8 Modern Delicacies Once Associated With Poverty

When you think of gourmet food, words like “luxurious” and “sophisticated” likely come to mind. But, believe it or not, there are many modern delicacies that, say, first-class Titanic passengers would have looked down upon either because they were so plentiful that even the regular “peasants” could afford it (yuck!) or they simply didn’t meet the discriminating standards of those wealthy railroad tycoons. Over time, due to a combination of scarcity and good old fashion marketing, attitudes began to shift so that dishes that would normally be served to convicts are now standard 5-star restaurant fare. Here’s a look at 8 foods that are highly prized now, but were once avoided if you wanted to maintain any shred of dignity.

1. Polenta

No upscale Italian restaurant would be complete without polenta on its menu. With its earthy, mild flavor, this cornmeal-based dish pairs perfectly with roasted meats and rare truffles. But for several centuries, it was associated with northern Italian peasantry, who pretty much subsisted exclusively on this stuff because wheat and meat were far beyond their budget. The problem is, these country bumpkins were unfamiliar with the sophisticated ways of the ancient Mesoamericans, who understood that if you didn’t nixtamalize the cornmeal (a process that improves its digestibility and nutritional value), you might just end up with skin lesions at best, and dementia at worst. It was best avoided if you wanted to live a halfway decent life. But starting in the 1980s, chefs discovered that if you add copious amounts of butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, it becomes a fussy dish of the fancy class! But it would be fair to acknowledge that a used ashtray would also taste significantly better if you added those ingredients.