Food & Drink

The real history of wine can be a dry – even bitter – beverage.

In England, Shrove Tuesday has not just symbolised feasting, fasting and family, but riot and rebellion, too. 

The belief that you are what you eat emerged in 19th-century France, where the pleasures of the table were sautéed with philosophy and medicine. 

The long history of drinking games – and how to win them.

Coffeehouses and coffee were not as closely related as one might think.

As Britain faced the prospect of food shortages in 1917, panic mounted. One solution was to redeploy policemen to plough the land.

The origins of haggis are as mysterious as the Loch Ness Monster.

The first picnics were a favourite pastime of the aristocracy, and purely indoor affairs. In the 19th century, the emergent middle classes moved lunch outdoors.

While finding its origins in royal Aztec feasts, the history of the enchilada is more a product of colonialism and prejudice than authentic heritage.

The ancient origin of sushi, the Japanese dish of humble beginnings that conquered the world.