Food, HOW-MAC
The necessity of food for survival is something that all humans have in common, but the trends of diet and food consumption can vary considerably from region to region. Find out more about the ingredients, dishes, and drinks that fuel people around the world.
Food Encyclopedia Articles By Title
How was alcohol discovered?
The origin of alcoholic beverages is shrouded in the mists of prehistory, but it is believed that fermentation......
How was cotton candy invented?
The sugary treat cotton candy was invented in Nashville in 1897 by a dentist (yes, a dentist) named William J.......
How Was Instant Ramen Invented?
Instant ramen was invented by Momofuku Ando in 1958. In his biography, “The Story of the Invention of Instant Ramen”......
How was pizza invented?
Pizza, as we know it today, originated centuries ago in Naples, Italy, where it was crafted as a humble dish for......
huckleberry
huckleberry, any of several species of small fruit-bearing shrubs of the genus Gaylussacia (family Ericaceae).......
hummus
hummus, paste originating in the Middle East that is traditionally made of pureed or mashed cooked chickpeas mixed......
hunting
hunting, sport that involves the seeking, pursuing, and killing of wild animals and birds, called game and game......
hush puppy
hush puppy, a deep-fried or baked ball of cornmeal batter and spices, usually served as a side dish. Hush puppies......
Hyssop
Hyssop, (Hyssopus officinalis), evergreen garden herb of the mint family (Lamiaceae), grown for its aromatic leaves......
ice cream
ice cream, frozen dairy food and common dessert made from cream or butterfat, milk, sugar, and flavorings. Frozen......
India pale ale
India pale ale (IPA), type of beer that features strong flavours from hops and typically has more fruity notes......
Indian cuisine
Indian cuisine, the foods and methods of their preparation traditional to India. India does not have a single cuisine.......
injera
injera, Ethiopian flatbread, typically made from a batter of fermented teff (Eragrostis tef) flour and known for......
Is Honey Sweeter Than Sugar?
For the most part, yes, honey tastes sweeter than table sugar. Both honey and sugar are made up of fructose and......
Is “Chai Tea” Redundant?
Perhaps you have heard the quip that chai tea is redundant because chai in much of India (specifically Hindi) just......
Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine, traditional meals and cooking techniques developed over centuries in Italy. Although ingredients,......
jaboticaba
jaboticaba, (Plinia cauliflora), tree of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) and its edible fruits. Jaboticaba is native......
jackfruit
jackfruit, (Artocarpus heterophyllus), evergreen tree (family Moraceae) native to tropical Asia and widely grown......
Jaffrey, Madhur
Madhur Jaffrey is an Indian-born actress, chef, and writer who parlayed movie stardom into culinary fame, both......
jaggery
jaggery, brown sugar obtained from sugarcane juice or date palm sap, with origins on the Indian subcontinent. Both......
jambalaya
jambalaya, a savory dish, popularly associated with the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of meat (pork, chicken,......
Japan Maneuvers to Skirt Whaling Restrictions
Japan informed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in October 2015 that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would......
jelly
jelly, a semitransparent confection consisting of the strained juice of various fruits or vegetables, singly or......
jelly bean
jelly bean, small, brightly colored bean-shaped candy with a chewy interior covered with a candy shell. Jelly beans......
Jensen, Georg
Georg Jensen was a Danish silversmith and designer who achieved international prominence for his commercial application......
jerk chicken
jerk chicken, a spicy grilled-meat dish mostly associated with Jamaica but common throughout the Caribbean. Jerk......
Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke, (Helianthus tuberosus), sunflower species (Asteraceae family) native to North America and......
Job’s tears
Job’s tears, (Coix lacryma-jobi), cereal grass of the family Poaceae, native to tropical Asia. Job’s tears receives......
jollof rice
jollof rice, seasoned rice dish from West Africa. It is generally made with rice, tomatoes, and a variety of spices,......
Jue
Jue, type of ancient Chinese pitcherlike container used for wine and characterized by an elegant and dynamic shape.......
jujube
jujube, either of two species of small spiny trees of the genus Ziziphus (family Rhamnaceae) and their fruit. Jujube......
Jícama
Jícama, (Pachyrhizus erosus), leguminous vine of the pea family (Fabaceae), grown for its edible tubers. Jícama......
kaiseki
kaiseki, traditional Japanese cuisine that consists of a multicourse meal prepared with seasonal ingredients and......
Kale
Kale, (Brassica oleracea, variety acephala), loose-leafed edible plant derived from the cabbage of the mustard......
