The history and evolution of the piña colada, and two recipes that showcase how it has changed

Tasting food from the infamous K Ration, and a recipe for K Ration biscuits using specifications from 1942

The B Ration of US troops in World War 2, and B Ration recipes from the US Army recipe manual from 1946

The medical treatment and health craze origins of Salisbury steak, and the school cafeteria version from the 80s and 90s, complete with brown gravy

The formulation and consumption of the legendary D Ration, a World War II chocolate bar formulated to taste “a little better than a boiled potato”

The origins and evolution of the tomato soup cake, and a from-scratch recipe from 1934

What it was like to fly and dine aboard Concorde, the supersonic airliner that operated from 1976 to 2003, and recipes inspired by the menus and chefs of Concorde

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

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 pre-Depression origins of water pie, and a delicious recipe from 1908

The food and dining in Folsom Prison, and an early 20th century meal from a combination of the military cookbooks they used and a commissary report

The decline of food availability on the home front in World War 2 Japan, and a recipe for mock grilled eel from before things got truly dire

The disputed origins of the key lime pie, and one of the first recipes for it with graham cracker crust from 1933

The origins and spread of SPAM, and a recipe from a marketing campaign in 1951

The sad tale of Typhoid Mary, and a recipe for peach ice cream, one of her specialties that may have contributed to the spread of typhoid fever

Eating and cooking on US submarines in World War II, and two recipes from the 1945 Cook Book of the United States Navy

British cooks and cooking on the Western Front in World War I, and a 1914 army recipe for corned beef and potato pie

The important and distinct hobo culture of the late 19th century and early 20th century, and a 1940 recipe for a hobo staple: mulligan stew

The history of sloppy joes from fashion to Manwich, and the American school cafeteria recipe from 1988