The Food Section: Appetizers

New York in the Fifties, When the Deli Was King

Lowenstein’s Revenge: A memoir of NYC Deli [Hungry Magazine]

Forty Years in Food

On the occasion of its fortieth anniversary, New York magazine charts the past four decades in food breakthroughs -- from the cuisinart to kobe beef.

Enter Edamame [New York]

Tea Party!

The tea bag celebrates its 100th anniversary this month. According to legend, in June 1908, New York tea merchant Thomas Sullivan sent samples of tea to potential customers in small silk pouches. His confused clients received the bags and, unsure of what to do them, dunked them into hot water. With that, the tea bag was born and the rest is history.

When Spaghetti Grew on Trees

A BBC documentary about the Swiss "spaghetti harvest" -- broadcast on April 1, 1957 -- is considered to be one of the greatest April Fools Day hoaxes of all time. Following the broadcast, hundreds of duped viewers contacted the BBC about how to purchase their own spaghetti bushes (see the video).

Candy Chronicle

In the Los Angeles Times, Charles Perry provides a short history of jelly beans, whose soft centers derive from the confection Turkish delight.

Birth of a Bagel

According to the New Yorker, the origins of the "everything bagel" can be traced to a Howard Beach takeout restaurant in 1980. Also online at newyorker.com: a cartoonist's critique of the Upper West Side's Tasty Cafe.

Greatest Hits

The 100 greatest moments in the history of food.

Fried Ice Cream Was Eaten Here

Documenting America's "creepy, abandoned Chi-Chis." via sf.

Groceteria

American grocery store history in photos, advertising, and ephemera. Via I like.

Grimace History

History: Tracking the evolution of Grimace, from evil madman to fuzzy friend. Via aht.

The Year in Food

History: The year in food, according to CHOW.

Dining with George Washington.

History: Dining with George Washington.

A History of Tiki

History: The birth and evolution of the tiki bar. Via cp.

What's for Dinner

History: "What's for Dinner? Half a Century of British Eating Habits," at the Middlesex University Museum of Domestic Design & Architecture, explores change in Britain's culinary landscape. Via I like.

Salad and History

History: Amanda Hesser on salad, history, and identity: "By their very lack of rules or constraints, they [salads] somehow allow cooks to express the anxieties and fascinations of the period. The collective unconscious has more room to play with a free-form arrangement of dressed vegetables than with a chicken drumstick."

Coq au Vin History

History: A short history of coq au vin, onetime symbol of French elegance and overused double entendre: "Have you ever tried coq au vin? No but I once let an Italian put his hand up my jumper on the back seat of his Fiat." Ba-dum-bum!

Condensed Milk History

History: After thoroughly failing with his invention of "meat biscuits," newspaper editor and inventor Gail Borden Jr. hit it big in 1856 with a patent for condensed milk.

English Puddings

History: Some interesting English puddings.

Pizza in America

History: A brief history of pizza in America.

Van Gogh's Eggs

History: Vincent Van Gogh ate two eggs every morning while residing at the "Yellow House" where he painted his sunflowers, but how would those eggs have been prepared?

Spy Prunes

History: During World War II, prunes were used to smuggle maps and other documents to prisoners of war. Two prunes that survived have been put up for auction.

Fondue

History: A la Carte's Peter Hertzmann presses past '70s cliches in search of fondue origins, varieties, and recipes.

Milk and Society

History: Montreal's McCord Museum of Canadian History traces the rise of urbanization, industrialization, and dairy consumption in 19th century Canada.

Oral Histories

History: The University of California, Berkeley has collected oral histories from from more than 100 Bay Area chefs, winemakers, and food experts as part of a project documenting the Northern California food revolution.

La Cuisine Creole

History: At The Historic American Cookbook Project, Lafcadio Hearn's La Cuisine Creole: A Collection of Culinary Recipes, From Leading Chefs and Noted Creole Housewives, Who Have Made New Orleans Famous for its Cuisine (New Orleans: F.F. Hansell & Bro., Ltd., c1885). Via bt.

Grilling History

History: A short history of grilling in America.

Persimmons

History: "There is a saying in the persimmon country that persimmons are 'good for dogs, hogs, and 'possums.' This, however, is declared to be a gross injustice to a very valuable product."

