The fantastical stories surrounding Saint Columba and a medieval salmon dish that he might have eaten

The history of Scotch whisky, filmed during my stay at the Balmoral Arms in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

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

Extravagant Roman gardens, the hard-to-find ancient herbs I plan on growing in my backyard, and a 1st century recipe for artichokes with a sweet sauce

The history of the Volga Germans and a stuffed bread roll recipe made from many 20th century sources

Facts versus fictions about Leonardo da Vinci, and a 15th century vegetarian dish from a cookbook he owned

The origins of afternoon tea and a 19th century recipe for the classic afternoon tea treat: Victoria sandwich

These fritters are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, kind of like a Honey Nut Cheerios-flavored tater tot with a little heat from the pepper. Really, really good

All-important table manners from medieval Europe and a 15th century recipe for tender beef ribs in a sweet and tangy spiced sauce

The history of ketchup from Southeast Asian fermented fish sauce to Heinz marketing marvel, and an 18th century English recipe for white ketchup

The possible origins of tacos and a customizable recipe from 1831

Why absinthe was banned, and a recipe for an absinthe cocktail in the traditional French style

How the Viking Age began with the first raid on the monastery at Lindisfarne, and a recipe for pork tenderloin with berry sauce that uses ingredients and methods available to them at the time

The unfortunate tale of gruel’s bad PR, and a surprisingly tasty recipe for 19th century gruel

The uphill battle for the potato to become legal again in France, and a fried potato ball recipe from the French Revolution

The history of wine drinking vessels and a 17th century recipe for a delicious sweet fruited wine

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

The history of ovens and stoves, and a retro recipe for fish pudding that I can’t, in good conscience, recommend

The morning routine of the ancient Greeks, and a 2nd century recipe for Greek pancakes with honey