The Crucial Southern Blackberry
In the 19th century, blackberry picking was both hobby and money-making endeavor for many Americans. Increased regulation of land use changed all that.
Salmonella: The Good, the Bad, the Unexpected
A recent salmonella outbreak, connected with pre-cut melon, has put the bacteria back in the news. Is there any bright side to salmonella?
Baking Vs. Roasting
We cook bread, meat, and vegetables much the same way: in our ovens. So why do we say we "bake" bread, but we "roast" meat and veggies?
Baby Food for Baby Boomers
Modern baby food didn’t exist until 1928, when Daniel Gerber launched his first line of mass-produced canned strained peas for babies.
High Cuisine in Ancient France
An archaeologist explores how the division of upper- and lower-class cuisine may have developed in France more than 2,000 years ago.
When Salad Was Manly AF
Esquire, 1940: “Salads are really the man’s department... Only a man can make a perfect salad.”
Hidden Poisons of the Royal Court
How noble lords and ladies, terrified of poison, unknowingly poisoned themselves on a daily basis.
How Barbecue Defined America
The barbecue boom in 1950s American was tied to nationalistic concepts of the "perfect family": patriarchal, suburban, and white.
Global Food Security: A Primer
World hunger is not caused by our inability to produce enough food. The problem arises because of the economic inequality that distorts food distribution.
England’s Obsession with Queen Victoria’s Wedding Cake
Queen Victoria's wedding, and its spectacular cake, caused a frenzy.