The hottest Food history Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Camont's Kitchen Stairs Library, Paula Wolfert & the Cooking of Southwest France.

Kate Hill's Gascon Year Journals • 239 implied HN points • 02 Nov 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. The Kitchen Stair Library is a unique spot for cookbooks, making them easily accessible for cooking inspiration and daily use. It's a practical and charming way to keep favorite recipes at hand.
  2. Paula Wolfert’s book, 'The Cooking of Southwest France', holds a special place in many kitchens because it teaches not only recipes but also about local ingredients and cooking techniques.
  3. Cooking is a personal journey, and it's common for cooks to adapt recipes over time, learning from different versions and their own experiences to create their own signature dishes.

Culture Shift

Asimov Press • 412 implied HN points • 20 Mar 26
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Fermented foods likely helped shape human biology over millions of years, from genetic changes that improved alcohol tolerance to a recently evolved immune receptor that senses fermented-food molecules.
  2. Regularly eating fermented foods can boost gut microbial diversity and lower inflammation, but most people in Western diets consume far fewer servings than the amounts shown to have clinical effects.
  3. Industrial food safety and processing pushed microbes out of many foods, and scientists are now building large, standardized datasets to map which fermented-food microbes and metabolites actually drive health benefits.

Your Review: My Father’s Instant Mashed Potatoes

Astral Codex Ten • 17344 implied HN points • 08 Aug 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Mashed potatoes can be delicious when made properly, but many people only know the bad version from instant mixes. It’s important to try the real thing to understand what makes them special.
  2. Food convenience often comes at the cost of taste and authenticity. Many processed foods, like instant mashed potatoes, are just shortcuts that can leave a disappointing experience.
  3. Our food choices influence our memories and preferences. When we're exposed to bad versions, like instant mixes, it can shape our dislike for something that we might actually enjoy if we try the real version.

In Defense of Processed Foods

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 500 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Processed foods, including ultra-processed ones, are not necessarily as harmful as many people claim.
  2. Industrial food processing has greatly expanded food access and safety and has reshaped public health for the better.
  3. Totally purging processed foods or chasing a strict "eat clean" ideal won’t magically solve diet problems and can leave people worse off; some processed items (like canned pumpkin) are simply practical and useful.

Crying in Wing Yip

Vittles • 189 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Asian supermarkets are community hubs that give people a tangible link to their heritage and a place of comfort and belonging.
  2. They are vital to chefs and restaurants as reliable pantries for hard-to-find ingredients, and they introduce home cooks to new flavours and products.
  3. The sector has shifted from dim, hidden Chinatown warehouses to glossy national chains and mainstream supermarket aisles, making ingredients more accessible while changing the old atmosphere.
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The Professor of the Lower Senses

Vittles • 274 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. He basically invented modern food writing by showing that talking and thinking about food can be as pleasurable and important as cooking or eating it.
  2. His book mixes aphorisms, long anecdotes, physiology and sensual detail, turning food writing into writing about the body, desire and feeling as much as about recipes or technique.
  3. He used food as a lens on society, arguing that what people eat reveals social identity, and helped make gastronomy a public cultural practice beyond the old aristocracy.

Grain of Terror

Vittles • 582 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. A bacterium called Bacillus cereus can survive cooking as hardy spores and produce toxins if starchy foods are left at room temperature, so improperly stored rice (and pasta) can make you sick.
  2. Western fear of reheating rice is much stronger than in many rice-eating cultures; those cultures often eat leftovers, use spices and traditional methods that may reduce bacterial growth, and the term "fried rice syndrome" is misleading and tied to historical bias.
  3. The practical rule is simple: cool cooked rice quickly, store it in the fridge or freezer, and reheat it until piping hot to minimise risk — spices might help a bit but don’t replace safe storage and reheating.

The Vittles Guide to the UK's Chinatowns

Vittles • 166 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. The guide covers Chinese restaurants across 11 UK cities and gives over 150 recommendations, with a subscriber-only map that pins 168 recommended spots.
  2. Chinatowns are evolving from single tourist hubs into many local, living neighbourhoods, and you can now find a wide range of regional Chinese cuisines across the country.
  3. Migration waves and student populations are reshaping menus — Hong Kong arrivals, mainland Chinese students and creative cooks are bringing back nostalgic dishes, new regional flavours, and inventive fusion spots.

My journey to the microwave alternate timeline

Telescopic Turnip • 206 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. With the right cookware (like metal-coated, microwave-absorbing pans) and careful timing, microwaves can brown food and cook things like steak, eggs, and vegetables well enough for single-person meals.
  2. Social vibes and perception — fear of radiation, association with reheating processed food, and lack of theatrical cooking — kept microwaves low-status and prevented them from replacing stovetops culturally.
  3. Microwave-only cooking is precise and practice-heavy: it can save time and energy for one person but scales poorly, can be unpredictable or risky for some recipes, and often requires specialized equipment.

