The history of conclaves that lasted years, the food that was served at them, and a recipe for baby back ribs that was served at the conclave of 1549

The accidental origins of the modern strawberry, and a Tudor-era recipe for a strawberry tart

What it was like at a feast in the late Sengoku period (around 1600), and two dishes that would have been fit for the meal of a shogun

The history of Christmas traditions, including serving a boar’s head at a feast, and a medieval recipe for a delicious spiced wine sauce with boar

Ninja instructions and survival foods from the ninja scrolls, and a recipe for 16th century ninja energy balls

The history and traditions of May Day, and a 16th century salad that truly embodies the spirit of the holiday

The Spanish Inquisition and the Jewish community in Spain and a recipe for a beef stew that would have been slow cooked overnight

The gastronomic tendencies of the Mughal conqueror Babur the Tiger, and a 14th century recipe for samosas from the administrative papers of Babur’s grandson, Akbar

Pozole’s roots in Aztec sacrifice, and my mother-in-law’s generations-old family recipe

The history of jack-o-lanterns and an extremely delicious recipe for what is essentially a crustless 16th century pumpkin cheesecake

The history of why vampires hate garlic and a 16th century Transylvanian recipe for beef with a very strong garlic sauce

The history of apple pie and a 16th century German recipe for a pie made with grated apples and cheese

The cosmetics and food recipes of Nostradamus and his extra-fancy version of cherry jelly

The influence that Spanish and Filipino cuisine have had on each other, and a 16th century Spanish recipe for adobo

The history of pizza and a 16th century recipe that is nothing like what we think of pizza today

Controlling the quality of ale in Elizabethan England, and a late 16th century recipe for real buttered beer