Category Archives: History

Tales from the Larder: Pleasant Persian Surprises

Posted on February 17, 2013 by patric

Many food writers seem to neglect Persian food (well, except this guy here, written some time ago under my not so clever handle, Asinus Asinum Fricat, originally a piece for Daily Kos) and I would surmise that because it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, History, Recipes | Tagged , , , , | 54 Comments

About Diet Fads & a Great (Healthy) Salad Recipe!

Posted on January 8, 2013 by patric

With the new year now firmly with us one can not avoid reading about resolutions ad nauseum in magazines, television programs or online, particularly on the social networks. The number one resolution has not changed for donkey years: losing weight … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, History, Recipes | 56 Comments

The Not So Private Life of Citizen Murdoch

Posted on August 10, 2012 by patric

There isn’t much new personal light shed on octogenarian Rupert Murdoch, except that his own conduct of business affairs is splashed all over the media outlets on a daily basis, with the latest developments of the News Corp empire, also … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Memoirs, Politics | Tagged , , | 88 Comments

Rice, its History and 3 Knockout Recipes

Posted on June 5, 2012 by patric

Firstly, rice is that rare food which is gluten-free, though one has to be careful when reading labels: some producers use various coatings to enrich it and I would suggest to check carefully if you are gluten-intolerant. Since white rice … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Health, History, Recipes | Tagged , , , | 92 Comments

Lobster Thermidor: Not a Recipe! Just History.

Posted on May 25, 2012 by patric

Reading up on the aftermath of the French revolution I was reminded of Napoleon’s immortal words “the Gregorian calendar shall be restored throughout the French Empire as from tomorrow, 1st of January 1806″, and with this simple decree it closed … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, History, Politics | Tagged , , | 76 Comments

The Very Cool World of Ice-Creams & Sorbets

Posted on May 16, 2012 by patric

With the summer coming around the corner it’s time to take a look at ice-creams and sorbets. Ice cream as a dairy delight was probably “discovered” in the 1600’s, according to several books but none of them actually agree as … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Fun, History, Recipes | Tagged , | 87 Comments

The Skinny on the Full Irish and my own Patrick’s Day

Posted on March 7, 2012 by patric

With Patrick’s Day just around the corner it’s time to clear up the meaning of Full Irish, and it’s not what you thought in the first place! Full Irish means a hefty breakfast taken on an empty stomach the morning … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Fun, History, Memoirs | Tagged , , | 96 Comments

Another Odd Couple: Gruyère & Goat Cheese

Posted on January 16, 2012 by patric

I love cheese! A few weeks ago I posted The Odd Couple: Roquefort and Brie. Today is the turn of another two. According to both historical resources and common sense, it is understood that the first cheese was perhaps made … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Health, History, Memoirs, Recipes | Tagged , , , | 50 Comments

The Amazing Wonders of Garlic, plus Recipes!

Posted on January 10, 2012 by patric

“I’ve got information man! New shit has come to light!” as the Dude iterates in the seminal “The Big Lebowski”. Well, new research on the properties of garlic has come to light and as your grandmother kept saying throughout your … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Health, History, Memoirs, Recipes | 99 Comments

Some Like It Hot

Posted on December 24, 2011 by patric

My earliest memory of chili heat was when I inadvertently dipped a slice of bread into what I thought was some kind of tomato relish: I gasped for air for nearly an hour, drinking vast amounts of liquids (stupidly, see … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Fun, History, Memoirs, Recipes | 41 Comments