Food History Jottings

December 12, 2012 6:30 PM

Ivan Day has a food history blog. So does India Mandelkern.

A selection of posts from Food History Jottings:

Cupcakes, pt 2, pt 3

Jellies and gemstones
Edible Artistry

Shaped mince pies, pt 2.
Spongata - An Italian Minced Pie in Georgian London

The Pudding King?
One Family And Empire Christmas Pudding

Lady Fane's Syllabub
Pumping up the Syllabub
Stephen Hales's Syllabub Machine

posted by zamboni (5 comments total)

In addition to trying to learn more about how the food I eat is made, I've also been trying to learn about those foods' history. Unfortunately, there is a lot more easy-to-find information on the Internet about the former than the latter. Then I found out that my university, which offers little to nothing in the way of culinary-related education, is offering a food history course next semester. I can't wait for it. These blog posts will help tide me over until the spring semester begins!

I like knowing what ingredients go into my food. I like knowing the particularities of how my food is made. I am sure that I will like knowing the historical context of the food I eat, too.

Thanks, zamboni! I'm looking forward to working my way through these posts.
posted by The Girl Who Ate Boston at 7:11 PM on December 12, 2012

Well, Girl Who Ate, this will interest you then:

…when did the earliest known recipe for Bakewell Pudding really appear? Well, it might seem crazy, but for some time it seemed that the very first directions for making this traditional Derbyshire pudding had not after all been printed in Scotland, but in America! This was in The Family Magazine, a general knowledge collection published in Boston in 1837!

But don't get too excited, further research is done.
posted by unliteral at 7:25 PM on December 12, 2012

Thanks! I'm originally from Britain and my family line goes back to Scotland, so no matter where the Bakewell Pudding originated, I can feel justifiably excited, ha.

That being said, if anybody knows a bakery or restaurant in the Boston area that serves a good Bakewell Pudding, send me a MeMail. I'd love to try it!
posted by The Girl Who Ate Boston at 7:58 PM on December 12, 2012

Fantastic. I've seen Ivan on a couple of shows but never managed to figure out that he had a blog.
posted by ninazer0 at 10:17 PM on December 12, 2012

Oh my God, it's full of tarts.
posted by monocultured at 10:57 PM on December 12, 2012 [2 favorites]