Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with history and food

Where can I learn about man's interaction with new ingredients?

any portmanteau in a storm — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:02:04 -0800

What was Italian food like before the tomato? When coffee houses started popping up in Europe what establishments lost business as a result? Did Marco Polo really bring noodles to Europe from China? Where can I find the answer to all these questions and more? I'm looking for layman-friendly resources, like a popular non-fiction book, blog or PBS special on how cultures reacted to new ingredients. So like the tomato example, what were Italians putting on their pasta before the tomato? And if Marco Polo brought the noodle to Italy from China*, what were they eating before that? How long did it take for the tomato to become an accepted ingredient in Italian cooking?

Or the chili pepper was apparently brought to India by the Portuguese. So what were Indians using to spice their food before that? Black pepper? Something else? Did they even eat spicy food?

More modernly, were there any food fads that took over the Soviet Bloc once their markets opened up to the rest of the world? Given the frosty relations between Russia and Japan is sushi even popular in Russia?

While not exactly questions that keep me up at night, I would definitely get a kick out of learning more about these kinds of things in an easily digestible format that is more organized than me randomly searching through Wikipedia.

*Apparently an untruth I learned at some point in my childhood, but it serves well as an example.

Have norms surrounding eating chicken changed over time?

codacorolla — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 16:21:54 -0800

Was there ever a period in time before widespread acceptance of germ theory, or, is there a current culture where raw or undercooked chicken is an accepted part of cuisine? As I was making dinner I was wondering what it would be like if we ate chicken with a sear on it instead of fully cooked, much like we eat tuna. This made me think about whether or not the taboo against uncooked chicken is a recent historical invention, or if it's something that's persisted since they were domesticated.

Whence thou, oysters?

cmoj — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:52:09 -0800

How and why did Europeans eat so many oysters during the dark and middle ages? I've been reading about culinary history, and I keep finding references to people all over Europe eating, it seems, tons and tons of oysters for hundreds of years. I've even seen references to people who liked oysters so much that they ate them even if they were rotten! I seem to recall that one of the Louies was supposed to have eaten something like four dozen oysters for breakfast.

How did they manage this? Was the supply running so quickly that oysters were relatively fresh, even far from the coast, or did they have some way of transporting them alive or what? Or is it that a population of plague survivors living among sewage had hearty enough immune systems that eating rancid oysters was no problem?

I know oysters and shellfish have been food staples for lots of groups of humans, but why the seeming obsession across all of Europe? Why did it die down?

Who gave us powered eggs in 1974?

Marky — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:47:00 -0800

I'd like to find out more information on a 1970's US food program. Back in the 70's (1974?) my mom was on a food program. It provided actual food, not food stamps. Stuff like powered milk and eggs, corn syrup, meat in a can, peanut butter, and other things.

I'm curious about this program, I guess I'm not searching properly.

What Did The Office Workers Of The 1600s Eat?

The Whelk — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 10:10:19 -0800

I always hear that the traditionally heavy US diet ( or any " traditional" cuisine, really ) was developed for people working long hard hours of manual labor, farm work, etc., so what did the people who had sedentary, less active jobs eat? What were the historical diets of people who didn't haul lumber through the woods or dig ditches, but recorded numbers or did accounting or translated documents?

The taste of yesteryear

5imon — Thu, 24 May 2012 07:31:16 -0800

What foodstuffs taste the same today as they did millenia ago? Idle query. Currently on a lifeless conference call eating a salad.

It strikes me that the taste and texture of this salad may be completely unique to the time we live in, since most (if not all) produce has been subject to aeons of selective breeding and latterly genetic modification.

This begs the question: what is the least fubar'd foodstuff? What can I eat today that tastes the most similar to me as it did to Oscar Wilde, Isaac Newton, Chaucer, King Cnut, Jesus, Cleopatra, and Solomon Which of nature's bounty is still as close as possible to how it evolved naturally?

Most intelligent and critical sources of information on food?

tnygard — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 08:31:55 -0800

What are the best blogs, online periodicals, or discussion groups that address the history and consumption of food in an intelligent and critical way? (In other words, not just a place to swap recipes.) I would love to know where people find the most engaging ideas about food.

Other madeleiene moments?

liketitanic — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:24:21 -0800

Do you know any examples of evocative food writing that is focused on how specific foods awaken the writer's memory or otherwise serve to connect time and history with what we eat? Think Proust's famous madeleine, or Nigel Slater's Toast: the Story of a Boy's Hunger. I am especially interested in accounts from non-white, non-American or non-European, and female authors.

