Cooking

Nothing Out of the Ordinary: Squirrel Stewed, 1878

A collection of old community cookbooks reflects a changing ecology and a cultural shift: the decline of hunting, chitlins and pig’s feet

February 15, 2012

Brotherhood Spirit in Flesh Soup, or a Recipe Calling For Love

The counterculture has long been characterized by a single word: “love.” For some hippie communards, love was also a recipe ingredient

February 13, 2012

The Battle for Food in World War II

A new book examines how food figured into the major powers’ war plans

February 2, 2012

Jose Andres and Other Toques of the Town Honor Alice Waters

What do you cook for famed chef Alice Waters? Washington’s culinary celebrities faced this challenge at the unveiling of her portrait at the Smithsonian

January 31, 2012

Meringue Chemistry: The Secrets of Fluff

If these things were made by Renaissance chefs in the days before electric mixers, surely I could manage to whip some up myself

January 20, 2012

How to Plan a Party Based on Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party

I’m putting on my event planner hat to offer up the following ideas for a party inspired by an Impressionist painting

January 10, 2012

Law and Order: Four Food Crimes

After stealing $1,500 worth of cooking oil from a Burger King, two men were apprehended siphoning off oil from a Golden Corral

January 5, 2012

Four Food-Themed Resolutions For 2012

Never mind losing weight. Isn’t it possible to make a few resolutions that embrace food?

December 29, 2011

Ask Smithsonian 2017

What the Heck Do I Do With Juniper Berries?

Botanically speaking, they are female seed cones. But culinarily, the dark violet orbs look and taste enough like berries to deserve the name

December 28, 2011

Q and A with Cake Wrecks Blogger Jen Yates

“I’m not out to vilify bakers; I’m just trying to find a little funny in unexpected places”

December 23, 2011

Last Minute Food-Themed Gift Ideas

Food, jewelry, toys and books for those hard-to-shop-for people on your gift list

December 15, 2011

Inviting Writing: Must-Have Holiday Foods

Tell us, by Friday, December 9, what lengths you’ve gone to for your favorite celebratory dishes

December 5, 2011

Cooking May Have Driven Human Evolution

Why have humans and our ancestors been cooking for all this time? A first-of-its-kind study suggests cooked food gives the body a “pick-me-up”

December 1, 2011

Cooking Through the Ages: A Timeline of Oven Inventions

How much has technology really changed since the first ovens, wood-fired hearths?

November 18, 2011

Brewing Beer is More Fun With Company

There has probably never been a better time to take up home brewing; supplies and information are readily available at bricks-and-mortar stores and online

November 16, 2011

Paella: Rice With Everything

The subtleties of preparation, the exact timing of when to add water and for how long it should lie before being served are the subject of fierce debate

November 15, 2011

The Other Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas

In her cookbook, the author pairs food with the people and events that highlight her life

November 3, 2011

Deviled Eggs and Other Foods from Hell

What, exactly, is so wicked about mixing hard-boiled egg yolk with mayonnaise and mustard?

October 26, 2011

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

October 19, 2011

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

October 18, 2011