Cook up a little warmth this winter with stew

What is it about cold weather that awakens our craving for stews?

Maybe it’s the colourfully chunky vegetables or the meaty goodness and aroma, or perhaps it’s having to wait because – as all lovers of this hearty fare know – a good stew takes time to make.

After all, when considering its long history, one is encouraged to practice a modicum of patience when cooking a stew – if anything just as a show of respect to the stew masters of olden days who, according to the history books, had absolutely no idea what they were doing. But then again, all great ideas usually have questionable beginnings.

An authentic medieval kitchen. This group of hobbyists recreate the “good old days”. Picture: iStock

According to ancient Greek historian Herodotus, stews have been part of human culinary interest since before Christ. In his book, The Histories, he writes that the Scythians (4th to 8th century BC) “put the flesh into an animal’s paunch, mix water with it, and boil it like that over the fire”.

Meanwhile, Amazonian tribes are believed to have used the shells of turtles as vessels, boiling the entrails of the turtle and various other ingredients in them.

As disgusting as this may sound, it was actually the basis for stews as we know them today. But let’s raise our hats to the ancients Romans who, in true competitive spirit and the need to be better than everyone else, took stews to a whole new level. And then, just to run everyone’s noses in it, wrote a cookbook about it.

In Apicius, a book of Roman cookery recipes, usually thought to have been compiled in the 1st century AD, there are recipes for lamb stews and fish stews.

Fish stew. Picture: iStock

However , by the early 14th century, the French, who were only known for creating a device to remove the heads of cake-eating high society ladies and a really wet form of kissing, jumped on the bandwagon with La Vandier, which lists an array of various ragouts and stews.

It’s this versatility that makes stews so loved by all, with each dish speaking to the culture and even mood of the cook. Since those ancient times, stews have been adapted to incorporate the unique and varied cultures of almost every country around the world.

Whether you prefer a potjiekos from South Africa, a beef bourguignon from France, a feijoada from Brazil or Portugal, ora goulash from Hungary – the weather is perfect for it. So get cooking and bring a little warmth to the hearth of the home.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.