Food History

Burrata Cheese

Burrata di Andria Cheese

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.

Canning and Preserving Tips

Putting Food By

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.

An upclose shot of a chicken head.

The History of Chicken Fingers

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?

Vintage drawing of a woman holding up a glass of absinthe

The Green Fairy Flies High

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.

Origin of the Fork

Origins of the Common Fork

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

Crazy for Salt Cod

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

A New York–style cheesecake in a springform pan on a wire rack with a dirty bowl, spoon, spatula, and paddle attachment lying beside it.

New York Cheesecake Stands Alone

Food history editor Gary Allen takes on the task of defending the superiority of his native New York cheesecake and finds it’s a cheesecake that stands alone.