food history

A still from the Netflix series Ugly Delicious.

World News

Chef David Chang Dishes On The 'Ugly' Side Of 'Delicious' Food

10:00am February 24, 2018

by Jeremy Hobson

David Chang's show, Ugly Delicious, delves into how various cultures approach comfort foods that have complicated back stories. "There's no universal truth about any food," says the chef.

Brick Lane is a street in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. It is famous for its many curry houses.

What's The Difference Between A Curry House And An Indian Restaurant?

6:10pm December 05, 2017

by Maanvi Singh

Curry may be Britain's unofficial national dish, but it's really more of a cuisine — and an entirely British invention. It's a testament to the innovation of Indian immigrants in the UK.

Panda Express came up with the recipe for Orange Chicken 30 years ago today. It's the company's signature dish and top seller.

Orange Chicken, Panda Express' Gift To American Chinese Food, Turns 30

2:38pm October 30, 2017

by Mandalit del Barco

The concoction, crispy fried chicken tossed with a sweet and sour sauce, is an Americanized version of dishes found in China. But this top seller has developed its own authenticity over the years.

In the last 13 years of Queen Victoria's life, she spent a great deal of time with Abdul Karim, who came from India initially to wait on the queen's table, but soon became part of her inner circle. And despite all opposition, Victoria and Karim curried on

Books
Arts

Queen Victoria's Unlikely Bond With Indian Attendant Made Curry Classy

8:00am October 29, 2017

by Nina Martyris

The new film Victoria & Abdul sheds light on this extraordinary friendship, which had a spicy side effect: Curries, once a way to use up leftovers, began to simmer regularly in the royal kitchens.

Ho Po, a Chinese labor contractor from San Francisco, sent 150 of his countrymen to build Buena Vista.

Chinese Laborers Built Sonoma's Wineries. Racist Neighbors Drove Them Out

5:25pm July 13, 2017

by Grace Hwang Lynch

Enjoying a chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon? In the 1800s, Chinese immigrants helped introduce those iconic varietals to California's wine country. But as vineyards grew, so did anti-Chinese fervor.

The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South by John T. Edge.

Race, Class And Paying Down Southern Food's Great 'Debt Of Pleasure'

12:48pm June 11, 2017

In his book, The Potlikker Papers, John T. Edge tells the story of modern Southern history through food — which means "explicitly digging into issues of race, class, gender, ethnicity," he says.

Cloud eggs: It's not just Instagrammers who find them pretty. Chefs of the 17th century whipped them up, too. Then, as now, they were meant to impress.

Science
Arts

Cloud Eggs: The Latest Instagram Food Fad Is Actually Centuries Old

10:53am May 21, 2017

by Maria Godoy

The fanciful dish was meant to impress nearly 400 years ago, so don't roll your eyes at photos of these pretty edibles: They're actually a time-honored tradition tinged with a bit of kitchen science.

Queue Listen Now

At the turn of the 20th century, when access to professional care was spotty, many cookbooks served up recipes for the sick — some (brandy) more appealing than others (toast water). Even the Joy Of Cooking included sickbed recipes up through the 1943 ed

Food To Cure What Ails You: When Cookbooks Treated Meals As Medicine

8:00am May 17, 2017

by Deena Prichep

At the turn of the 20th century, when access to professional care was spotty, many cookbooks served up recipes for the sick — some (brandy) more appealing than others (toast water).

A Lost Rice Variety — And The Story Of The Freed 'Merikins' Who Kept It Alive

4:00pm May 10, 2017

by Jill Neimark

The rice traveled from Africa to the Southeast, where it was a link to home for enslaved Africans. Then it nearly vanished — and with it, a heritage tying African, Southern and West Indian foodways.

Fortified dwelling and open air banquet, detail from a mosaic portraying a Nilotic landscape from El Alia, Tunisia. Roman Civilisation, 2nd century. Musée National Du Bardo (Archaeological Museum)

What Did Ancient Romans Eat? New Novel Serves Up Meals And Intrigue

10:10am April 28, 2017

by Kristen Hartke

In ancient Rome, food was a bargaining chip for position for slaves and nobles alike. At the center of Feast Of Sorrow is real-life nobleman Apicius, who inspired the oldest surviving cookbook.