Sometimes the fairy tale version of our family history is the one we want to believe. In my attempt to understand my …

A botanist, chemist, professor, and tireless advocate for African-American empowerment, he was the Beyoncé of the early 20th-century scientific community. I have …

Communal construction and discord about one of the most ubiquitous party dishes of the Philippines. Hot out of the frying oil, barely …

Flowers have as much flavor and nutritional value as a lot of things that we put in salads. So why do we …

Depending on who you ask, a can of food might represent a sterile version of the real thing—or it might represent a …

There’s a shame-free exuberance and practicality in the Filipino transformation of canned food—even as it harkens back to America’s checkered occupation of …

Since its rise to popularity during World War II, Spam has come a long way. We took a closer look at some …

There’s nothing quite like fresh mangoes from India. But when you can’t find them, the next best thing is canned mangoes from …

Tracing botulism’s long and miserable history. I grew up with both a love of canned foods and a free-floating anxiety about medical …

Canned chipotles are an extremely dependable grocery-store staple, and the smoked peppers are going to change the way you think about veggie …

When we think about “preppers,” we think about paranoia and underground bunkers. But who are the people stockpiling cans in their basements, …

It’s a key ingredient in tres leches cakes and dulce de leche, but condensed milk also works as a sauce on its …

How home cooking and cookbooks of the ’70s and ’80s—along with Michelin and Bocuse—helped inspire the American celebrity-chef boom. The late Judy …

For the French, lentils are a national treasure, and with the right amount of sausage, white wine, and care, they can be …

Once a week, Hong Kong’s domestic workers, many from the Philippines and Indonesia, take to public spaces for adobo-scented picnics and a …

For one Belgian writer, the caramelized waffles of Liège are at the top of the stack. The waffle is probably Belgium’s most …

Most microwave ovens see little use other than reheating leftovers, popping corn, and “baking” the occasional cake-in-a-mug. But this ubiquitous kitchen appliance …

A random cup of coffee in Tel Aviv leads to the secret of a Hungarian pastry. The best thing about being a …

For most of human history, cooking temperature was measured with intuition and instinct. Is the current glut of ever more precise kitchen …

The custardy, chocolate-flecked bread puddings of today have come a long way from the dessert’s austere origins. Bread pudding is an old …

Sparked by a post-Victorian travel boom and a desire to feed travelers cheaply, the continental breakfast is a staple of hotel hospitality. …