Leek

A plant of the genus Allium and, with onions and garlic, a member of the lily family. Leeks were well known to both the Greeks and Romans. Nero often kept a leek in his mouth because he believed it would add timbre to his voice and, for this reason, was nicknamed Porrophagus, from porrum, meaning "leek" and phagus, meaning "to eat." Roman historian and naturalist Pliny tells the story of Mela, a government official whom Tiberius criticized for poor administration and who took his own life by drinking three silver denarii's weight in leek juice, expiring instantly without the slightest symptom of pain. During biblical times, leeks were widely consumed in Egypt as well as in other lands bordering the Mediterranean.

There are references to leeks in England as far back as the Dark Ages, but during the Middle Ages, they were rarely mentioned. Many superstitions are centered on leeks, most notably as a guard against fires, lightening and sorcery, which is why Charlemagne ordered them planted on housetops. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the aristocracy didn't eat leeks, because they were unfashionable and considered "poor man's asparagus."

Phoenician traders introduced the leek to Wales, where it has been the national emblem since AD 640, when the Welsh scored a victory over the Saxons wearing leeks pinned to their hats for identification. It's still traditional in Wales to wear a leek on March 1 to celebrate St. David's Day - for the influential religious leader and patron saint of Wales - and serve leek broth (cawl cennin) and chicken and leek pie. (All 10 monasteries founded by St. David were vegetarian.) The Scottish make cock-a-leekie soup and consume even more leeks than the Welsh.

---