Food History

Our primers on food history dive into the backgrounds of the iconic dishes and foodstuffs you know and love so that you can deepen your understanding.
Overhead view of a messy table at Miramar
All Hail the Buenos Aires Bodegón
Gefilte fish displayed on a circular plate with red horseradish and garnish
The Gentile Origins of Gefilte Fish
A cream tea prepared the Devon way next to a cream tea prepared the Cornish way
A Tale of Two Cream Teas: Why the British Are Still Arguing Over Their Scones
A Tea Advertisement featuring an Indian actress
All the Tea (Not) in China: The Story of How India Became a Tea-Drinking Nation
Close-up of njahi (Kenyan Black Beans)
The Njahi Wars: Behind Kenya's Controversial Black Bean
pastillas de leche on a plate surrounded by candy in intricately cut wrappers, an art form known as pabalat
Mayela's Gift: Unwrapping Pastillas de Leche
20201222-sorrel-jamaican-hibiscus-drink-vicky-wasik-2
The History of Hibiscus Drinks in the African Diaspora
Garifuna dish of hudutu
The Garifuna Diaspora Celebrates 223 Years of its Cuisine
Closeup of a pile of gold foil-wrapped bouillon cubes. One has been unwrapped to reveal the cube itself.
The History of Bouillon Cubes
A spoonful of Texas chili con carne is held up to the camera. A bowl of chili is visible in the background.
Divided States of Chili: A Guide to America's Most Contentious Stew
Overhead view of a glass being filled with soy milk.
A History of Soy Milk
20200701-dippin-dots-shutterstock-1
What Are Dippin' Dots, Really? The History of Cryogenic Ice Cream
Closeup of an opened package containing an astronaut ice cream sandwich. The sandwich lies nearby, broken in half.
The History of Astronaut Ice Cream
Whirley Pop popped corn.
The History of Popcorn: How One Grain Became a Staple Snack
jubilee-cover-img
Toni Tipton-Martin's Cookbook, Jubilee, Is a Source of Black Joy
A plate of hushpuppies and chicken and a biscuit
The Real History of Hushpuppies
Liquid Smoke
Pantry Essentials: All About Liquid Smoke
A bowl of ambrosia, a fruit salad with coconut, pineapple, pecans, mini-marshmallows, and cherries.
How Ambrosia Became a Southern Christmas Tradition
Carolina Gold rice spilling out onto a wooden counter from a paper bag.
卡罗来纳金的故事,最好的Rice You've Never Tasted
Closeup of freshly-made waffle cones.
The Complete History of Ice Cream Cones
20200729-mutura-kenyan-sausage-Joe-Lukhovi
The Joy of Eating Mutura, Nairobi’s Blood Sausage of Ill Repute
20141210-new-years-eve-lentils-spoon-samara-linnell.jpg
The True Story of Traditional New Year's Lucky Foods
20150607-raspberry-lime-rickey-vicky-wasik-1.jpg
The Rise and Fall of the Lime Rickey, the Soda Fountain Comeback Kid
Closeup of barbecue ribs, cut into individual ribs and arranged on a well-seasoned baking sheet.
From Trash to Treasure: The History of BBQ Ribs
Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray soda being poured from a can into a tall glass.
Cel-Ray Forever: Where America's Weirdest Soda Came From and How It Stuck Around
20190225-svejk-sign
How a 1920s Novel Started an International Restaurant Craze
20140820-cornbread-vicky-wasik-1.jpg
The Real Reason Sugar Has No Place in Cornbread
20150818-jello-salad-shutterstock_262368137.jpg
A Social History of Jell-O Salad: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon
20151028-1904-worlds-fair-crowd.jpg
The 1904 World's Fair: A Turning Point for American Food
20141216-hoppin-john-flickr-3-urban-foodie.jpg
The Historic Problem With Hoppin' John
bottles of water
How Bottled Water Became America's Most Popular Beverage
20111128-vernors-primary.jpg
Soda: The Dubious History (And Great Flavor) of Vernors Ginger Ale
20140910-gumbo-flickr-robert-terrell-dish-shot-3.jpg
The Real Story of Gumbo, Okra, and Filé
20130228cowboy.jpg
The Whiskey That Won the Wild West
A slice of bread with a generous smear of chocolate hazelnut spread on a wooden board.
From Napoleon to Nutella: The Birth of the Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread
Three soft Philly pretzels with salt.
The Philly Pretzel: One Twisted Jawn
The Real Origins of the Boiled Peanut
cross section view of a plancha-seared Dorado-style burrito
13 Burrito Styles Everyone Should Know
pastrami sandwich
How Pastrami Really Arrived in New York City
20130507-251327-drinks-malort-jeppsons.jpg
Malört: Chicago's Favorite Bitter Liqueur
Artistic rendering of the exterior of the Big Apple Inn in Jackson, MS.
The Big Apple Inn, A Little Mississippi Diner With an Outsize History
How Chicken-Fried Steak Got Its Texas Twang
A split Detroit corned beef egg roll.
Digging Into Detroit's Corned Beef Egg Roll
20150130-hunan-manor-beef-max-falkowitz.jpg
A Song of Spice and Fire: The Real Deal With Hunan Cuisine
20140902-pimento-cheese-vicky-wasik.jpg
From Scientific Cuisine to Southern Icon: The Real History of Pimento Cheese
选择的字符cuterie Shapiro produces. At center is a mini ham. Clockwise from the right: pâté en croûte, chicken galantine, saucisson à l'ail, capocollo, pancetta, guanciale.
Obsessed: The Kitsch and Artistry of Pâté en Croûte
The Snowball: A Baltimore Summer Classic
20140121-chicken-mull-shutterstock-1.jpg
Mull, Muddle, and the 12-Gallon Soup Pot: The Secret History of the South's Most Obscure Stew
A cereal aisle in a grocery store.
How Cereal Became the Quintessential American Breakfast
curry-powder-shutterstock_92670397.jpg
Country Captain is the Southern Icon You May Have Never Tasted
A Bloody Mary cocktail in a tall glass garnished with a celery stick and some shrimp on a toothpick.
The Bloody Mary: The History and Science of an Oddball Classic
How Banana Pudding Became a Southern Icon
20160621-cold-brew-iced-tea-vicky-wasik-4-thumb-1500xauto-432681.jpg
Why "As Southern as Sweet Tea" Isn't Very Southern at All
20140825-moonshine-still-in-mountains-joyce
What is Moonshine?
广告Vine-Glo
Prohibition and Wine's Darkest Hour
Oreos neatly lined up on a blue background.
How Oreos Got Their Name: The Rise of an American Icon
20140808-southern-food-shrimp-grits-fort-defiance-vicky-wasik.jpg
The Surprisingly Recent Story of How Shrimp and Grits Won Over the South
20150717-chicken-fingers-robyn-lee.jpg
From Southern Tradition to Mechanical Marvel: How Fried Chicken Lost its Bones