Which Pope knew how to throw a party?

grar — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 18:50:19 -0800

Help me find this half-remembered anecdote from what I think was a collection of famous chefs or food writers discussing their ideal meals? If it's just some old article of Steingarten, I'm going to smack myself, but I just can't find where this came from. Can't remember if it was something written in the past couple of decades or something more turn-of-the-century (but for some reason I think it was the latter, or earlier). It may have been an article, but I believe it was a book, Physiology of Taste-like but not that work, and I vaguely remember reading it online at least ten years ago. So helpful, I know, sorry. As for the useful information: male writer, who in the paragraphs of interest was describing his ideal meal by waxing rhapsodic about a banquet/"afternoon snack" held by some Renaissance Pope as a small part of the wedding celebration of his niece, involving dozens of elaborate courses and staggering expense. I don't think the larger work was a cookbook, but possibly a chef's (or collection of chefs) memoirs, or those of a gentleman of leisure. Any bells?

When did people stop being ok with soup just being itself?

Lutoslawski — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:27:42 -0800

When, why and where did people start putting crackers in their soup? Oyster crackers, saltines, and more exotic varieties of crackers are now ubiquitous and 'traditional' companions to a bowl of soup at diners everywhere. Why did this start? Where? When? Was there some sort of culinary evolution - like people used to put bread crumbs in their stew and now we have this oyster cracker skeuomorph? Answers or directions to good resources regarding the history of crackers and soup are very welcome.

What's a good book about the cultural significance of food?

KilgoreTrout — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:35:08 -0800

I'm looking for a recommendation for dealing with the relationship between food and culture/society/history I've always been interested in what we can learn about a culture or society from the food they eat. I find particularly interesting regions that have a number of different groups mixing together, and end up with an amazing mix of cuisines. I'm not as much interested in the actually cooking or recipes, as I am in the more academic side of things. Other things I think would be interesting: The significance of food in different cultures, learning about group of ancient people from the food they ate, and the overall historical significance of food (I'm thinking the Silk Road/spice trade type of stuff). Any and all book recommendations would be greatly appreciated, as would any helpful documentaries or websites.

Foods that originated in the United States?

wastelands — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 23:23:38 -0800

Where can I find a list of foods that originated in the United States? Wikipedia has this list, but it's more of a list of "commonly consumed" foods in the US, rather than strictly ones that originated here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_dishes

Pasta la vista, baby!

It's Raining Florence Henderson — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:04:19 -0800

Why the long noodle? So a quick Google tells me that long noodles represent long life in Chinese tradition. But there had to be some point to eating long noodles before the tradition was established. And long noodle varieties, though difficult to eat courteously, seem to be common to many cultures who make noodles. Why? Is there some gastronomic benefit to not cutting the pasta into more manageable lengths before drying? Some practical pasta preparation consideration that's escaping me? Or is slurping up an endless mouthful of noodly-appendage simply an odd Freudian universal pleasure, an excuse for even the most adult among us to play with our food?

Why polenta but not corn on the cob?

nev — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:41:01 -0800

I want to a read a book about the domestication, Western discovery, spread and eventual assimilation of New World foods. I'm interested in how these crops were transported to and received by different cultures, and how certain New World foods became synonymous with particular Old World cuisines. I'd prefer a high-level history that covered all the major crops (corn, tomatoes, squash, peppers, potatoes) and multiple cultures rather than just one in particular. It's okay if it's an academic text as long as it's not too dry.

Other good food history recommendations are also welcome (I've read "Salt" and "Cod" already).

Tasty Tours

Miko — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:19:22 -0800

Have you ever taken a culinary walking tour? Might you be willing to share highlights and details? I'm planning to develop some tasting tours for my city and would appreciate hearing about your own food tour experiences. I'd like to learn from successful tour models like Foods of New York, Boston's North End market tours, or Chicago Food Planet, but from a tour-goer's point of view. My plan is to offer 2- to 3-hour tours of a compact downtown environment, covering the culinary history of our area and featuring small tastings from six or seven businesses that represent classic regional food traditions.

I'm pretty set on the actual foods I'm going to focus on and solid on the historic information. This is a pilot for a potential side business for me. As I'm planning now for summer, I'd like to hear about your experiences on tours like this. For instance -

-What did they charge? Was it worth it?
-How was the balance between information and entertainment? Humor and history?
-If it was fun, what contributed to that feel?
-How was it organized? Reservation or drop-in? Payment method? Did you wear a special badge to show you were a paying tourgoer?
-Did the sites you visit offer free tastings or educational tidbits, or just show their wares?
-Did the tour host give you gifties like coupons or freebies at the end of the tour?
-In general, what would make such a tour fun and worthwhile for you?
-Was there anything you disliked?

Party like it's 1974?

unclemonty — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 10:32:40 -0800

Help us party like it's 1974! A friend is throwing a 1974 party (she was born in that year) and my partner and I would like to bring a gift to the party relevant to that year. We've already drawn up an extensive list of '74 references (see inside) but are really missing out on ideas for food and drink. It's quite likely that there will be lots of inaccuracies in this list as we created it by scouring the web. As we're based in the UK it's quite Britain-centric but I'm happy to see ideas from the USA too.