The Monday Media Diet with Abena Anim-Somuah

Why is this interesting? • 1990 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. A well-balanced media diet should include a mix of high-quality, relevant content and some light, entertaining pieces. It's like having nutritious meals with a little dessert on the side.
  2. Listening to podcasts and reading a variety of publications can keep you informed and inspired. Finding the right balance of news and fun content is important.
  3. Exploring different cultures through food and travel creates meaningful experiences. Visiting charming places and trying local cuisine helps connect with diverse lifestyles.

The Vittles Guide to Liverpool’s Chinatown

Vittles • 30 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Liverpool is home to Europe’s oldest Chinese community, with a historic Chinatown that developed around the docks from the 1880s and grew further after postwar migration from Hong Kong.
  2. The traditional Chinatown is quiet most of the year and only really buzzes at Lunar New Year, but new student-driven mini‑Chinatowns, hot pot clusters, and market trials are helping spread and revive Chinese life across the city.
  3. The local food scene is diverse: you’ll find old-school dim sum and fusion takeaways famous for ‘salt and pepper’ dishes, alongside newer Malaysian and Vietnamese spots, food courts like eJoy, and regional restaurants serving Sichuan, Chongqing and other specialties.

A Salady Sandwich and a Sandwichy Salad

The Department of Salad: Official Bulletin • 2299 implied HN points • 25 Sep 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Barry Enderwick is known for his obsession with sandwiches, showcasing vintage and modern sandwiches on various platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
  2. Enderwick's sandwich videos are short, sweet, and rated, often adding modern elements to vintage recipes for today's tastes.
  3. Despite his multi-platform presence, Enderwick remains humble, not selling anything, but aiming to provide a positive, uplifting 'video snack' for his audience.

Kitchen Project #118: Crispy Apple Custard Pie

Kitchen Projects • 1081 implied HN points • 22 Oct 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Apples come in a variety of flavors and textures, making them versatile for baking.
  2. Understanding the ripening schedules of fruits can help in preserving their freshness and flavors.
  3. When making apple pie with filo pastry, pre-cooking the apples to prevent sogginess and incorporating custard can result in a delicious and crispy dessert.

Leftovers of the Gods

So Here’s a Thing • 983 implied HN points • 08 Mar 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Cobb Salad, chicken wings, and nachos were all accidental food creations
  2. Food inventions often come from spontaneous actions rather than planned recipes
  3. The creativity of creating new dishes can stem from making use of leftovers and available ingredients

Kisses®

Austin Kleon • 1698 implied HN points • 29 Nov 22
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Holiday baking can create lasting family traditions. Making special cookies together can bring generations closer.
  2. Hershey's Kisses have a unique history and fun design elements. They even added little paper flags to make them special.
  3. Weaving personal meaning into art and food can make the experience more enjoyable. It's all about the memories we create with loved ones.

Top Links 601 US grocery mayhem, the weight-loss boom, the history of meat extract and anti-humanism.

Chartbook • 500 implied HN points • 28 Dec 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. US grocery shopping is facing major challenges and changes. Many people are feeling uncertain about what to buy and where to shop.
  2. There is a growing interest in weight loss and related products. This trend reflects a wider cultural focus on health and body image.
  3. The history of meat extract and themes of anti-humanism are becoming more relevant. These ideas encourage us to think about our relationships with food and society.

Enter the Chicken Burger

The Melt by Jason Diamond • 294 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. The Stork Club was a famous nightclub in Manhattan where the elite socialized from 1929 to 1965.
  2. The Stork Club's menu was known for its continental cuisine created by French chef Gustave Reynaud.
  3. The recipe for a chicken burger served at the Stork Club included chicken meat, butter, and cream, and was broiled with fresh bread crumbs.

no. 80: marvels of noodle cookery

let them eat cake • 119 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Singaporean Hokkien mee is a unique dish, blending egg noodles and rice vermicelli braised in pork and seafood stock.
  2. The history of Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee reflects the evolution of hawker culture in Singapore, from street vendors to modernized food courts.
  3. The interconnectedness of hawker operations across generations and locations highlights the tradition and family legacies within Singaporean cuisine.

Cooking Lessons From My Mennonite Grandma

The Analog Family • 219 implied HN points • 17 Sep 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Make things from scratch whenever you can. It's often cheaper and tastes better than store-bought options.
  2. Be flexible with recipes. You can often substitute ingredients you have on hand, making cooking easier and more economical.
  3. Always make soup. It's a great way to use up leftover ingredients and is hearty and nourishing.

