Four Pounds Flour Amuse-Bouche
Small bites from FourPoundsFlour.com
Eight Flavors: Punjabi-Mexican Cuisine and the Roti-Quesadilla
Eight Flavors: Punjabi-Mexican Cuisine and the Roti-Quesadilla
A roti quesadilla with a side of curry sauce and refried beans.While writing my first book, Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine, I researched the eight most popular flavors in American cooking: black pepper, vanilla, chili powder, curry powder, soy sauce, garlic, MSG, and Sriracha. When I dived deep into each of these eight topics, I often found fascinating new information and…
Traditional Chinese Pastry Isn’t Baked–So What’s Up With Chinatown “Bakeries”?
Traditional Chinese Pastry Isn’t Baked–So What’s Up With Chinatown “Bakeries”?
An assortment of Chinese pastries. All photos by Dressler Parsons.I’m so excited to share this post by my lastest intern, Dressler. She’s launched a blog called Bitter Butter: The Unsweet History of Pastries and you can also hire her for all things copywriting.
“That’s $12.50,” said the woman behind the counter.
Sarah and I exchanged a look. We had just spent the last several minutes poring over…
Beaver Butt, Chili Powder, and MSG
Beaver Butt, Chili Powder, and MSG
Dried castoreum on display in a museum. Wikimedia // CC BY-SA 3.0
This summer was a whirlwind of food activity! I’ve got anew piece up on Mental Flossabout the history of a vanilla substitute found in the glands of a beaver’s butt, and why you shouldn’t bethat worried about it sneaking into your vanilla ice cream.“In September 2013, popular blogger “The Food Babe” released a video…
Eight Flavors Book Club Discussion Questions!
Eight Flavors Book Club Discussion Questions!
If Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine is on your summer reading list, then here are some very official discussion questions to help you along!
- Lohman mentions omitting certain prominent American flavors from the book, such as chocolate and coffee, because of the wealth of existing coverage and research on them. Why else do you think she specifically chose to feature these eight…
Podcast: The Science Enthuiast
Podcast: The Science Enthuiast
I recently appeared on the The Science Enthusiast podcast, talking FOOD SCIENCE, natch. Tune in to hear me chat MSG, GMOs and much more. But don’t listen if you don’t like cussing, we do that a lot.
The History Dish: “Barida,” A Medieval Arab Recipe with Ancient Roman Roots
The History Dish: “Barida,” A Medieval Arab Recipe with Ancient Roman Roots
Barrida, an herby-chicken dish.This is a special guest post from Intern Andrew! We just wrapped working together for the past five months, and as a result, he’s launched a new blog: Pass The Flamingo, which focuses on ancient cuisine. Read on to learn more about a unique recipe from the Islamic world.
Over its long history, the Arab world has become a unique crossroads, the site of centuries of…
Mental Floss: Why Early America was Obsessed with Nutmegs
Mental Floss: Why Early America was Obsessed with Nutmegs
I’ve got a post up on Mental Floss, unwrapping the mystery of the wooden nutmeg!
Although today we’re primarily familiar with nutmeg as a powder that comes in little plastic bottles, it’s actually the pit of the fruit of a tree native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia. Throughout the 18th century, the Dutch controlled the Banda Islands, keeping nutmeg scarce and prices high in international…
Origin of a Dish: Steak au Poivre
Origin of a Dish: Steak au Poivre
Black pepper-crusted steaks. Photo byAlan Tran.While writing my first book, Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine, I researched the eight most popular flavors in American cooking: black pepper, vanilla, chili powder, curry powder, soy sauce, garlic, MSG, and Sriracha. When I dived deep into each of these eight topics, I often found fascinating new information and recipes–some of…