Wedding Cake History

History: In Gastronomica, Carol Wilson traces the history of the wedding cake from Ancient Rome to the present day, including recipes.

Spice Myths Debunked

History: Debunking the myth that spices were used during the Middle Ages to disguise spoiled meat.

Microwave Oven History

History: Inventing the microwave oven.

Madeleine Mystery

History: By reverse engineering Marcel Proust's madeleine, writer Edmund Levin reveals a mystery involving dunking, "'implied' biting," and crumbs. His conclusion? "Proust's madeleine did not, does not, and never could have existed. To put it bluntly: Proust didn't know from madeleines."

Chinese Restaurant History

History: Author Gish Jen on the history of Chinese restaurants in America, "from stir-fried buffalo to Matzoh Foo Young."

Twinkies

History: Recounting 75 years of Twinkies.

L.A. Time Machines

History: Los Angeles Time Machines rates L.A. restaurants and bars by their ability to transport one into the past: "Sitting in these places, one has the illusion of a time gone by when life had a slower pace, people cared about quality and integrity, and life’s pleasures were more simple and innocent."

Saloon Gear

History: Cocktail shakers, bitters bottles, and bar attire from the pages of the Albert Pick Saloon Catalog, circa 1918.

Jello Salads

History: Singing the praises of "retroFreaky" Jell-O salads. Via jwb.

Eggs and Spring

History: Eggs and spring? Together forever.

Who Was Betty Crocker?

History: Who was Betty Crocker? Via jwb.

Bouillon Cube Creator

History: Justus Liebig, the 19th century German mind behind the invention of the bouillon cube.

Dinosaur-Eating Mammals Not So Tough

History: Dinosaur-eating mammal not so tough says Times editorial: "And while scientists cite some reasons for believing that the dino-eating mammal was a real predator (read: tough), it remains possible that it was only a skulking scavenger that gobbled up a dead baby dinosaur (read: garbage eater)."

History of Eggs Benedict

History: Tracing the lineage of Eggs Benedict.

Blogging 18th Century French Cuisine

History: Carolyn Smith-Kizer's 18th Century Cuisine blog explores recipes as they may have been cooked by a "habitante in Nouvelle France."

TV Dinner History

History: Swanson and the invention of the TV dinner: "The childlike packaging makes it appealing . . . The food is segmented, just the way we separate food on our plates when we're children and don't want things mixed. It's a form of comfort to us. Everything is in its place."

Julie Powell on Ancient Cuisines

History: Having mastered the Julia Child oeuvre, Julie Powell takes on the ancient cuisines of the Mayans, Mongolians, and Mesopotamians. See also: recipes.

Chicken and Waffles

History: A short history of chicken and waffles. Via bt.

The Molasses Disaster of 1919

History: "Envision a disaster scene with smashed buildings, overturned vehicles, drowned and crushed victims, and terrified survivors running away covered in molasses." The Molasses Disaster of January 15, 1919. Via tmn.

French L.A.

History: Exploring the French restaurant scene in Los Angeles, circa 1850.

Whiskey History

How bourbon whiskey got its name. [via fhn]

Ice Cream History

The history of ice cream, from the Tang Dynasty to the debut of the cone.

The Nippy

The Nippy, and other lore from J. Lyons & Co. [via I Like]

A Chaucerian Cookery

"A Chaucerian Cookery." [via list]

Service a la Francaise

On the evolution of service à la française.

Panini History

Exploring the history of panini.

Kitchen Garden History

The history of kitchen gardens in America.

Roman Food

Isicia Omentata ("a kind of Roman burger") and other recipes from ancient Rome.

History of Eating Utensils

The history of eating utensils.

Pasta Geography

The geography of Italian pasta (pdf).

Afternoon Tea

A history of afternoon tea.

Ode to Cholent

An ode to cholent, aka "kosher ambrosia."

The Levittown Kitchen

The Levittown Kitchen. [via cp]

Seed Catalog Covers

A collection of seed catalog covers. [via bb]

Chain History

A chronology of chain restaurant history. [via lacmc]

Supermarket History

Exploring supermarket history and architecture.

UK Cafes

Classic cafes of London.

Print ads from 50 years of TV dinner history. [via rl]