Our ancestors certainly had interesting ideas about food. They usually had strange stories about how certain foodstuff came to be. For instance, the Greeks believed that cabbages came from the tears of a Thracian prince tied to some vines because he annoyed the god Dionysus. These legends sometimes considered food as mystical gifts from the heavens.

Green leafy vegetables are not the only foodstuff that are, in a matter of speaking, the stuff of legends. Many still believe that salt can keep evil spirits away, thanks to TV shows like Supernatural. Our ancestors did use salt to keep witches at bay and the Zuni people of the American Southwest worshipped Ma’l Oyattsik’i, the Salt Mother.

Here are seven more interesting ancient legends about common food.

Milk is undoubtedly one of the most useful beverages in our world. It is the first thing we consume after being born and we use it in many of our dishes. Yet there are so many things we don't know about it. Interestingly, there are some facts about the liquid food that could be considered unusual.

We usually think of milk as a product of female mammals as a way to nourish their young. However, birds can also produce milk and it's not just the Momma Bird who can do it. Male flamingos, pigeons, and even penguins have been known to produce a thick, milk-like substance for their babies.

Here are seven more unusual facts about milk that you probably didn't know about:

Dumplings are undoubtedly one of the most ubiquitous foods on the planet. You can travel anywhere from Russia to China and find an interesting version of the dish. The whole world loves dumplings because they are versatile, easy to make, very handy, and downright delicious.

Technically, a dumpling is dough wrapped around a savory filling. There are dumplings out there that do not have fillings and are eaten as sweets. We are going to focus on the yummy treats that have fillings and are usually baked, fried, or steamed. One of these dishes could be your own personal comfort food!

Here are 12 delicious dumplings you can find around the world.