Homesteading: Lessons from Ancient History

Who is Robert Malone • 16 implied HN points • 27 Dec 25
💾 History Food history
  1. Cities concentrate health risks: crowded urban living with poor water and sanitation has historically raised infant mortality and infectious disease compared with rural areas.
  2. Grain-based agriculture enabled cities and states but often worsened health: heavy reliance on wheat and other cereals increased cavities, nutritional deficiencies, and stunting, while diets richer in animal foods supported stronger, healthier bodies.
  3. Modern processed-carb diets repeat old mistakes: ultra-processed, calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foods produce an "overfed but undernourished" population, so increasing whole, nutrient-dense animal and plant foods and reducing processed carbohydrates may improve family and child health.

'If you don’t like it, you know what you can do'

Vittles • 205 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Cooking can be a way to show love, just like the author's mom did. Simple, nourishing meals can carry deeper meanings and memories.
  2. Life isn’t always fair, and cooking lessons can help us deal with challenges. It's important to enjoy food and savor moments with friends and family.
  3. As we grow, we might need to unlearn some of our childhood teachings. It's okay to take pleasure in cooking and sharing meals without guilt.

Nick Bramham’s Perfect Tuna Melt

Vittles • 151 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. The tuna melt is a popular sandwich that combines tuna salad with grilled cheese. It became famous at Woolworth's lunch counter in the 1960s by accident.
  2. There are many types of sandwiches with unique origins in different cities, showcasing a rich food culture in America.
  3. Everyone has their own preferred way of making a tuna melt, and the perfect ratio of tuna to mayo can be a hot topic among sandwich lovers.

The Vittles EU8 Restaurant Guide

Vittles • 123 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. The EU expansion in 2004 brought in eight countries, giving London a rich variety of Eastern European cuisines. You can find Polish, Lithuanian, Czech, Hungarian, and more types of food across the city.
  2. Many restaurants, bakeries, and pubs celebrate these cultures, especially in neighborhoods with a strong East European community. Places like Streatham and Ealing have become hubs for this diverse culinary scene.
  3. Certain dishes, like Lithuanian cepelinai or Czech goulash, are becoming more popular, showing a shift in how these cuisines are viewed. People are starting to see them as trendy and delicious.

Trial By Error

Murder, She Cooked • 78 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Jessica from Murder, She Wrote is chosen as the jury foreman and impresses others with her keen analysis skills.
  2. Despite objections, Jessica stays firm and thoroughly assesses all angles of the case.
  3. In this episode of Murder, She Wrote, there is no consumption of food or drink, which is a rare occurrence for the show.

Say cheese

Lizzie Wrote This • 58 implied HN points • 11 Jun 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. The author has a strong aversion to cheese, finding it repulsive and difficult to eat.
  2. Despite trying to accept some cheeses in small doses, the author's dislike of cheese remains deep-rooted.
  3. The author's aversion to cheese is seen as a unique part of their identity, sparking reflection on personal preferences and environmental impact.

everyday pie

let them eat cake • 139 implied HN points • 13 Jul 22
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. The author reflects on the joy and significance of making and eating pies regularly, emphasizing the value of repetition in learning and creating a continuous narrative.
  2. Repetition in cooking allows for skill-building and a deepening connection to the food, turning each pie into a meaningful chapter in a personal culinary history.
  3. The author suggests two other newsletters for readers interested in similar content, highlighting the admiration for the scholarship in one and the comforting nature of the content in the other.

Vittles Reviews: I'm Seeing Doubles

Vittles • 146 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. The story of Tawa Roti and Roti Joupa highlights the journey of the
  2. The importance of authenticity and tradition in maintaining the legacy of a business like Roti Joupa
  3. The significance of family and community in the success and continuation of food establishments like Roti Joupa and Tawa Roti

🐟 Food Find Friday - Jan 12, 2024

Mister Branzino's Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Mister Branzino explores food finds weekly, sharing interesting discoveries from the past 7 days.
  2. National Quitter's Day is real, happening around January, when many people struggle to stick to their new year resolutions.
  3. Caesar salad, often associated with Italian-American cuisine, is actually a Mexican invention from Tijuana, sparking a food historical war.

#20: Finding a forgotten flavour of chips

Pea Bee • 113 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. The search for a forgotten flavor of chips led to a journey through old blogs, archives, and random discoveries.
  2. Discovering the missing flavor brought a mix of nostalgia, satisfaction, and the joy of finally solving a mystery.
  3. Unintended discoveries like old marketing strategies and technologies enlivened the search experience, making it more than just finding a chip flavor.

الطعام في يوم الفلسطيني

Vittles • 23 implied HN points • 28 Oct 24
🍲 Food & Drink Food history
  1. Food is deeply tied to Palestinian identity and history, but war and occupation have drastically changed their relationship with it. People remember the flavors of their homeland, but many now face starvation and struggle to find sustenance.
  2. Many Palestinians have had to adapt their food experiences to survive in extreme conditions, forced to eat whatever is available, even if it means consuming inedible or harmful things. Their memories of food are filled with pain but also resilience.
  3. Food symbolizes the struggle for freedom and identity, serving as a way to connect with the land and each other. Despite the hardships, Palestinians continue to find meaning and community through their culinary heritage.