The history of jalebi and its various names and regions, and a brief look at the incredibly diverse celebration of Diwali, along the first known recipe for jalebi from the 10th century

The real historical Macbeth versus Shakespeare’s version (spoiler: not a lot of the play is true), and a simple but tasty meal that the real Macbethad mac Findlaich may have eaten

Emperor Domitian’s reign of terror, the sinister and elaborate black banquet that he threw, and an ancient Roman dish that would have fit right in

The role of pemmican in the lives of indigenous North American tribes and the European exploration of the continent, and 19th century instructions on how to make it.

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