The history of shepherd’s pie, and a recipe from 1894 when it didn’t matter if you used beef or lamb

The almost-forgotten reign of Hatshepsut, a woman who was pharaoh, and a recipe for the ancient sweet zalabiya using ingredients available in ancient Egypt

The eccentric eating habits of Nikola Tesla, and a recipe based on a dish that, like so many other things, he invented

What we know (and are still learning) about Stonehenge, and a recipe based on archaeological findings for what they might have eaten there

A boiled down version of the complex origins and history of gumbo, and a recipe for shrimp and crab gumbo from 1885

Food production and rationing on the Australian homefront during WWII, and a recipe from a wartime cookbook for which I use kangaroo, which was hunted as a supplement to the meat ration

The mystery surrounding the death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and an 18th century Viennese pork dish that could have been the cause

The history and food of the Victorian workhouse, and a recipe for stew from a 1901 workhouse cookbook

The Pastry War between Mexico and France, and a 19th century French pastry that could have been the cause

The evolution of boeuf bourguignon from a peasant dish to use up leftovers to French haute cuisine, and a recipe from 1885 for the early sauce version

The role of meat in the Roman soldier’s diet, and a recipe for a farro and pork dish that a Roman centurion might have eaten in Vindolanda

The empire and massive party of Ashurnasirpal II, and an ancient recipe for pomegranate beer that may have been served at his banquet

The hidden chocolate kitchen at Hampton Court Palace, the people who worked there, and a recipe from 1723 that they might have made

A tiny Christmas truce in the midst of the Battle of the Bulge, and a recipe for mincemeat pie from the US army in 1946

The origins and history of Turkish delight, and a recipe from the Ottoman Empire in 1844

The possible origins and evolution of toffee, and a recipe for the original Everton toffee from 1881

Christopher Ludwick’s extraordinary contributions to the American Revolution, and a gingerbread recipe he might have baked

The labor and lives of medieval peasants in 14th century Britain and Europe, and a recipe for a fish dish that could have been given to them by their lords

The history of a largely forgotten American dessert, and a recipe for it from 1829

More on the history of pumpkins and their use in European cooking, and a 17th century recipe for a creamy pumpkin soup