The Politics of Pancakes
In England, Shrove Tuesday has not just symbolised feasting, fasting and family, but riot and rebellion, too.
In England, Shrove Tuesday has not just symbolised feasting, fasting and family, but riot and rebellion, too.
The belief that you are what you eat emerged in 19th-century France, where the pleasures of the table were sautéed with philosophy and medicine.
The origins of haggis are as mysterious as the Loch Ness Monster.
While finding its origins in royal Aztec feasts, the everyday Tex-Mex enchilada is more a product of colonialism and prejudice than authentic heritage.
The Japanese dish of humble origins that conquered the world.
Though long established as the national dish of Hungary, its origins lie with the rootless, itinerant stockmen who roamed the plains of medieval Mitteleuropa.
Restaurants went mainstream in the 19th century, but the boom in places to dine out brought unexpected perils – menu anxiety, excessive table talk and ‘strange ladies’ among them.
The staple dish of the Middle East is as contested as the region, with different peoples claiming it as their own.
Rich enough to appeal to lords and dukes, the success of panettone is down to its festive, egalitarian simplicity.
The long, often troubled relationship between Britain and India has led to some extraordinary cross-cultural innovations in cuisine.