America's first cookie recipe begins by telling you to scum the sugar. This gives you some small sense of how far the world has moved since 1796, when Amelia Simmons published American Cookery, the first cookbook ever written by an American. In our age of processed, over-refined foods,...

Over the past two days, I've listed some of Mark Twain's favorite foods, from Bluepoint oysters to a wealth of fresh garden produce to raccoon. The first day was cautionary, focusing on foods that have vanished, perhaps forever; the second was more hopeful, and included dishes...

In yesterday's post, I listed a number of foods that have vanished from America's tables since Mark Twain included them on a long fantasy menu written while traveling around Europe. The foods on today's list come from a more hopeful category--those Twain enjoyed that can still be found...

Whether because of overfishing, housing developments sprawling through farmland, or simply the closing of a beloved local restaurant, we've all had the experience of seeing a favorite food disappear. We've all felt the pang of realizing that what was lost wasn't just of a flavor, but also of something unique...

I first tasted mallard duck in Gillett, Arkansas. Stuffed with cream cheese and diced jalapeno, wrapped in bacon, and broiled to a perfect medium, the mallard breast was smoky, peppery, and absolutely delicious. It was also very much a thing of its place, having been cooked by local hunters near...