The Indigenous Dishes That Changed American Food
What do cornbread, grits, maple syrup, and cedar plank salmon have in common? Their stories begin with Indigenous dishes that helped shape American food.
The Traditional Chinese Medicine Hiding in Your Kitchen
Why do we reach for ginger when our stomach hurts? Or honey, when we have a sore throat? Traditional Chinese Medicine knew the answers and believed food was the body's first medicine. They prescribed ginger for nausea, green tea for balance, bone broth for strength, and fermented foods for digestion. Three thousand years later, science is finding evidence that many of these ancient practices may have been onto something. Interestingly, most of these foods are probably already in your kitchen.
Avocado History: From Ice Age Fruit to Global Obsession
I eat avocados almost every day, but I had no idea how remarkable their story was. Indigenous peoples in Mexico and Central America transformed a wild fruit into the avocado we know today. Even more surprising, giant Ice Age animals once helped ensure its survival. Discover the Indigenous roots of avocados, the origins of guacamole, the impact of the Spanish conquest, and how an ancient fruit became today's green gold.
What Is Sumac? The Spice Used by Persians and Native Americans for Centuries
Most people think of sumac as a Middle Eastern spice. Few realize it also grew wild across North America and was used by Native peoples for centuries. The story behind this crimson berry is more surprising than you might expect.
Edible Birds: A History of Which Birds Humans Have Eaten
Here's that fact: In the 1800s, Americans ate robin pie. Yes,THAT robin! The one in your backyard. It was so popular it took a federal law to stop it. Here's the strange, delicious story of birds of a feather we love to eat.
Ancient Food Cultures: The World’s Oldest Culinary Traditions Still Alive Today
Ancient food cultures were far more sophisticated than history has given them credit for, and two remarkable culinary traditions are making a comeback. From pre-colonial Indigenous kitchens in the Americas to 3,700-year-old Mesopotamian clay tablets, cuisines once thought lost forever are being rediscovered, and the culinary world is finally paying attention.
Food Became Movie Magic Through Foley Sound
You’ve been hearing food in movies your entire life and never noticed. Through Foley sound, celery snaps like bones, and melons become a horror movie. Discover how groceries run in Hollywood sounds.
Milk: The Beverage Humans Were Never Meant to Drink
Humans are the only species that drink another animal’s milk. Many of us can’t even digest it. So why did we start, and how did it reshape our biology?
Yogurt and the Origins of Survival Eating
Ancient history had the goods on gut health! Before yogurt was a trend, it was a lifeline. Engineered by nomads and shaped by cultures across continents. Here's the story of how fermentation helped humanity survive.
This Cheesecake Is Older Than Most Countries
Cheesecake is a treat with a history that spans cultures and trade routes, making it older than some countries. Once consumed by Ancient Greek athletes and Romans this time traveller evolved to many modern variations.
