Stop Ordering Just What's Popular. Some restaurant dishes earn their reputation because they’re genuinely excellent, while others benefit more from presentation, familiarity, or social media attention. That doesn’t mean you should never order them, since…
Half Respect, Half Theater. Restaurant etiquette has turned into one of those topics where everyone has a strong opinion and half of them are made up. Somewhere along the way, a bunch of arbitrary rules…
Every Country Has One Fight It Refuses To Settle. Ask someone where a dish really comes from and watch the mood in the room change. Food nationalism runs deep, and it rarely has anything to…
Separating the Drive-Thru Facts From Fiction. Fast food has accumulated an impressive collection of rumors over the years, and some of them sound so strange that you'd think they'd disappear after five minutes of common…
She Was Ready For Anything. A surprise visit used to mean opening the door, putting on a fresh pot of coffee, and finding something tasty to serve before everyone had even settled in. Grandma didn’t…
Some Foods Need a Little Help. Technically, you can eat almost anything plain, but that doesn’t mean you should. Certain foods are practically built for butter, sauce, toppings, or whatever’s in reach—stripping all of that…
Some Foods Are Hard to Give Up. When that wicker basket of bread comes around to your table, you're probably secretly hoping that no one else wants it so you can have it all to…
Forgotten Staples and Returning Favorites. Ingredients move in and out of everyday kitchens for all kinds of reasons, including changing agriculture, convenience foods, shifting tastes, and the disappearance of older regional recipes. Some foods that…
What The Greats Actually Craved. History books love to talk about wars and treaties and speeches, but they rarely mention what someone ate before signing a peace agreement or storming a beach. Food has a…
