A Short Introduction to Italian Cooking Terms
One occasionally hears mention of the following terms in Italian cooking-- battuto, soffritto, trito, crudo, al dente, and insaporire...

Tapas
In Spain, an appetizer, called an entremése, is a complement to a meal while a tapa is something altogether different...

What is Couscous and How Does One Prepare It?
Couscous is one of the staple foods of the Maghrib (western North Africa)...

What is a Meze?
Nearly every Middle Eastern or Mediterranean cookbook I’ve ever looked at understandably describes the Middle and Near Eastern and North African mazza or meze or mezze as “appetizers...

Mediterranean Take-Out Food in the Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, eating “take-out,” was a popular, common, and in some cases necessary way of eating in both the Muslim and Christian Mediterranean...

Cassoulet
Cassoulet is a bean stew cooked in an earthenware casserole, hence the name...

Origin of "Macaroni and Cheese"
Since the Kraft Company put it in a box in 1937 every American kid grew up with macaroni and cheese...

What is Brandade?
Brandade is a mashed salt cod blended with olive oil and a little garlic until it is a smooth cream...

History of the Fork
The history of the fork has never been written, and when it is, it will be a study of the rules of etiquette in society...

A History of Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Parmesan, parmigiana di melanzane in Italian, is one of the classic preparations of southern Italy...

Effects of the Growth of Arborculture in 16th century France
Throughout the coastal Mediterranean, from Murcia in Spain to Provence, fish were fried in olive oil in the sixteenth century...

History of Spaghetti Carbonara
The whole story of the origin of this dish and its place in cucina romana is vague...