I first became interested in the phenomenon of pubs with names that contain two nouns (e.g., Crown and Anchor) when I visited Oxford a few years ago. Some combinations seemed natural, like Fox and Hounds, while others left me scratching my head (Angel and Greyhound). There are various explanations for these puzzling names, including the idea [...]

Entomophagy (literally, “insect-eating”) has been practiced throughout human history and continues to this day. Modern enthusiasts cite the economic and environmental benefits of using insects as a major source of protein in their diet; some even admit to liking the taste. Although I can’t personally vouch for the tastiness of any of the following items, [...]

In Western Christian traditions, the period of Lent begins 40 days before Easter, starting with Ash Wednesday. The day before Ash Wednesday is known by a variety of names, and is frequently marked by celebrations, such as the famous Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, and the Carnevale of Venice.

Mardi [...]

With the release of the latest James Bond movie, Casino Royale, moviegoers were reintroduced to 007’s favorite tipple, the martini. However, this reincarnation of James Bond (a laconic, rough-edged Daniel Craig) eschews the familiar request for a “shaken, not stirred” martini, instead opting for the Vesper martini (gin, vodka, and Lillet) described by Ian Fleming [...]

As with potato chips, there are a great variety of flavors that go well with French fries (or “chips”, as the case may be). While there are some nearly-universal favorite toppings for French fries (salt, ketchup, and mayonnaise), there are also many that are specific to certain regions.

Cheese, Carne Asada, Sour Cream, and Guacamole [...]

When I was in Argentina a few years ago I found a bag of potato chips with a flavor I had never encountered before–Patagonia Lamb. I wasn’t sure I would like the taste, but I had to buy a bag to satisfy my curiosity. It took a little time to get used to the flavor, [...]

Traditional British food typically gets a bad rap in other countries for being either too bland or too greasy, but as with any food, it might simply be an acquired taste. We all have a soft spot for comfort foods we’ve grown up with, and if nothing else, the Brits do comfort food extremely well. [...]

Pumpkin pie is the traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but there are many other ways to incorporate pumpkin into a tasty dessert. If you are not a fan of pie, or if you just want to do something different this year, here are some other pumpkin recipes you might want to try.

Baked Alaska Bread Pudding Brownies Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookies Crème Brûlée Crisp Crumble Crunch Flan Fluff Fritters Fudge Jelly [...]

This Thanksgiving, I’m sure there will be a significant number of people who will deep fry their turkeys instead of roasting them, a process that in my opinion produces a tasty end result, but does require a lot of preparation. According to a recent article in the Christian Science Monitor, Martha Stewart started the whole [...]

I’ve always thought it was strange that the English word for the bird commonly eaten on Thanksgiving is “turkey,” since it did not originate from the Mediterranean country of the same name, but is native to North America. Upon further research, I’ve found that the early European settlers came up with the name because of [...]