Feature Who Invented Carrot Cake? It had nothing to do with cutting back on sugar. Maybe you’ve been told that carrot cake was a way for beleaguered … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature Who Invented the English Muffin? They’re not really muffins, but the term sounded better than “griddle cake.” Samuel Bath Thomas, an Englishman who migrated to the United … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature How Did Ketchup Become the Default American Condiment? It’s in almost every American kitchen. But it comes from the other side of the world. Mayo may be the top-selling condiment … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What’s the Difference Between a Crisp and a Cobbler? They’re actually completely distinct desserts. The terms “crisp,” “cobbler,” and “crumble” often get used interchangeably, but if you dig into their origins, … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What’s the Difference Between Tamari and Soy Sauce? The important thing to know about the sainted sauce of hippies and gluten-free eaters. For people avoiding or abstaining from gluten, tamari … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What Is Pancake Syrup Made Of? How a sweetener with zero maple flavoring winds up tasting like maple syrup. One crisp morning in the fall of 2005, dozens … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What Is Hainanese Chicken? A little island off the coast of China turns poached chicken into something extraordinary. The United States may be all about fried … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What Is Paprika? The red powder has a history way beyond Hungarian food and deviled eggs. You might think of paprika as an age-old spice … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature Who Served the First Doughnut In America? Hint: It starts with the Dutch word for “oily cakes.” Though the doughnut seems like a quintessentially American invention, it’d be more … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What Is Brown Butter? The baker’s secret to better cookies and cornbread. Whether you’re pan-searing fish or baking a pan of cornbread, you might have come … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What’s the Difference Between Baking Powder and Baking Soda? And why your cake never rose in the oven. It happens to everyone: You make a perfect cake batter, and as you … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature Where Was the First Tailgate Party? Do you need a car and a parking lot to do it? Here’s a philosophical question for you: If you don’t watch … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What Is Mortadella Exactly? Is the fancy Italian deli meat worth the hype, or is it all just baloney? Once an obscure element of Italian charcuterie … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What Is Neapolitan-Style Pizza? And why it’s so tricky to make right at home. The Italian definition for Neapolitan pizza is both incredibly vague and neurotically … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What Is Cincinnati Chili? How a Greek meat sauce became an Ohio specialty. Unlike most God-fearing forms of chili, Cincinnati chili doesn’t get eaten with a … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature Why Do Apples Float? It’s not because witches dig them. Come fall, children across Europe and North America tie their hands across their backs, dunk their … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature How Does the Scoville Scale Work? What a 1 million Scoville unit pepper really means. In these high times of capsicum cultivation, plant breeders are racing to raise … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature What Is Cream Cheese Exactly? Here’s how to make a batch of the bagel’s best friend. Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature Can You Cook an Egg in the Microwave? How to make the world’s most versatile food even more adaptable. Here’s a fun way to dispose of an old microwave: Place … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature Is It Really OK to Eat Raw Cookie Dough? It’s not always the raw eggs that get you. Because nothing is sacred in the year 2019, there are now several dessert … Story: Max Falkowitz
Feature Can You Really Get High Off Nutmeg? Malcolm X tea will mess you up. It may have been an urban legend from your teen years, and it’s true: Nutmeg … Story: Max Falkowitz
