Eating Seaweed in the Americas
From the kelp highway to blue plate kelp specials, seaweeds are gaining greater acceptance on the dining tables in the Americas.
Thomas Jefferson’s Gourmand Explorers
Jefferson’s government organized several western expeditions. Some carried luxurious supplies of food, some enjoyed local hospitality, and some nearly starved to death.
Respecting the Potato
Cuzco’s Potato Park conserves biodiversity and strengthens food sovereignty, all while emphasizing respect for this important and charismatic crop.
The Fakelore of Food Origins
Where did potato chips come from? How about clams casino? Are the origin stories for these foods true, or do they fall into the category of “fakelore”?
Plant of the Month: Chili Pepper
Few foods elicit such strong reactions as chili peppers. Why do we love something that hurts so much?
Where Do Nutrition Labels Come From?
We all ponder them when standing in the cereal aisle of the grocery store, but why do we even have nutrition labels on our foods?
The USSR’s “Invisible Cuisine”
Unofficial cookbooks—handwritten recipes passed from kitchen to kitchen—provided their owners with social and cultural capital within the Soviet system.
Building Cultures on Wheat
Wheat remains a central part of national identity in Tajikistan despite the mechanization of agriculture and decades of hostile Soviet policies.
Plant of the Month: Black-eyed Pea
Human relationships to this global crop have been shaped by both violence and resilience.
Algae: The Food of the Future of the Past
In the years following World War II, American and European food scientists hoped to feed the world with common pond scum supplemented with plastics.