Polenta or Mamaliga? British Perceptions of a South-east European Dish

Abstract

This article focuses on the historical importance of cornmeal preparations in Romania, especially among the poor during the 18th and 19th- centuries, and the consequences of over-reliance on this food which, when not properly prepared, leads to the potentially fatal disease of Pellagra, caused by a lack of the vitamin niacin (vitamin B3).