Category "history"

Cumin in Taco Seasoning?

I've noticed that I never taste cumin in the tacos I get at restaurants, yet cumin is often the most noticeable flavor in pre-made taco seasonings. When and why

What were the main ingredients of the Thai cuisine before global trade? [closed]

The traditional Thai cuisine was very different than the current one in a holistic perspective. At some point in history the Thai nation star

Is Virginia creeper safe to eat?

Spring and the Virginia Creeper is growing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenocissus_quinquefolia It is native to North America, and common. I read on

What are "cheese Parmentiers"?

From Clarissa Dickson Wright's A History of English Food (2012): [In the 1920s, British] hostesses also started to serve canapés: little cheese Parmenti

Recipes of Turkish drinks in Voltaire's Novel

There are some description of Turkish drinks in Voltaire's novel 'Candide', written in 1759 - presented them with several sorts of sherbet, which they had made

Where did the apples in Japanese Curry come from?

Japanese curry (カレー, karē) is its own distinct style, made with a roux base, mild curry powder, and grated apples or apple puree. It a

What did European/American historical cooks do with the egg whites?

I do some historical cooking out of old cookbooks, like Amelia Simmons' American Cookery or The Art Of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. One thing I've noticed is t

Where did the first kombucha SCOBY come from?

I haven't been able to find any information on this online. Kombucha recipes always suggest to either get a bit of the starter from someone else who makes kombu

How should red wine be used in Spaghetti Bolognese?

The classic Spaghetti Bolognese recipe adds red wine right at the beginning to the fried minced beef until its all absorbed with little liquid remaining. In the

What was this mysterious food/dessert product in 1990s Finland?

Throughout the 1990s, I often visited Southern Finland with my family. More specifically, Hanko/Hangö. In the stores, in the refrigerated area, they sold t

Why is wheat flour more popular than corn flour? [closed]

If I understand correctly, one of the major reasons that corn syrup is so popular is that it made corn syrup cheaper than sugar. This makes s

What could be the history of this pan?

I inherited this aluminum frying pan from my grandmother who passed away in 1998. Since then, it has mostly sat in the cabinet thanks to its distinct downward b

What was this "gravel gum candy" product from the early 1990s?

This is such a massive long-shot, but it's been eating me up for decades now. I need to at least try. In the early 1990s, my brother and I used to walk to this