We are so excited about today’s Bon Appetit Wednesday. It marks the beginning of a series on the succulent fig. As we all know, there is nothing more exciting than a good fig recipe! Okay, now that may be a bit of an overstatement, but in all seriousness, these little ancient fruits are amazing. There are so many ways to use the fig, which have been filling the bellies of our ancestors for thousands of years. Because the fig has been around for so long and has had such an impact on history, we’re devoting more than one post to its story. So whet that appetite and enjoy the glorious tale of the fig. Continue reading
Category Archives: Bon Appetit Wednesday
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Figs Part 1: Pork and Fruit Ragout
Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture, Uncategorized
Tagged ancient figs, ancient food, ancient history, ancient recipes, AntiquityNOW, Bon Appetit Wednesday, fig, figs, pork ragout
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Sarson Da Saag for the Lohri Festival
Tonight is the Punjabi Lohri festival. A celebration with ancient roots, it boasts numerous special foods. Today we’re bringing you a recipe for sarson da saag, a popular vegetable dish featuring mustard leaves and spices that is often eaten during the festivities.
No one is entirely sure when or why the Lohri festival began. As with many holidays celebrated today, it has ancient origins of a mysterious nature. The one unifying feature is that it is meant to recognize the winter solstice. It is thought that the ancient celebration of Lohri originally took place on the day of the winter solstice when the night is the longest of the year. The very next day began a trend of longer days and shorter nights, each slowly shortening by “the grain of one sesame seed.”[1] Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! The Mysterious Origin of Black Garlic
Today’s recipe is for a Black Garlic Bruschetta. It is a fairly simple recipe, but its star ingredient is anything but. This week’s Bon Appetit Wednesday is bringing you not only a delicious dish, but an intriguing mystery as well.
Several years ago, around 2008, black garlic, a strange little food with an unusual color and consistency but incredible flavor, experienced a moment in the sun. Suddenly, it was in all of the finest restaurants in the world and chefs were clamoring to make the next best black garlic dish. But where did it come from? The two main origin stories—one ancient, one modern–couldn’t have been more different. We’re going to present you with these two tales and let you decide which seems more credible. Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Oliebollen (Dutch Doughnuts)
Only two more days until we ring in a brand new year! At AntiquityNOW we like to bring together traditions from all over the world, so this year we’re featuring a recipe for an ancient Dutch treat. Oliebollen are delicious dutch doughnuts with an unusual meaning and a dark history. Traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve, oliebollen is translated as “oily balls.” While this may not sound like the most appetizing name for a food, these deep fried sweets will make you forget their strange name at first bite.
2015 Recipes With a Past
The wait is over! We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our 2015 Recipes With a Past e-cookbook, a compendium of dishes derived from our weekly Bon Appetit Wednesday! blog posts. This year’s book contains recipes from all over the world. With 22 gluten free and 13 vegan recipes for everything from appetizers to drinks and desserts, it’s easy to plan a historic international feast.
Recipes With a Past commemorates innovators of the past who have left their own culinary legacies for today’s tables. These recipes reflect the great bounty of this earth and remind us to cherish and preserve our cultural heritage, in all its forms. Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Martini and Homemade White Chocolate Liqueur
Christmas is known for its culinary delights: pineapple basted ham, gum drop bejeweled gingerbread houses, decadently chocolate Santas, cookies galore and anything peppermint. Indeed, peppermint is a refreshingly cool taste that adds a distinctive flair to so many holiday recipes. With some added sugar, peppermint is particularly popular in the form of the colorfully striped candy canes that are stuffed in stockings and hung on Christmas trees. Today’s recipe is a twist on peppermint’s storied holiday tradition. This is definitely not a recipe for children, although this is the season that brings out the childlike delight in all. So what better celebration of the season for us “big kids” than a palate tickling concoction combining chocolate, peppermint and a hearty splash of liquor? Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! A Christmas Feast
Christmas is fast approaching! Nine days left to buy and wrap gifts, pick out your best holiday outfit and plan a Christmas menu that will delight the senses and fill your guests with holiday cheer. AntiquityNOW is here to help. We’re bringing you recipes with a past that will tickle the taste buds and fill your feast with historic meaning. Each of the dishes below has a fascinating history you can share with your family and friends. And the foods are from all over the world, so you’ll be serving a truly international and timeless meal! Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Punic Porridge
It’s beginning to look a lot like winter! As snow blankets the ground and temperatures start to plummet, there’s nothing better on a chilly morning than a bowl of piping hot porridge. And if you want a dose of history with your breakfast, AntiquityNOW is here for you. This recipe, courtesy of On Agriculture by the Roman, Cato the Elder, was taken from the Phoenicians during the Punic Wars. It is considerably more exciting than the boring Roman version, also printed in On Agriculture. Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Ancient Cacao Wine
Cacao pod. Image courtesy of Genet at German Wikipedia.
We love chocolate at AntiquityNOW. One of the first blog posts we published was about the history of chocolate (Hot Chocolate: Gift of the Gods Since 1900 BCE), so it shouldn’t be surprising that given the chance to bring you another chocolate recipe we jumped for joy! This holiday season, look no further for the drink that will delight your guests and make you the talk of the party scene: Cacao Wine from ancient Honduras. You can either buy some from Dogfish Head breweries (it is in limited release and may be difficult to find) or tackle the adventure of making your own batch with the recipe below. Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Happy Thanksgiving
It’s Turkey Day! If you’re looking for those last minute recipes to round out your meal, look no further. AntiquityNOW has dishes to delight all of your guests and each one comes with a fascinating past.
Turkey Sobaheg– Learn why we eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
Ham ‘n Hay with Beer– A twist on your traditional holiday ham.
Carrots with Arame– Seaweed for Thanksgiving? It’s delicious and nutritious!
Mayan Pumpkin Soup– A comfort food with a long history.
Pumpkin Pie– Go back 200 years for this tried and true recipe.
Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture, Holidays, Public Life
Tagged ancient foods, ancient recipe, AntiquityNOW, Bon Appetit Wednesday, pumpkin, Thanksgiving, Turkey
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