
cuisine outside of the Americas in time
cuisine outside of the Americas in time chilies spread to Europe Africa and Asia
chilies spread to Europe Africa and Asia
chilies spread to Europe Africa and Asia and today hot sauce in its many forms is
and today hot sauce in its many forms is
and today hot sauce in its many forms is the most widely consumed condiment on
the most widely consumed condiment on
the most widely consumed condiment on earth but for all the people around the
earth but for all the people around the
earth but for all the people around the world love chilies and hot sauce today
world love chilies and hot sauce today
world love chilies and hot sauce today the process of spreading them globally
the process of spreading them globally
the process of spreading them globally was not a peaceful one getting from
was not a peaceful one getting from
was not a peaceful one getting from Indian cuisine without chilies too spicy
Indian cuisine without chilies too spicy
Indian cuisine without chilies too spicy vindaloo was not a happy process in fact
vindaloo was not a happy process in fact
vindaloo was not a happy process in fact the word vindaloo comes from a
the word vindaloo comes from a
the word vindaloo comes from a Portuguese phrase Vina Vina da lo what
Portuguese phrase Vina Vina da lo what
Portuguese phrase Vina Vina da lo what we’re really talking about when we talk
we’re really talking about when we talk
we’re really talking about when we talk about chilies spreading around the world
about chilies spreading around the world
about chilies spreading around the world is European colonialism
is European colonialism
is European colonialism with all of its attendant horrors and
with all of its attendant horrors and
with all of its attendant horrors and tragedies an Amsterdam today you can get
tragedies an Amsterdam today you can get
tragedies an Amsterdam today you can get great Indonesian food throughout the
great Indonesian food throughout the
great Indonesian food throughout the city which is awesome but there’s a lot
city which is awesome but there’s a lot
city which is awesome but there’s a lot of misery contained in that fact as well
of misery contained in that fact as well
of misery contained in that fact as well in the history of Dutch colonialism and
in the history of Dutch colonialism and
in the history of Dutch colonialism and this way chilies and hot sauce have
this way chilies and hot sauce have
this way chilies and hot sauce have always been intimately intertwined with
always been intimately intertwined with
always been intimately intertwined with the best of humanity like vindaloo and
the best of humanity like vindaloo and
the best of humanity like vindaloo and the worst in the United States today the
the worst in the United States today the
the worst in the United States today the hot sauce scene is booming there’s a
hot sauce scene is booming there’s a
hot sauce scene is booming there’s a tremendous amount of innovation
tremendous amount of innovation
tremendous amount of innovation happening in artisanal hot sauces hot
happening in artisanal hot sauces hot
happening in artisanal hot sauces hot sauce shops and hot sauce festivals
sauce shops and hot sauce festivals
sauce shops and hot sauce festivals popping up all over the country hot
popping up all over the country hot
popping up all over the country hot sauce is going viral under its own power
sauce is going viral under its own power
sauce is going viral under its own power did you know for example we found foods
did you know for example we found foods
did you know for example we found foods the makers of that sriracha sauce you
the makers of that sriracha sauce you
the makers of that sriracha sauce you love so much
love so much
love so much has never had an advertising budget the
has never had an advertising budget the
has never had an advertising budget the hot sauce movement has been growing for
hot sauce movement has been growing for
hot sauce movement has been growing for years and in some places it’s nothing
years and in some places it’s nothing
years and in some places it’s nothing new like New Mexico southern Louisiana
new like New Mexico southern Louisiana
new like New Mexico southern Louisiana but nationally a major cause of the hot
but nationally a major cause of the hot
but nationally a major cause of the hot sauce boom is the Immigration Act of
sauce boom is the Immigration Act of
sauce boom is the Immigration Act of 1965 and the ensuing wave of immigrants
1965 and the ensuing wave of immigrants
1965 and the ensuing wave of immigrants from places like Latin America Africa
from places like Latin America Africa
from places like Latin America Africa and Asia places where people eat spicier
and Asia places where people eat spicier
and Asia places where people eat spicier but it’s not just the result of the
but it’s not just the result of the
but it’s not just the result of the sheer number of immigrants buying more
sheer number of immigrants buying more
sheer number of immigrants buying more hot sauce rather it reflects the way
hot sauce rather it reflects the way
hot sauce rather it reflects the way those immigrants have transformed the
those immigrants have transformed the
those immigrants have transformed the fabric of American society see
fabric of American society see
fabric of American society see Millennials grew up in a more diverse
Millennials grew up in a more diverse
Millennials grew up in a more diverse country than our parents did with a more
country than our parents did with a more
country than our parents did with a more diverse array of cuisines than our
diverse array of cuisines than our
diverse array of cuisines than our parents did many of them spicier which
parents did many of them spicier which
parents did many of them spicier which is why we eat spicier food that our
is why we eat spicier food that our
is why we eat spicier food that our parents do which is why we buy more hot
parents do which is why we buy more hot
parents do which is why we buy more hot sauce than our parents do whether you
sauce than our parents do whether you
sauce than our parents do whether you are descended from immigrants or the
are descended from immigrants or the
are descended from immigrants or the child of immigrants we are not just a
child of immigrants we are not just a
child of immigrants we are not just a different people because of the presence
different people because of the presence
different people because of the presence of post 1965 immigrants we are different
of post 1965 immigrants we are different
of post 1965 immigrants we are different people I’m a white guy from eastern
