April is a time to fete one of the most popular of dishes, the inimitable grilled cheese sandwich. Last year in our commemoration we explored the very ancient history of cheese and how a mutant gene 7,500 years ago bestowed upon us “lactase persistence,” enabling our species to digest dairy. This year we want to include in our culinary honors the pear, a fruit whose delectability has been enjoyed through the ages and whose pairing with cheese makes this grilled sandwich close to perfection. But first, let’s look at some interesting (or outlandish) anecdotes about the pear. Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month With Asian Pear and Gouda Grilled Cheese
Celebrate Earth Day!
The photo was taken by the crew of Apollo 17 on their way to the Moon. Antarctica, Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Madagascar, and part of Asia are visible.
Today is Earth Day. It’s a time to celebrate the glorious bounty of this planet, which despite hurtling through a hostile and unforgiving universe, has nonetheless fostered an abundance of life for millions of years. Quite an accomplishment. Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Kitniyot for Passover
Passover begins this Friday, April 22nd, and this year will be different for many Jewish families. For the first time in 800 years, conservative Jews are allowed to eat kitniyot. Don’t know what kitniyot is? Don’t worry. We’re here to help. First, we’ll tell you about this centuries old ban and then we’ll bring you a recipe for a version of kitniyot. Whether or not you observe this sacred day, you can enjoy this hearty and nutritious dish. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture
Tagged ancient food, ancient history, ancient recipes, AntiquityNOW, kitniyot, lentils, Passover, rice
Bon Appetit Wednesday! National Garlic Month
This month we’re celebrating a fragrant, flavorful addition to any meal. Garlic may have a bad reputation of ruining a first kiss, but it is not only delicious, it is full of health benefits and has a fascinating and ancient past. Today, we’re reminding you of our post about the mysterious black garlic. Read Bon Appetit Wednesday! The Mysterious Origin of Black Garlic to learn about the history of this interesting little ingredient or scroll down to jump straight to the recipe. Continue reading
Posted in Blog, Bon Appetit Wednesday, Culinary, Culture
Tagged ancient garlic, ancient recipes, black garlic, Bon Appetit Wednesday
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Peach Almond Cake
Sun-kissed a blushing gold, peaches are a deliciously succulent marvel. Fuzzy or smooth, they tickle the palate and are versatility personified when gracing entrees, salads and desserts.
As much as we enjoy peaches today, you may be surprised to learn that they have quite an ancient—make that very ancient—history.
In 2010 a road crew near the North Terminal Bus Station in Kunming, central Yunnan Province, southwestern China, unearthed a strange find in the strata of a rock outcrop from the late Pliocene Ciying Formation. A team of paleontologists led by Dr. Tao Su of Xishuangbanna Tropical Garden and the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology identified the objects as eight fossilized peach endocarps or pits. They realized the discovery as a new species of the genus Prunus and named the pits P. kunmingensis. The endocarps were dated back 2.5 million years. Continue reading
Strata, Portraits of Humanity, Episode 17, “Church of St. George at Akrefnio”
This month in the Strata series we are looking at the making of a legend—or myth, or epic or saga. Cultures throughout time have used storytelling to record and dramatize their histories. “The Church of St. George at Akrefnio” depicts how the creative spark begins.
March the 15th, 1311. On a plain in central Greece, two armies are facing each other. On one side, Frankish knights from the Duchy of Athens. On the other side, their Catalan mercenaries of the Catalan Company demanding more benefits. The Frankish knights lose the battle and perish almost to the last. One of the few surviving knights, Anthony le Flamenc, prays to St. George for holy assistance in battle. In gratitude for his salvation, the knight orders a church built, dedicated to St. George, in Akrefnio, Boeotia. This is his story. Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! National Noodle Month
Did you know that March is National Noodle Month? Neither did we! We almost missed out on celebrating this ancient and fantastic food! In our humble opinion, noodles may be one of the world’s most perfect foods. They are the base for recipes from China to Italy and can be savory, sweet, salty and more. Today you can find noodles to suit every taste and inclination. There are zucchini noodles, gluten free noodles, cellophane noodles, flat noodles, thin noodles, long noodles, short noodles, so many noodles! Read our Ancient Noodle post below to learn about the noodle’s fascinating history and scroll down for a yummy zucchini noodle recipe. Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Ancient Roman Eggs for Easter
Easter is this Sunday and if you’ve already had enough of brightly-colored hardboiled eggs, we’ve got you covered. Just in time for Easter breakfast we’re reposting an ancient Roman egg recipe that had the Romans begging for seconds. Click here for all of the scrumptious details about Ancient Roman Eggs in Pine Nut Sauce or jump right to the recipe below! Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Celebrate Cherry Blossom Season
The cherry blossoms will be in peak bloom beginning this Friday, so there is no better time to celebrate this beautiful flower and the delicious fruit associated with it. Of course, the cherry blossoms we know so well aren’t actually responsible for the juicy red fruits we love, but you can learn all about that, the ancient roots of the cherry and more tempting facts by clicking on the links below. And of course, we’re bringing you a brand new cherry recipe! Continue reading
Bon Appetit Wednesday! Flan
Have you ever slid your spoon into a smooth, creamy serving of flan and wondered, “What genius came up with this heavenly creation?” Well, we can’t give you a name, but we can give you the ancient history behind the delectable concoction we call flan.
As with so many of our modern recipes, flan has its origins in Rome. Those crafty Romans developed flan originally as a savory dish, but quickly decided to expand its use. And while they did create a sweet honey-flavored flan, they also indulged in the less appetizing eel flan with pepper.[1] Continue reading
AntiquityNOW 