Tag Archives: ancient recipes

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Grilled Butter Miso Corn

Grilled Butter Miso CornThis week we’re bringing you an ancient flavor of Japan, miso, paired with a staple of summer barbecues, corn on the cob. The salty miso perfectly complements the sweet corn, creating a unique pairing full of flavor and history. Before we start grilling, let’s take a minute to explore the roots of miso, a food that has sustained the Japanese for centuries.

In most cultures around the world today, miso is thought of as a seasoning. The fermented soybean paste has an extreme saltiness, and so most people use only a small amount to flavor their food. However, the Japanese see miso as much more than just a condiment. “It is a basic staple, a concentrated source of protein and other nutrients important enough to be thought of as a full-fledged food.”[1] Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Ancient Mesopotamian Palace Cakes From Ur

UROFTHECHALDEESToday’s recipe is fit for royalty! This cake was served in the palaces of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur and uses one of the most important food staples in ancient Mesopotamia—the date. Ur was located in what is now Iraq and was an important city on the Persian Gulf. It was inhabited from 3800 BCE to 450 BCE. Due to its position on the gulf, Ur became an enormous and hugely influential city trading with countries as far away as India. Its citizens were wealthy and lived unusually comfortable lives compared with those in other Mesopotamian cities.[1] Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Kheer: Ancient Indian Rice Pudding

Making_of_KheerThis week we’re bringing you a sweet, exotic treat from India. Kheer is a rice pudding made in several variations across South Asia and of course, it has a history! Also called payasam, this ancient dessert comes from the Hindi culture and is most often seen at ceremonies, feasts and celebrations, although it can easily be enjoyed any time of year. Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Chilled Stone Crab Claws With Mustard Sauce

Variations of mustard.

Variations of mustard.

Equally as comfortable on a hotdog at the ballpark as it is on the tables of the finest French restaurants, mustard is a true renaissance condiment. Today we’re bringing you the ancient history of mustard and a delectable modern recipe that’s perfect for the summer. The unusual pairing of stone crab claws with a spicy mustard sauce will surprise your dinner guests and delight your palate. And while you dine you can dazzle with fun facts about the ancient roots of mustard. Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Celebrate the Ancient Marshmallow with a S’more Pie

Marshmallows_in_soft_yellow_and_blue_lightHere’s a recipe just suited to commemorate AntiquityNOW Month in May.

Weightless pillows of sweet perfection, light as air and oh so heavenly. Drop them in a steaming cup of chocolate, use them to bind cereal into gooey deliciousness or simply pop one in your mouth and let it dissolve into pure sugary delight. The marshmallow with its mass-marketed, brightly colored, supermarket incarnations may seem like a truly modern candy, but in reality, like so many things, it was born in our shared ancient history. Let’s take a look at its past before we share with you a recipe from its present, a decadent S’more Pie. Continue reading

Cheers! It’s AntiquityNOW Month: Celebrate With Beer, the Most Feminine of Beverages

beer

May is AntiquityNOW Month.  Throughout the next four weeks we will bring you stories about the surprising ways that antiquity lives today.  And to get in the mood, here’s a take on the beer-swilling antecedents that have united us through the millennia.  (Click here for suggestions for teachers and everyone else on ways to celebrate AntiquityNOW Month.)

Cheers! National Homebrew Day in the United States is this Saturday, but before you sip, take a good look at that golden liquid and know that if it weren’t for women, the bubbly elixir would likely be nothing but a musty pile of grain. The beer industry today is dominated by men. Women account for only 10 percent of professional brewers, and represent just a sliver of all homebrewers.[1] But ancient history reveals that, as far back as 4,000 years ago (and probably further), brewing was done primarily by women. Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Ancient Okra Soup

Okra-Soup-640x480Small, green and oddly shaped, it is often called “slimy” by those who don’t appreciate its hidden virtues. But this is a vegetable that has staying power. Indeed, the okra has persevered for centuries, adapting to new recipes and new cultures, crossing oceans, filling the bellies of the hungry and even hydrating the skin. Today we bring you a hearty recipe for okra soup developed over the years by borrowing from the cultures that know and love this die-hard bit of nourishment. First, let’s take a look back to see how the okra began its journey. Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Savory Strawberry Soup

strawberriesTiny, red and packed with flavor, this delectable little fruit has deep historical roots. Heart-shaped and fragrant, the strawberry has inspired poets, writers, painters and chefs with its plump perfection. William Allen Butler said it best, “Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did.”[1] Today we’re sharing a unique strawberry soup recipe with you. But first, let’s explore this ruby berry’s origins. Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Green Borscht With Matzah for a Multi-Cultural Passover

Green nettle soup in a bowl with a spoon isolated on white background

Monday night, April 14th, was the first night of Passover, the eight-day festival celebrated by Jews around the world to commemorate the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. The start of the holiday always corresponds to the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan. Continue reading

Bon Appetit Wednesday! Celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month

grilled cheeseCheese, cheese, glorious cheese! Cubed, shredded, sliced or melted, with more than 1,400 varieties, cheese can be savored and enjoyed in countless ways. This month is dedicated to one very special cheese-related recipe. April is National Grilled Cheese Month and we’re bringing you a scrumptious (and deliciously gooey) grilled cheese recipe. But first, let’s take a look at the long and storied history of the ingredient that makes this celebration possible. Continue reading