72 Items Tagged

War Fare

Janissaries carrying their <em>kazan, </em>along with a regimental ladle.

Being an Ottoman Janissary Meant War, Mutiny, and Baklava

To overthrow the sultan, janissaries first threw over their cooking pots.

Anne Ewbank May 21, 2019

A sailor leans out of a porthole on the SS <em>Tilapa</em>, the first ship to bring bananas into Britain after the Second World War, at Avonmouth Dock, Bristol.

To Cope With a Wartime Banana Ban, British Home Cooks Made 'Mock Bananas'

They weren't appealing.

Rohini Chaki April 30, 2019

Black Tot Rum

The rare remaining bottles of the British Navy's rum rations can be yours for $1,000 each.

Russian Napoleon Cake

This traditional dessert commemorates the country's sweet taste of victory over the French emperor in 1812.

Bene’n’hot

Thanks to World War I veterans, a French liqueur has become the toast of a Lancashire town.

A charnel house at the Saints Innocents Cemetery, Paris.

In 1590, Starving Parisians Ground Human Bones Into Bread

During a siege, desperation drove people to disinter skeletons from cemeteries.

Emily Monaco October 29, 2018

Navy curry and rice is both practical and delicious.

How Curry Became a Japanese Naval Tradition

Ships and submarines have their own unique recipes.

Anne Ewbank October 25, 2018

The controls at Fray Bentos.

How a Uruguayan Meat Factory Became Iconic Worldwide

The former factory is now a UNESCO world heritage site.

Paula Mejia October 1, 2018

The <em>Kingfisher's</em> attack on the St. Joseph salt works.

How Salt Helped Win the Civil War

Southern salt-making operations became prime military targets.

Anne Ewbank September 28, 2018

Faggots

There's much more to these offal-based meatballs than the unfortunate double meaning of their name.

Japanese Navy Curry

This curry celebrates Japan's maritime history.

A bowl of traditional Prague-style goulash.

The Communist Cookbook That Defined Prague’s Cuisine

For years, one book dictated how and what people could eat.

Elizabeth Smith August 29, 2018

Camp Coffee

Invented in Scotland in the late 1800s, this syrupy “instant coffee” is now a beloved baking ingredient.

A policeman confiscates goods in 1949.

The Illegal Ramen Vendors of Postwar Tokyo

Black markets and American wheat imports popularized ramen.

Hunter Lu August 24, 2018

Necco Wafers

Produced since 1847, these classic New England candies almost disappeared in 2018.

Sailors stand in line, eagerly awaiting their allotment of grog.

Why British Royal Navy Sailors Preferred Their Booze on Fire

The alcoholic “proof” system dates back to this centuries-old practice.

Abbey Perreault July 25, 2018

A seafood okonomiyaki topped with bonito flakes

Okonomiyaki

A wartime rice scarcity made this versatile pancake a Japanese staple.

Moody mushrooms form the eponymous cloud.

These Mushroom Clouds Are Made From Actual Mushrooms

A team of artists create horror out of fungi.

Anne Ewbank June 13, 2018