Red velvet cake has spent over a century pretending to be one thing while actually being another. It started as a fix for bad flour, got mistaken for a Southern original, and somewhere along the way turned into the most argued-about cake in American baking. So when this recipe … [Read more...] about The Real History of Red Velvet Cake: Origins and Myths
Fun Food History
Sole Meunière: The 20-Minute French Classic That Fooled a Nation
It sounds like a dish you need a chef for. It is really just fish, flour, butter, and lemon. Here is the story of sole meunière and how to make the Gilded Age's favourite fish course at home tonight. Here is the secret hiding inside one of the most elegant fish dishes in the … [Read more...] about Sole Meunière: The 20-Minute French Classic That Fooled a Nation
Fillets of Sole à la Delmonico: The Quiet Luxury of the Gilded Age
Lobster got the headlines. Sole got the respect. Here is the fish dish that told a Gilded Age guest they truly mattered, plus how to make it at home. If Lobster Newburg was the showpiece of the Gilded Age table, sole was the complement. Rich diners could order lobster to be … [Read more...] about Fillets of Sole à la Delmonico: The Quiet Luxury of the Gilded Age
Venison Tartare, Done Safely: An Elegant Starter With Care
Tartare is one of the oldest ways to serve meat and one of the most striking starters you can make. It also needs respect. Here is the history, the safety, and a recipe with a worry-free option. Great food has a history, and tartare is among the oldest chapters. Raw, seasoned … [Read more...] about Venison Tartare, Done Safely: An Elegant Starter With Care
Lobster Newburg: The Gilded Age Dish Named by a Grudge
One of the most famous dishes in American history was named backwards, out of spite, after a falling-out between a chef and a sea captain. This is the story of Lobster Newburg and the original 1894 recipe you can still make today. Most great dishes are named after a place or … [Read more...] about Lobster Newburg: The Gilded Age Dish Named by a Grudge
