The origins of sumo wrestling and a delicious soup that became a staple in heya, or sumo training stables

The fictional woman who became a household name and a friend of homemakers across the country, and her 70-year-old recipe for pineapple upside-down cake

The original fettuccine all’Alfredo and the showman chef who made it famous

The surprisingly good food in one of history’s most notorious prisons: Alcatraz

A refreshing vinegar-based syrup that is wonderful in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and the history of vinegar beverages

The history of the Mai Tai, and the man who had never been to the tropics who created it.

The history of that most perfect of sandwiches and its main components

Texas chili from 1910, the history of chili, and the Chili Queens who sold all kinds of chili-flavored foods in the plazas of San Antonio

Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and the chicken dish that was created for it

The great lengths that the U.S. Navy went to to provide its men with morale-boosting ice cream, and its recipe for a delicious banana nut flavor

The history and evolution of carrot cake and how WWII British propaganda popularized it

Menus and first class breakfast on the Titanic, as well as more stories of the people on board

The history of school lunches and the lunch lady, along with recipes from a Depression Era school cafeteria cookbook

The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 and Boston brown bread

Al Capone’s soup kitchen and an Italian soup that could have been served there

The history of latkes and a recipe based on 20th century versions

Christmas dinners during WWI and a ration-friendly Christmas pudding recipe from 1915

An overview of American WWII field kitchens and rations and a recipe for a classic dish straight from a manual written in 1944

The murky origins of the Caesar salad and a recipe that might be the original

The history and possible origins of Brazilian feijoada and a recipe from 1928