Tag Archives: ancient history

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Brazilian Vatapá

Vatapá

Vatapá

The Olympics is in full swing and in the midst of cheering on your favorite athletes and countries, you’re probably also learning a bit about Brazilian culture. Did you know this isn’t Brazil’s first time hosting a major international sporting event? Just two years ago, Brazil was the stage for the biggest futbol/soccer competition, the World Cup. In honor of that event, we brought you a traditional Brazilian dish to celebrate the culture while you’re celebrating the sport. Check out the post below to learn about the dish and the history of Brazil.

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Celebrate the World Cup With Tasty Vatapá

Or skip straight to the recipe and start cooking! Continue reading

Ancient Olympic Games: Celebrating Rio 2016!

Rio_2016_logo.svgTonight, the world will watch as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad open in Rio. In the opening ceremony, we will enjoy stunning displays of modern technology and in the games that follow we’ll witness fascinating feats of modern sport. It is incredible to see how far we’ve come in our athletic pursuits, but it is important to remember when all of this began. Check out our posts below on the history of the Olympics and get ready to watch the world unite in Rio!

Bon Appetit Wednesday! National Cheesecake Day

SavillumThis Saturday marks one of the most scrumptious food holidays: National Cheesecake Day! There are so many ways to enjoy this amazing dessert, it really needs a whole month of celebration. It’s no wonder so many different variations have developed over the years. Cheesecake has had a very long time to evolve. I bet you didn’t know the ancient Greeks ate cheesecake. In fact, they served it at the first Olympic games. Of course, the Romans took that recipe and made it into something closer to what we know as cheesecake today. Click on the post below to learn all about the sweet, crumbly, decadent food we love to celebrate. Or just skip right to the ancient recipe! And if you’re in the mood for something a bit more modern, there’s a Turtle Cheesecake recipe at the bottom of the post as well. Dig in! Continue reading

It’s Christmas in July! Free Gifts for Everyone from AntiquityNOW

gifts-570821_1280

Are you yearning for carols? Are you longing for tinsel and ornaments? Is there not enough cheer in your life? We’ve got the cure for the July blues. It’s Christmas time!

First, learn about the history of Christmas in July by reading this insightful and fun-filled post from last year: Happy Christmas in July!

Next, check out all of the free gifts we have to offer: Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! National Hot Dog Month

Hot_dog_with_mustardIt’s National Hot Dog Month and we can’t wait to celebrate! Hot dogs seem like such a modern invention, but of course, AntiquityNOW is here to bring you the history. And while we’re at it, we’re going to educate you on the sport that elevates the hot dog to a whole new level: the eating contest.

We don’t want to leave you with a whole new appreciation for the hot dog and no new way to enjoy it, so you’ll find a fabulous hot dog recipe at the end of the post.

Check out Bon Appetit Wednesday! A Roman Pig, Hot Dogs, Eating Contests and Four Patriots: Happy July 4th and start celebrating!

Throwback Thursday! Ancient Ways to Cool Off

summer sun blue skyIt’s hot out there, folks! In the northern hemisphere, we’re all searching for the best way to cool down. We turn to all of our modern techniques: air conditioning, electric fans, cooled swimming pools, ice packs and more. But did you know that the ancients had their own ways of cooling off? From fans to fountains and even the first air conditioner, antiquity never ceases to surprise and amaze. Check out our post, It’s Hot, Hot, Hot! Ancient Methods of Keeping It Cool,  for more fascinating info on the history of chilling out. Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Cook the World’s Oldest Curry Recipe

curryThere are so many ancient dishes and ingredients that we eat every day and never consider the long and storied histories behind them. That’s why AntiquityNOW makes an effort to reveal the fascinating pasts of the foods we love. Two of our favorite ancient foods are curry and turmeric. Now you can learn how to cook the world’s oldest curry, which features turmeric in its ingredient list. The curry was discovered in 2010 by two Washington State University archaeologists who “used starch analysis to trace the world’s first-known or ‘oldest’ proto-curry of aubergine, ginger and turmeric from a shard of pottery found in the ancient Harappan civilisation near modern-day Delhi.”[1]

Cooking up this ancient dish is a great activity for the family. Immerse yourself in the food of an ancient culture. But before you fire up the stove, check out our posts on curry and turmeric. Then watch the video below and get cooking!

Oldest Curry

[1] How to cook the world’s oldest curry – BBC News. (n.d.). Retrieved July 04, 2016, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36585926

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Enjoy an Ancient Picnic

Thomas Cole's "The Picnic."

Thomas Cole’s “The Picnic.”

July is National Picnic month and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate the beautiful summer (or winter if you’re in the southern hemisphere) weather than heading outside and enjoying a picnic inspired by antiquity. We’ve brought together some of our favorite Recipes With a Past that we think make a perfect picnic feast.

And of course, a picnic isn’t perfect without a beautiful setting in which to experience your delicious meal. Check out our post on Nature, Ecotherapy and a Peek into the Past Through National Parks to learn about the history of gardens, parks and natural public spaces. Maybe you’ll get a few ideas about where to stage your outing!

But first, the food!

Throwback Thursday! Perfectly Preserved Petroglyphs

Siberian petroglyphs. Image taken by Sergei Alkin.

Siberian petroglyphs. Image taken by Sergei Alkin.

It is said “a picture is worth a thousand words,” but some pictures are worth much more than that. Some ancient pictures are worth a thousand years of history and knowledge. These images tell stories about our ancestors and they help us to understand our past.

Recently, a fascinating find in Siberia was revealed for the first time and it provides a 4,000-year-old window into the ancient past. When scientists were alerted to its presence three years ago, they decided to keep it a secret in order to protect the site while they studied and cataloged its treasures. Now, for the first time, its location has been made public and our eager eyes can feast upon the perfectly preserved art. Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Irish Butter

buttered toastWhat would you do if you were just going about your business, doing your job and suddenly you discovered a piece of history? Recently, a man in Ireland was faced with that very situation. As he was cutting turf from a bog, to be burned for warmth, he happened upon a 22-pound chunk of bog butter that is estimated to be over 2,000 years old! Of course, if he had read our blog post about ancient butter, he would have known that finding ancient “bog butter” really isn’t that unusual. This 22-pounder joins other finds, including 3,000-year-old and even 5,000-year-old samples.[1] Click here to read the entire article. Continue reading