Bologna was the subject of familial intrigue.

Inviting Writing: Reading the Bologna on the Wall

Making a case for war: Greer Garson in Mrs. Miniver.

Mixing Movies and Politics

From Mrs. Miniver to Avatar, how big studio films have influenced public opinion

Leaf plates

Turning Fallen Leaves into Dinner Plates

The paper plate was invented in 1904, and Americans now throw away an estimated trillion disposable plates and utensils per year

A male Atlantic salmon

Disease Found in Wild Salmon

Are farmed salmon the source of a viral infection off the coast of British Columbia?

Saltillo Sarape, Maximilian Period c.1865 91 5/16 x 48 7/16 inches, wool, silk and metalic thread wefts on cotton warp Fred Harvey Collection, International Folk Art Foundation Collection, Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Inscribed in the end border: "Epifanio Jemenez", probably the patron for whom it was woven.

Latin America’s Wrap for All Seasons

Blanket-like “sarapes” from northern Mexico are among the world’s most intriguing textiles, as shown by a recent gallery exhibition

George Clooney and Shailene Woodley in The Descendants

George Clooney Meets the Press

The star campaigns for two new movies, one of which might win him an Oscar

What does one do with star anise?

Ask Smithsonian 2017

What the Heck Do I Do with Star Anise?

The pod from an evergreen seed is one of the signature flavors in Chinese five-spice blends and Vietnamese pho

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America’s Forgotten Landscape Painter: Robert S. Duncanson

Beloved by 19th-century audiences around the world, the African-American artist fell into obscurity, only to be celebrated as a genius a century later

Deer in headlights

Is it Safe to Eat Roadkill?

Enough with the jokes already. Some people are serious about looking to the roadside for an alternative to mass-market meats

Steak tartare may not have been the best choice for this meal.

Inviting Writing: Sorry I Took Your Son

I was up to my elbows in raw ground beef, anchovy paste, capers and onions, and completely panicked

Jeremy Licht in “It’s a Good Life,” from Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)

To Save and Project: Screening Restored Movies

A film festival at MoMA highlights those titles, either beloved and well-known or obscure yet fascinating, that may never reach the home market

"Young Man and Woman in an Inn" by Franz Hals, 1623

Frans Hals and the Divided Self

The Metropolitan’s recent Frans Hals exhibition and other works by the Old Master showcase his surprisingly modern psychological insight

Art historian Henry Adams

Welcome to ARTiculations

A new Smithsonian.com blog sheds light on what’s happening in the world of art, artists, art museums and art history

A food distribution line at the Occupy Wall Street protests in Manhattan

The Long Marriage of Vegetarianism and Social Activism

As early as 1850, vegetables were identified with virtue and meat was considered “the keystone to a wide-spread arch of superfluous wants”

Writer Gertrude Stein crisscrossed America for 191 days in 1934-'35. She gave 74 lectures in 37 cities in 23 states.

When Gertrude Stein Toured America

A 1934 barnstorming visit to her native country transformed Stein from a noteworthy but rarely glimpsed author into a national celebrity

Nigel Slater, played by Freddie Highmore, digs into his stepmother's lemon meringue pie while his own trifle sits on the sidelines.

Toast, A Coming of Age Story Told Through Food

Born in Lochgelly, Scotland in 1929, Temperley is America's oldest baritone sax artist, and one of the true anchors of the global jazz scene.

Joe Temperley’s Ageless Sax

The Scottish baritone saxophone musician recalls his 60-year career and the famous singers he’s accompanied

Why decant wines?

Is Decanting Wine Worth Doing?

Does the practice really improve the taste or is it just a wine snob’s affectation?

From Welcome San Francisco Movie Makers by Dr. Frank S. Zach

Celebrating Home Movie Day

Is there really no such thing as a boring or banal home movie?

Is it possible to forget a few bad food memories and have a healthy relationship with a foodstuff?

Inviting Writing: Food and Reconciliation

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