Food History

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

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.

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.

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

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?

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.

• Quick Glance
• 20 M
• 2 H
• 3

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.

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

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.

• Quick Glance
• 50 M
• 50 M
• 1

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

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.

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

• Quick Glance
• 40 M
• 3 H
• 42

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.