When Portugal fell under Spanish rule, the Inquisition targeted individuals with Jewish lineage. As religious violence worsened, many fled Portugal and resettled in England, bringing with them culinary treasures founded in […]
Category: posts
The “Poison Squad” men who tested food additives on themselves
“Poison Squad” was the name contemporary newspapers gave the men at the U.S. Department of Agriculture who volunteered to test on themselves the toxicity of chemicals commonly added to foods […]
First attack against Nestle for discouraging breastfeeding
In what has been hailed as “the first salvo in the battle of the breast versus bottle,” pediatrician Cicely Williams in 1939 accused the Nestle company of murder by infant […]
George Washington’s mess kit from Revolutionary War
George Washington’s well-appointed personal camp chest, or “mess kit,” enabled him to dine in a manner reflecting his position as commander of the Continental Army, according to the U.S. National […]
One of First Vitamin-Fortified Breakfast Cereals
PEP was a whole-wheat breakfast cereal introduced by the Kellogg Company in 1923. A long-running rival to Wheaties, PEP became in the 1930s the first cereal fortified with vitamins through […]
The Ornate Ice Cream Saloons That Served Unchaperoned Women
Throughout the 19th century, restaurants catered to a predominately male clientele. Much like taverns and gentlemen’s clubs, they were places where men went to socialize, discuss business, and otherwise escape […]
Johnny Appleseed’s obituary in 1845
John Chapman, popularly known as Johnny Appleseed, died suddenly at the age of 70 on March 18, 1845 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His obituary in the Fort Wayne Sentinel newspaper: […]
Short history of ketchup
Ketchup’s origins are found in Asia, and its adaptation into the thing that resembles our thick, modern-day ketchup began in early modern Britain….It’s likely that Britons encountered this tasty sauce […]
Urban development shaped the way 19th-century New Yorkers ate
In the 18th century, dining out wasn’t common…Restaurants as we know them didn’t exist and people mostly ate at their homes. Only travelers ate out and their options were taverns […]
How companies influenced what women baked
As fewer women baked bread at home, and flour sales declined as a result, General Mills launched their Betty Crocker campaign in 1924 to encourage women to bake cakes at […]