THE CASE FOR DIVISION OF LABOR.

Interesting question at Unlocked Wordhoard. "What modern dishes were impossible or impractical in the Middle Ages?" It builds on the recollections of one Waldo Jaquith attempting the do-it-yourself cheeseburger. No joy.

A cheeseburger cannot exist outside of a highly developed, post-agrarian society. It requires a complex interaction between a handful of vendors—in all likelihood, a couple of dozen—and the ability to ship ingredients vast distances while keeping them fresh.

A commenter, correctly, describes the essay as the "I, Pencil" of cheeseburgers.