Great things come in small sizes. And they have great histories behind them.
(I am not sure I am quoting anyone there, much as it sounds like a "saying". I just made that up.)
And so it is with the seeds of the plant known as the flax plant. Today, the importance of flax seeds as a part of our diet cannot be emphasized enough. It has almost a world wide presence, being native to Egypt, India, Iraq, South and Central America, Kurdistan, Peru, Spain, Turkey, Venezuela, USA, Canada, China, and much of Europe.
Flax originated in Asia about 5000 years ago and has been used for thousands of years in what are considered the older civilizations of the world. According to some, flax is thought to have originated in Mesopotamia, and some believe that it has been known to folks even in the Stone Ages.
In the middle ages , when things got pretty exciting with witches , sorcery, burning, etc, the blue flowers of the flax plant were considered a surefire protection against sorcery. In Bohemia, where less violent life styles were the order of the day, children were encouraged to dance among the flax pants, so as to improve upon their looks. (I am continually amazed at the abysmal ignorance of folks like Revlon, Neutrogina, L'Oreal and assorted "beauty types" about this. But we shall let that pass...)
As if all this was not enough, flax, per se, was under the Divine Protection of the Teutonic Goddess, Hulda, who is supposed to have guided the mortals, regarding the growing and subsequent uses of the flax plant. It is , however a continuing mystery what has happened to all these goddesses , in todays world, where deforestation is rampant,, and mountains are being quarried and flattened, all in the name of progress. I guess sometimes even the Gods may have had enough...
Flax seeds and cloth were found in Egyptian tombs as far back as 23rd century BC. Flax seeds are mentioned in the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments and are mentioned by Homer in the Odyssey as being used for sail cloth and cords.
The earliest use of flax seeds in the field of cooking, may be attributed, like several other things, to the Greeks. In both that civilization and in ancient Rome, the health benefits of flax seeds were widely praised. After the fall of Rome, the cultivation and popularity of flax seeds declined. (The continuing involvement of Rome, and its citizens, in all the exciting chapters of human development will be the subject of another study, maybe!).
But flax came into its own , once again, thanks to Emperor Charlemagne. Besides being the architect and shaper of European history, he did not allow his grandiose royal lifestyle to close his eyes to the lifestyles of the ordinary and non-famous. He observed the culinary, medicinal, and fibrous uses of flax seeds, by the populace, and was so impressed, that in the 8th century B.C. he actually passed a law making compulsory, the growing and consumption of these seeds. This was the entry of flax into Europe, and would have more repercussions than Europeans ever realized, and we are not referring only to the medicinal, intestinal clearing properties of flax.
Flax, is a slender, grass-like, annual plant with narrow leaves that blooms with small light blue flowers in early summer. Flax is planted in the early spring, and ranges in height between eighteen to thirty inches. When the seed pods replace the flowers the flax is considered ready to be harvested.
Thanks to Emperor Charlemagne's masterstroke, Ireland began growing the best quality flax around 1000 BC.
And just when you thought all you do with flax is eat, listen to this...
During the eighteenth century, in Ireland, flax was the only cash crop produced by the vast majority of the people, especially the small farm holders. Why flax ? Because it was what made Irish Linen , Irish Linen. The stalks of the Flax plant were processed and provided to the manufacturers and weavers of the linen. Potatoes and oats were produced to feed the people and animals. Production of the crop during the summer, and weaving the yarn during the winter kept the people occupied all year round. They became highly skilled at the industry and their craftsmanship was known and recognized far and wide. Irish Longford linen was equal to the best in the world. When the famine hit Ireland, and folks migrated across the Atlantic to the New World, a lot of the flax went along with them, and grew and prospered in the USA.
The question arises as to whether , with all the well known properties of flax for the betterment of one's health, were the Irish aware of it ? The answer tells you why some foods are native to some areas, but everyone does not use that foodstuff the same way. It turns out that although the Irish climate was found to be very suitable for growing flax, short harvests were not favorable to ripening the flax seeds, therefore no seed or linseed products were produced. The crop was harvested for linen production only while it was in full flower. In dryer climates linseed and linseed products were used for a more widely varied number of products, such as animal meals, oil, paint, varnish, French polish, soap, animal laxatives, oil cloth and linoleum. Pectin was also extracted by boiling.
