Category Archives: Food and Cuisine History

Archaeologists Discover a Sumerian Tavern

Posted on February 22, 2023 by briansandberg

Archaeologists working in Iraq have discovered the remains of a Sumerian tavern in the ruins of the city of Lagash. “Archaeologists found a seven-room structure featuring an open courtyard with benches and a large open cooking area with a 10-foot-wide … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient History, Cultural History, Food and Cuisine History, History of the Western World, Material Culture, Urban History, World History | Leave a comment

Making Scents of the Past

Posted on April 7, 2022 by briansandberg

The history of perfumes, fragrances, food, and medicines in the early modern period are closely intertwined. Early modern Europeans crafted “recipes” by experimenting with different ingredients from plants, animals, minerals, and other sources. The DURARE research team questions: “Is it … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural History, Digital Humanities, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, European History, European Studies, Food and Cuisine History, History of Medicine, History of Science, Manuscript Studies, Material Culture, Renaissance Art and History | Leave a comment

Gruyère: The Latest Round in the Food Culture Wars

Posted on January 13, 2022 by briansandberg

Food is Culture! This proclamation is a both a popular idea and a serious anthropological approach to food, cuisine, and agricultural production. Food historians take the cultural dimensions of food production and consumption seriously as revealing important social dynamics. Food … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural History, Culture, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, Environmental History, European Studies, European Union, Food and Cuisine History, Francophonie, French History, Globalization, History in the Media, Italian History, Material Culture, Renaissance Art and History, United States History and Society, World History | Leave a comment

Renaissance History and Franco-Italian Quarrels

Posted on February 8, 2019 by briansandberg

French President Emmanuel Macron has recalled the French Ambassador to Italy, in response to the Italian government’s support of the Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) protest movement in France. Italian Deputy Prime Ministers Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio have both … Continue reading →

Posted in Art History, Court Studies, Cultural History, Early Modern Europe, Empires and Imperialism, European History, Food and Cuisine History, French History, French Wars of Religion, History in the Media, Italian History, Noble Culture and History of Elites, Political Culture, Renaissance Art and History, Women and Gender History | Leave a comment

Portuguese Shipwreck Found

Posted on September 28, 2018 by briansandberg

Marine archaeologists are exploring the site of an early modern Portuguese shipwreck. NPR reports that “A 400-year-old shipwreck that signified a time when the spice trade between Portugal and India was booming has been uncovered 40 feet below the water’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, Empires and Imperialism, European History, Food and Cuisine History, Maritime History, Material Culture, War and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Leave a comment

Paris, Ville de Cour ?

Posted on January 30, 2015 by briansandberg

Conférence de Caroline zum Kolk will present a lecture on “Paris, Ville de Cour ?” as part of the “Les Mardis de Lauzun” lecture series at the Institut d’Études Avancées de Paris. Mardi 03 Février 2015, 18h00 – 20h00 IEA … Continue reading →

Posted in Art History, Cultural History, Early Modern Europe, European History, Food and Cuisine History, French History, French Wars of Religion, Noble Culture and History of Elites, Paris History, Urban History | Leave a comment

The Insufficient Ark at U of C

Posted on January 29, 2015 by briansandberg

The Early Modern Workshop at the University of Chicago is holding a discussion of Maura Capps’ dissertation chapter “The Insufficient Ark: A Political Ecology of a Failed Agricultural Department at the Cape of Good Hope, 1795-1806.” Maura is a PhD … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic World, Cultural History, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern World, Empires and Imperialism, Environmental History, European History, Food and Cuisine History, Globalization, Lectures and Seminars, Northern Illinois University | Leave a comment

New Evidence on Mediterranean Diets

Posted on May 20, 2014 by briansandberg

Mediterranean diets are routinely cited as especially healthy by culinary and health enthusiasts. Scientific evidence to support such claims has gradually been accumulating, although often supporting on certain components of Mediterranean foods. Indeed, definitions of a “Mediterranean diet” vary widely. … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and Cuisine History, Languedoc and Southern France, Mediterranean World | Leave a comment

New Research on the Mediterranean Diet

Posted on November 23, 2013 by briansandberg

The Mediterranean Diet is often touted as one of the world’s healthiest and most nutritious diets. Researchers recently released the results from a new study of the Mediterranean Diet. “A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds … Continue reading →

Posted in European History, Food and Cuisine History, History of Medicine, Languedoc and Southern France, Mediterranean World | 1 Comment

French Cuisine and Frozen Food

Posted on July 10, 2013 by briansandberg

French haute cuisine restauranteurs are upset by revelations that many other restaurants are using frozen ingredients and even serving entire factory-frozen dishes. The Washington Post reports that “a chunk of tuna cooked Provencal style with an attractive ratatouille on the … Continue reading →

Posted in European Union, Food and Cuisine History, French History, Paris History | Leave a comment