Ancient Rome Left Us a Cookbook. The Menu Gets Weird Fast.
Suppose tonight’s recipe begins: “Scald the flamingo.” That’s not satire. Ancient Rome left behind a cookbook filled with birds, dormice, fish sauce, honey, vinegar … More…
Food & Culture
Three French food classics that aren’t quite what they seem
Croissants are French. Coq au vin is ancient. Vichyssoise was obviously invented somewhere near a château by a man named Henri wearing an alarming … More…
It’s 2019 in Ethiopia. Dinner’s right on time.
Your phone says September 2026. In Ethiopia, it’s 2019. On Friday, Ethiopians welcomed a new year with family, flowers, coffee and a table built … More…
India has no single curry. Why?
Order “curry” and you might get chickpeas, paneer, lentils, meat, seafood or something entirely different. India has no single curry, so how did one … More…
How Japan made Ramen noodles its own
Ramen came from China, yakisoba isn’t really soba, and yaki udon may owe its existence to a postwar shortage. Japan’s noodle story is one … More…
Did Sticky Rice really help build the Great Wall?
The mortar was real. The familiar story is a little too neat. Sticky rice belongs in a bowl, not a wall. Or so you’d … More…
Carbonara has no cream. So why did old recipes add it?
Today’s Roman recipe is famously strict. Its own history wasn’t. Carbonara looks creamy enough to hide a splash of cream. It doesn’t need one. … More…