The key thing is for you to suggest some popular but perhaps kitschy 1974 food and drink items. Other fads and trends are also noticeably absent and could do with a bit of filling in. The party is fancy dress so we have to pick a costume connected to the year as well! Song ideas could be good as we might make her a CD. But if you want to make any other recommendations for the list, feel free.

CURRENT AFFAIRS

UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Watergate scandal
Mikhail Baryshnikov defects to Canada
Portugese army overthrows Portugese dictator
Patty Hearst kidnapped by the SLA
Yasser Arafat makes his first appearance before the UN
USA responds to energy crisis by commencing daylight savings time four months early
Last Americans evacuated from Saigon (April 28)
India detonates its first nuclear weapon
UPC barcode used for the first time in a supermarket
US President - Richard Nixon, who resigns that year to be replaced by Ford
Ceefax is launched by the BBC
Lord Lucan disappears
IRA bombs in UK - London, Woolwich, Birmingham
Milgram experiment on obedience carried out at Yale
Sears Tower, Chicago is opened
Last crew of Skylab returns to Earth

CULTURAL ICONS

The Streak - and streakers
The Wombles - Eight UK top ten hits
String bikinis
Muhammad Ali (Rumble in the Jungle vs George Foreman)
Evel Knievel
Dungeons & Dragons released
Jon Pertwee is the Third Doctor, replaced by Tom Baker in 1974
Sonny & Cher split up in 1974
Pan's People
Screaming Lord Sutch
Package holidays become popular in the UK - particularly Spain
Chiffon, used on capes, ponchos and wraps
Bead chokers
Magna Doodle invented
Lego named Toy of the Year (invented 1933)
First Knebworth Rock Festival held
Amityville - the Defeo murders are committed

BOOKS

Richard Adams - Watership Down
Peter Benchley - Jaws
Stephen King - Carrie
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
The Joy Of Sex
All The President's Men

TV

Little House On The Prairie
M*A*S*H
The Waltons (1972-1981)
Maude
The Rockford Files
Kojak (1973-1978)
Wish You Were Here...? premieres in the UK
Columbo (1971-78)
Are You Being Served (1972-1985)
John Craven's Newsround (1972-)
Last of the Summer Wine (1973-)
Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969-1974)
The Brady Bunch (1969-1974)
The Partridge Family (1970-1974)
Hawaii 5-0
Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (1971-1974)
Bagpuss
Porridge
It Ain't Half Hot Mum
Upstairs, Downstairs (1971-1975)

MOVIES

Blazing Saddles
Chinatown
Death Wish
Earthquake
Emmanuelle
Foxy Brown
The Godfather Part II
The Great Gatsby
Herbie Rides Again
Mame
Man with the Golden Gun
Murder on the Orient Express
Night Porter
Odessa File
Parallax View
Sugarland Express
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Sting
Towering Inferno
Young Frankenstein
Papillon
Serpico

SONGS

Mud - Tiger Feet
Suzy Quatro - Devil Gate Drive
Alvin Stardust - Jealous Mind
Paper Lace - Billy Don't Be A Hero
Terry Jacks - Seasons In The Sun
Abba - Waterloo
Rubettes - Sugar Baby Love
Ray Stevens - The Streak
Gary Glitter - Always Yours
Charles Aznavour - She
George McCrae - Rock Your Baby
Osmonds - Love Me For A Reason
Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting
Elton John - Bennie & The Jets
Jackson Five - Dancing Machine
Steve Miller Band - The Joker
David Essex - Rock On
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
Marvin Hamlisch - The Entertainer (Music From The Sting)
Barbra Streisand - The Way We Were
MFSB - The Sound Of Philadelphia
Grand Funk Railroad - The Locomotion
Kool and the Gang - Jungle Boogie
Wings - Band On The Run
Steely Dan - Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Barry White - Never Gonna Give You Up
Johnny Bristol - Hang On In There Baby
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Eric Clapton - I Shot The Sherrif
David Bowie - Rebel Rebel
Joni Mitchell - Free Man In Paris
Pink Floyd - Money
Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing - Stevie Wonder
Bill Haley and His Comets - Rock Around The Clock (re-release)

ALBUMS

Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic
Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'n' Roll
Bob Dylan - Before The Flood
Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness' First Finale
Queen - Sheer Heart Attack
Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark
Roxy Music - Country Life
Jackson Browne - Late For The Sky
Kraftwerk - Autobahn
Dolly Parton - Jolene
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Randy Newman - Good Old Boys

RIP

Duke Ellington
Samuel Goldwyn
Mama Cass
Georges Pompidou
Nick Drake
Ed Sullivan

BORN

Kate Moss
Christian Bale
Ian Huntley
D'Angelo
Robbie Williams
Victoria Beckham
Penelope Cruz
Andrea Corr
Jewel
Alanis Morissette
Tim Henman
Joaquin Phoenix
Sara Cox
Denise Van Outen
Nicole Appleton
Ana Matronic, Scissor Sisters