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Is That a Leek on Your Pocket?

Is That a Leek on Your Pocket?

Feb 28, 2011 17 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

March 1 is Saint David’s Day, a Welsh holiday in which the devout tip their collective hat to the eponymous saint by wearing leek corsages.

History of the Jelly Doughnut | Sufganiyah

History of the Jelly Doughnut | Sufganiyah

Dec 03, 2010 Leave a Comment by  
Filed under food history | science

The history of the jelly doughnut, AKA the sufganiyah, goes back to the 15th century. Since then, it’s been dipped, sandwiched, and injected with savory and sweet fillings.

Burrata di Andria Cheese

Burrata di Andria Cheese

Sep 22, 2010 5 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

All hail the queen! Of Italian cheese, that is: Burrata di Andria. A kind of cream-filled mozzarella, it rules a plate like no other cheese. Gary Allen explains.

Putting Food By

Putting Food By

Sep 15, 2010 9 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

Canning and preserving foods have a long esteemed history in America. These tips, inspired by those campy mid-20th century home ec books, are gems.

The History of Chicken Fingers

The History of Chicken Fingers

Sep 07, 2010 10 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

Chicken fingers—that favorite meal of kids—have an interesting history, filled with thrift and greed. Who knew a kids’ snack could be so profitable?

U.S. Helps in Locating U.K. WWII Celebration Cake

U.S. Helps in Locating U.K. WWII Celebration Cake

May 31, 2010 4 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

Victory cakes, also known as celebration cakes, were popular after World War II and were centerpieces of U.S. and U.K. parties. Gary Allen reports.

The Green Fairy Flies High

The Green Fairy Flies High

Apr 12, 2010 12 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

Absinthe, also known as the green fairy due to its hallucinogenic properties, is basking in the glow of a revival of interest among discerning drinkers.

Pho | Vietnamese Comfort Food

Pho | Vietnamese Comfort Food

Apr 08, 2010 3 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

Writer and cookbook author Mai Pham reminiscences about her childhood in Vietnam and one of its beloved comfort foods, pho, or beef noodle soup.

A Woolf at the Table

A Woolf at the Table

Mar 21, 2010 3 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

Food history editor Gary Allen delves into the culinary world of Virginia Woolf, the Bloomsbury set, and foods of the Edwardian era.

Going Bananas for Beefsteak Stanley

Going Bananas for Beefsteak Stanley

Mar 09, 2010 1 Comment by  
Filed under food history | science

Gary Allen dissects the classic dishes Salisbury Steak and Beeksteak Stanley and finds what may have been the 20th century’s original low-carb diet.

The Naked Truth about Aphrodisiacs

The Naked Truth about Aphrodisiacs

Feb 08, 2010 4 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

For Valentine’s Day, food history editor Gary Allen takes a look at comestible aphrodisiacs and unravels their magic, myth, and mayhem.

A Jolly Olde Christmas Redux

A Jolly Olde Christmas Redux

Dec 06, 2009 Leave a Comment by  
Filed under food history | science

Food history editor Gary Allen looks at the food traditions of the merriest of holidays and finds interesting ties to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Manchup: Cape Verde’s National Dish is a Savory Mix

Manchup: Cape Verde’s National Dish is a Savory Mix

Sep 14, 2009 5 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

Food history editor, Gay Allen, discovers the root of manchup, Cape Verde’s beloved dish. Manchup is a rustic dish filled with meats, beans, and grains.

Craig Claiborne and the Invention of Food Journalism

Craig Claiborne and the Invention of Food Journalism

Jul 02, 2009 3 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science | video

John T. Edge, Anne Mendelson, Betty Fussell, Molly O’Neill, and David Leite talk about NY Times writer Craig Claiborne and the future of food journalism.

The Uncommon Origins of the Common Fork

The Uncommon Origins of the Common Fork

May 06, 2009 4 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

Chad Ward, an expert in all things cutlery, turns his attention to the history of the world’s most taken-for-granted eating implement.

No Country for New Turkeys

No Country for New Turkeys

Nov 22, 2008 Leave a Comment by  
Filed under food history | science

Although food-crazed bloggers and over-ambitious chefs have turned out every conceivable variation of turkey, on Thanksgiving the familiar is what we want. Food history editor Gary Allen explains.

High School Chemistry Pays Off…in Ice Cream

High School Chemistry Pays Off…in Ice Cream

Sep 04, 2008 Leave a Comment by  
Filed under food history | science

Food history editor Gary Allen, who has a bent for all things food science, delves into the mystery of a batch of ghastly blue-grey blackberry ice cream.

Crazy for Salt Cod

Crazy for Salt Cod

Jun 30, 2008 Leave a Comment by  
Filed under food history | science

Our food history editor, and sometime science guy, Gary Allen, helps a reader understand how to keep and care for salt cod.

Seeing Red Over the Origins of Red Velvet Cake

Seeing Red Over the Origins of Red Velvet Cake

Oct 17, 2006 3 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

A frustrating search for the origins of Red Velvet Cake leads a stymied reader to our food history editor, Gary Allen.

A Hunt for the Classic Icebox Cake Leaves a Cold Trail

A Hunt for the Classic Icebox Cake Leaves a Cold Trail

Sep 15, 2006 2 Comments by  
Filed under food history | science

Food history editor Gary Allen tracks down the classic icebox cake. The recipe for the original icebox cake is on the Nabisco chocolate wafer box.