people I’m a white guy from eastern
people I’m a white guy from eastern Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma not exactly a traditional hot sauce
not exactly a traditional hot sauce
not exactly a traditional hot sauce hotspot but when I’m sick I don’t want
hotspot but when I’m sick I don’t want
hotspot but when I’m sick I don’t want chicken noodle soup
chicken noodle soup
chicken noodle soup I won’t be enemies I am Who I am
I won’t be enemies I am Who I am
I won’t be enemies I am Who I am because of the way immigrants
because of the way immigrants
because of the way immigrants transformed and enriched the culture I
transformed and enriched the culture I
transformed and enriched the culture I grew up in and so are you if you like
grew up in and so are you if you like
grew up in and so are you if you like hot sauce you don’t just like
hot sauce you don’t just like
hot sauce you don’t just like multiculturalism you are
multiculturalism you are
multiculturalism you are multiculturalism now history is filled
multiculturalism now history is filled
multiculturalism now history is filled with tragedy but it’s also our shared
with tragedy but it’s also our shared
with tragedy but it’s also our shared human story and even in some of the
human story and even in some of the
human story and even in some of the darkest corners like the reality of what
darkest corners like the reality of what
darkest corners like the reality of what Columbus arrival meant for the people of
Columbus arrival meant for the people of
Columbus arrival meant for the people of the Americas for the misery wrought by
the Americas for the misery wrought by
the Americas for the misery wrought by European colonialism we can find spots
European colonialism we can find spots
European colonialism we can find spots of light foundations upon which to build
of light foundations upon which to build
of light foundations upon which to build empathy hot sauce is one of those
empathy hot sauce is one of those
empathy hot sauce is one of those slivers of life in the darkness a
slivers of life in the darkness a
slivers of life in the darkness a condiment from the Americas introduced
condiment from the Americas introduced
condiment from the Americas introduced by Europeans to Africa and Asia from
by Europeans to Africa and Asia from
by Europeans to Africa and Asia from where it came back to Europe in the
where it came back to Europe in the
where it came back to Europe in the Americas with new twists and new
Americas with new twists and new
Americas with new twists and new delicious recipes the story of hot sauce
delicious recipes the story of hot sauce
delicious recipes the story of hot sauce is the story of how multiculturalism and
is the story of how multiculturalism and
is the story of how multiculturalism and intercultural exchange enrich our lives
intercultural exchange enrich our lives
intercultural exchange enrich our lives and transform our world for the better
no holiday is more fraught on these
no holiday is more fraught on these issues of multiculturalism identity
issues of multiculturalism identity
issues of multiculturalism identity intercultural exchange than Columbus Day
intercultural exchange than Columbus Day
intercultural exchange than Columbus Day for some Columbus Day marks the
for some Columbus Day marks the
for some Columbus Day marks the beginning of people from the old world
beginning of people from the old world
beginning of people from the old world getting a fresh start in the new but for
getting a fresh start in the new but for
getting a fresh start in the new but for many others Columbus Day represents the
many others Columbus Day represents the
many others Columbus Day represents the beginning of centuries of racism slavery
beginning of centuries of racism slavery
beginning of centuries of racism slavery and genocide
and genocide
and genocide now look Christopher Columbus would be
now look Christopher Columbus would be
now look Christopher Columbus would be mystified by this holiday he never even
mystified by this holiday he never even
mystified by this holiday he never even acknowledged that he bumped into a
acknowledged that he bumped into a
acknowledged that he bumped into a landmass unknown to Europeans and he
landmass unknown to Europeans and he
landmass unknown to Europeans and he wasn’t even the first European to do
wasn’t even the first European to do
wasn’t even the first European to do that Vikings beat him to it that’s right
that Vikings beat him to it that’s right
that Vikings beat him to it that’s right Christopher Columbus didn’t even
Christopher Columbus didn’t even
Christopher Columbus didn’t even Columbus the Americas
Columbus the Americas
Columbus the Americas but he did introduce Chili’s to the
but he did introduce Chili’s to the
but he did introduce Chili’s to the world beyond the Americas chilies and
world beyond the Americas chilies and
world beyond the Americas chilies and hot sauce are a sliver of light in the
hot sauce are a sliver of light in the
hot sauce are a sliver of light in the Columbian Exchange that unparalleled
Columbian Exchange that unparalleled
Columbian Exchange that unparalleled supernovae of cultural intermingling
supernovae of cultural intermingling
supernovae of cultural intermingling that came from the meeting of two long
that came from the meeting of two long
that came from the meeting of two long disconnected worlds all of us today for
disconnected worlds all of us today for
disconnected worlds all of us today for better and for worse are products of
better and for worse are products of
better and for worse are products of that exchange and what better way to
that exchange and what better way to
that exchange and what better way to celebrate our world than with hot sauce
celebrate our world than with hot sauce
celebrate our world than with hot sauce the condiment from the Americas that
the condiment from the Americas that
the condiment from the Americas that traveled to the far reaches of the earth
traveled to the far reaches of the earth
traveled to the far reaches of the earth and back I say we ditch Columbus Day and
and back I say we ditch Columbus Day and
and back I say we ditch Columbus Day and let’s celebrate our shared human story
let’s celebrate our shared human story
let’s celebrate our shared human story by celebrating indigenous peoples day
by celebrating indigenous peoples day
by celebrating indigenous peoples day with hot sauce by eating really spicy
with hot sauce by eating really spicy
with hot sauce by eating really spicy food thanks
food thanks
food thanks [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment