The Pagan Origins of Animal Crackers
Just when you though kid’s cookies were safe to eat, some historian goes and tells the story of how they’re based on German cookies once used in pagan rituals. Personally I’m more disappointed my toddler will never know the joy of making a circus train from the cardboard boxes the crackers come in. Check out the full story of animal crackers history over at Snack Stack.
Brooklyn’s Best Doughnuts
Brooklyn Magazine has a round up of the borough’s best donuts. Having sampled more than half of these, I can say it’s probably a pretty accurate list (Except the part where they place Dun-well and Win Son in Williamsburg rather than East Williamsburg. Hey, East Williamsburg is a thing!).
The History of Howard Johnson’s, Book Review
I recently read though Mitchell Sammarco’s book, A History of Howard Johnson’s, first published back in 2013, and wrote up a review.
Food Packaging Is Killing Us
Or at least, all those yummy chemicals are entering our food supply, and our bodies, through food packaging. About 3,600 of 14,000 chemicals have been found in the human body including PFAS forever chemicals. Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic and disrupt the endocrine system, and most of these chemicals are coming from the plastics we store food in. Delicious!
How Wild Seeds Might Save Our Crops
Samuel Peters takes a look at how the wild relatives of our food crops often have the solution to diseases afflicting farm fields.
Spices Are Giving Everyone Lead Poisoning
Cheap ground cinnamon has high concentrations of lead, and even expensive organic brands have some too. The sources vary from tainted soil to aging equipment. And it’s not just cinnamon to worry about. Anyway, picture me in the C-Town last night debating which brand of overpriced cinnamon to purchase, and finally choosing the one that looked least poisonous.
Is this the end of Liverwurst?
The Boar’s Head Liverwurst infected with listeria has killed 9 people so far. The company identified a process used in making liverwurst specifically was the source of the infection (although the whole factory was nasty), and will cease to manufacture the product. But it was probably an easy decision. Who’s eating liverwurst anymore? Dan Barry at the New York Times takes a look at the history of the lunch meat, reflecting on when it was a bit more popular.