Events from 1650

Chili peppers reach Sichuan - combine with native Sichuan peppercorns to create 'mala' (numbing-spicy) flavor profile

Tobacco pipe smoking becomes Korean social custom - long pipes (jangdae) for elderly become status symbol

Kiseru (Japanese tobacco pipes) become samurai fashion - elaborate metal pipes show status, smoking becomes ritual

Chilies spread along Silk Road to Central Asia - valued for food preservation in harsh climates, transforms nomadic cuisines