Wondrous food to explore and enjoy

Gastro Obscura

Read 1282 Gastro Stories

Recreate the Ancient Egyptian Recipes Painted on Tomb Walls

Make bread fit for a pharaoh and a sweet treat out of tiger nuts.

August 21, 2020

In 14th-Century Florence, Some Residents Socially Distanced While Others Hit the Bars

A contemporary debate would feel familiar to Europeans alive when the Bubonic plague arrived.

August 19, 2020

women empowerment

'Pie for a Suffragist’s Doubting Husband' and Other Recipes That Fueled a Movement

Suffragist cookbooks wielded domesticity as a political tool.

August 18, 2020

How to Make Ice-Cream Cocktails Like a True Wisconsinite

Turn your home into a supper club with these 6 recipes.

August 17, 2020

How Former Samurai and Farmers Cultivated the First Japanese Apples

Famous fruits, including the Fuji apple, were the result of decades of effort.

August 14, 2020

A Database of 5,000 Historical Cookbooks Is Now Online, and You Can Help Improve It

It took Barbara Ketcham Wheaton more than 50 years to compile The Sifter.

August 13, 2020

The Coronavirus Is Bringing Back Florence's Wine Windows

This isn't the first time they've come in handy during a pandemic.

August 11, 2020

The Mesmerizing Geometry of Malaysia's Most Complex Cakes

Bold colors and designs set kek lapis Sarawak apart.

August 10, 2020

The Native-American Origins of Gumbo

While credit for the dish is widely shared, here’s how to choose ingredients that celebrate its Indigenous roots.

home-cooked history

A Rare Recipe From a Talented Chef Enslaved by a Founding Father

Despite James Hemings’s leading role in Jefferson’s kitchen, he’s credited with only a handful of recipes.

When World War II Started, the U.S. Government Fought Against Victory Gardens

Home gardeners planted despite an initial federal policy of leaving farming to the professionals.

For Sale: Shipwrecked Whisky That Spent Decades Underwater

Winning bidder take note: It is not safe to drink.

Found: A Mysterious, Recipe-Filled Diary From 1968

The 150 retro recipes inside offer a taste of the past.

The Battle to Invent the Automatic Rice Cooker

The biggest names in Japanese technology vied to bring them to market.

The Ancient Greek Temples Home to Orchards, Vineyards, and Rare Bees

A UNESCO site that doubles as a working farm represents a shift in conservation.

A University Is Turning Historical Mexican Recipes Into Free E-Books

The project is meant to inspire home cooks during the pandemic.

Around the World in Summer Treats That You Can Make at Home

Stay in and chill out with recipes for a historic Indian noodle dessert, Japanese fruit sandwiches, and more.

how the sausage gets made

The Japanese Seabirds Who Fish for the Emperor

With only nine master fishermen left, a centuries-old tradition is at risk.