In 1944, the New York Times introduced its readers to an exhilarating culinary sensation: pizza. While pizza had already gained popularity in New York, particularly among Italian communities, it was less well-known outside of those neighborhoods. Back then, if a restaurant wasn’t within roughly five blocks of your residence, you might never discover it. World […]
Chinese Cuisine’s American Journey: From Gold Rush to Fusion
Chinese cuisine first made its way to America during the California Gold Rush, which began in 1848. With an influx of around 30,000 immigrants hailing from the Canton region in China, these new arrivals established restaurants that served not only as sources of familiar flavors for the predominantly male demographic, but also as social hubs […]
Origins and Evolution of the Iconic British Fish and Chips
The custom of enjoying Fish and Chips in the United Kingdom can be traced back to the 16th century when Spanish and Portuguese Jewish immigrants introduced the dish. This culinary innovation enabled Jews to consume fish from Friday evening meals during the Sabbath, a day when Judaism prohibits the use of fire or electricity for […]
Vegetarian Gladiators: The Overweight Warriors of Ancient Rome
Roman gladiators, contrary to popular belief, were not heavily muscular but rather carried excess weight. Their diets were predominantly plant-based, much like the majority of the Roman population. Meat was considered a luxury item and not a dietary staple. Gladiators were often referred to as “hordearii,” or barley men, due to their high-carbohydrate diet, which […]
The Birth of the TV Dinner: How Swanson Transformed Mealtime
Swanson ended up with an unexpected 260 tons of frozen turkey after Thanksgiving in 1953. This led to the creation of the iconic TV Dinner, which revolutionized mealtime for busy Americans. The original TV Dinners came in aluminum trays and were marketed as a convenient and modern way to enjoy a complete meal in front […]
The Addictive Design of Cheetos
Frito-Lay invested $30 million annually in a team of 500 experts to create the perfect combination of texture, fragrance, and mouthfeel in Cheetos, leading to their addictiveness and popularity.
Sandwich, England
John Montagu, from the town of Sandwich, England, is credited with inventing the sandwich. Montagu’s gambling obsession left him little time for seated meals, leading him to request his valet to bring him a piece of meat placed between two slices of bread, which eventually became known as a sandwich.
Eating pickles at the movies
Texans are known to enjoy eating pickles while at the movies, which they refer to as “movie theater pickles”. This practice is unique to Texas and often surprises those who move away and find that no one else in other parts of the country has heard of this movie theater snack.
Baby carrots
Contrary to popular belief, baby carrots are not naturally occurring, they were invented in 1986 by Farmer Mike Yurosek. He came up with the idea of chopping up normal carrots that were not marketable due to their shape, packaging them in bags and selling them in supermarkets. By the early 1990s, baby carrots had become […]
Freedom fries
Some American restaurants changed the name of French fries to “Freedom fries” due to French opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.