Feasting With Montezuma: Food and Farming in a Floating City

Five centuries ago, before Spanish conquistadors arrived, what's
now Mexico City was the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan—and it took
the European invaders' breath away. It was built on an island
threaded with canals; it was one of the largest cities in the
world; and the Spanish could hardly believe the sheer volume of
food sold in the city's main market, let alone the quantity and
variety of dishes enjoyed by the Aztec leader, Montezuma. But how
did a city built in a lake—and located in a part of the world
without cows, sheep, pigs, or chicken—grow enough to feed quarter
of a million people? What does it mean to eat like an Aztec, and
can you still do it today? This episode, we're time traveling (and
real traveling) to find out! Join us on a trip to taste the flavors
of Tenochtitlan, and explore the endangered “floating islands” that
fed the city—with a menu that included insect eggs, blue-green
algae, and some adorable salamanders that just might hold the
secret of eternal youth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
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