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Food History

Atlas of Eating

When Happy Hour Was “Green Hour” in Paris

When the clock struck five, 19th-century Parisians turned to absinthe

Félicitations, Team USA!

America Just Won the Olympics of Cooking You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

It’s the first time the USA has been awarded gold

Atlas of Eating

Celebrated Middle Eastern Food Writer Claudia Roden Shares Stories and Recipes From Her Kitchen

For Roden, food is a lens to understand history

The bigger the tomato, the blander the taste.

New Research

The Quest to Return Tomatoes to Their Full-Flavored Glory

We’ve bred the original tomato taste out of existence. Now geneticists are asking: Can we put it back?

Atlas of Eating

On the Dangers of Erotic Truffles

A 19th-century investigation into the power of the aphrodisiac

"Gung Haggis Fat Choy" may be the only celebration that combines both traditional Robert Burns Night festivities, including bagpiping, with a celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy: This Canadian Celebration Combines Robert Burns Night and Chinese New Year

Started by “Toddish McWong” in 1998, the annual dinner has grown and grown

Cool Finds

A London Music Hall Hid a Long-Forgotten Storeroom Packed With Condiments

Construction workers uncovered the tasty trove while excavating its foundations

Atlas of Eating

The Ever Expanding World of Wine Takes Your Palate to Unexpected Places

Never before have so many diverse wines, from so many places, been available to so many people around the globe

A reconstruction of Ötzi the Iceman at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology.

Cool Finds

Ötzi the Iceman’s Last Meal Included Goat Bacon

Analysis of the 5,300-year-old mummy’s stomach contents shows he ate dry-cured meat from a mountain ibex

As his ancestors have done for generations, Icelander Árni Hilmarsson catches an Atlantic puffin in a net called a háfur.

Disappearing Puffins Bring an Icelandic Hunting Tradition Under Scrutiny

Historically, hunting seabirds has been a distinctive feature of Nordic coastal culture. Should it still be?

Inauguration History

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Presidential Food?

In honor of Inauguration Day, here’s a little quiz to see how much you know about presidential food history

Tony Lu prepares a dish.

Atlas of Eating

Meet the Michelin-Starred Chef Pushing the Limits of Vegetarian Cuisine in China

Master chef Tony Lu discusses China’s changing tastes and his own innovative approach to ‘Vegetarian Fusion’

On a chilly day in Tokyo, customers slurp hot ramen at the Tsukiji fish market.

Atlas of Eating

You’ve Been Slurping Ramen All Wrong

In Japan, ramen is a culinary touchstone that goes way beyond food

Atlas of Eating

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: Atlas of Eating

Take an in-depth look at food and culinary culture around the globe, including in-depth stories and favorite recipes

Throw one back in honor of Robert Leo Hulseman, the inventor of America's most iconic cup.

Trending Today

How a Red Party Cup Became an American Icon

There’s just something about Solo cups

Native Americans Saw Buffalo as More Than Just Food

The relationship between some Native American tribes and the American buffalo was a sacred one

A dog eats a special Christmas cake in Tokyo, celebrating with the festive red and white dessert. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

Why the Japanese Eat Cake For Christmas

A tradition beginning in war and ending in cake

Cool Finds

The Fight to Save Thousands of Heirloom Apple Trees

There’s more to apples than the supermarket selection may suggest

The Innovative Spirit fy17

The Patents Behind Christmas Sugar Confections

The popularity of candy canes and ribbon candy has a lot to do with 20th-century machines that sped up production

Eggnog is connected to a medieval drink called posset.

The Long, Rich, Boozy History of Eggnog

This December, we’re exploring the drink’s storied history

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