Kander, Lizzie Black
Lizzie Black Kander was an American welfare worker who created a popular cookbook that became a highly profitable......
kava
kava, nonalcoholic euphoria-producing beverage made from the root of the pepper plant, principally Piper methysticum,......
kebab
kebab, dish of Middle Eastern or Central Asian origin that typically combines small pieces of meat such as lamb......
kefir
kefir, tangy and slightly sour fermented milk drink. Similar in consistency to cultured buttermilk with a slight......
Keller, Thomas
Thomas Keller is an American chef and restaurateur whose restaurant the French Laundry, in Yountville, California,......
Kellogg’s
Kellogg Company, the multinational food manufacturer behind Corn Flakes, Pringles, Cheez-It, Eggo waffles, and......
ketchup
ketchup, seasoned pureed condiment widely used in the United States and Great Britain. The origin of the word ketchup......
key lime pie
key lime pie, an American dessert that consists of a graham-cracker or pastry crust, a yellow custard (primarily......
kheer
kheer, a chilled South Asian dessert made from slow-cooked rice, milk, and sugar, much like a rice pudding. It......
kielbasa
kielbasa, sausage of Polish origin traditionally often made of pork. In the version most readily available in North......
kimchi
kimchi, spicy, fermented dish that generally accompanies a Korean meal. The vegetables most commonly used in its......
king cake
king cake, a sweet, ring-shaped pastry that is served from Epiphany through Shrove Tuesday in the Christian calendar.......
king oyster mushroom
king oyster mushroom, (Pleurotus eryngii), widely cultivated edible mushroom. King oyster mushrooms are native......
kippers
kippers, an iconic British breakfast dish consisting of herring that has been cured via kippering—split open, cleaned,......
kirsch
kirsch, dry, colourless brandy distilled from the fermented juice of the black morello cherry. Kirsch is made in......
Kiwi
Kiwi, (Actinidia deliciosa), woody vine and edible fruit of the family Actinidiaceae. The plant is native to mainland......
knafeh
knafeh, traditional Middle Eastern pastry made from phyllo or semolina, layered with soft cheese filling, and covered......
knish
knish, eastern European potato snack commonly sold by street vendors in areas with large Jewish populations. Knishes......
Know Your Joe: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Coffee
Lots of people are unable to function before their morning cup of coffee. You may have singled out caffeine as......
Kobe beef
Kobe beef, highly prized Wagyu beef from the Kōbe region of Honshu island, Japan. What foie gras is to liver, Kobe......
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi, (Brassica oleracea, variety gongylodes), form of cabbage, of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), grown......
Kola nut
Kola nut, caffeine-containing nut of Cola acuminata and Cola nitida, trees of the cocoa family (Sterculiaceae)......
kombucha
kombucha, beverage made of fermented green or black tea, usually consumed as a health food. Kombucha is often brewed......
kopi luwak
kopi luwak, the coffee bean or specialty coffee that is digested by, fermented within, and then excreted by the......
Kumquat
Kumquat, (genus Fortunella), genus of evergreen shrubs or trees of the family Rutaceae, grown for their tart orange......
Kurihara Harumi
Kurihara Harumi is a Japanese chef, lifestyle expert, and television personality who in 1994 founded the media......
kvass
kvass, one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in Russia from the 16th until the 19th century. It has since lost......
Lagasse, Emeril
Emeril Lagasse is an American celebrity chef, author, and television personality who by the early 21st century......
Lager beer
Lager beer, light-coloured, highly carbonated type of beer. The term lager is used to denote beer produced from......
Lakshmi, Padma
Padma Lakshmi is an Indian-American fashion model, television personality, and author best known for her role as......
Lamb’s lettuce
Lamb’s lettuce, (Valerianella locusta), weedy plant of the family Caprifoliaceae, native to southern Europe but......
lamb’s quarters
lamb’s quarters, (Chenopodium album), annual weedy plant of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), of wide distribution......
lard
lard, soft creamy white solid or semisolid fat with butterlike consistency, obtained by rendering or melting the......
lasagna
lasagna, pasta dish of Italian origin, made with broad often ruffled noodles and a tomato or white sauce. Lasagna,......
lassi
lassi, a creamy, frothy yogurt-based drink, blended with water and various fruits or seasonings (such as salt or......
Latte vs. cappuccino: What’s the difference?
The primary difference between a latte and a cappuccino lies in their composition and texture. A cappuccino is......
Lavender
Lavender, (genus Lavandula), genus of about 30 species of plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae), native to countries......
Laver
Laver, (genus Porphyra), genus of 60–70 species of marine red algae (family Bangiaceae). Laver grows near the high-water......
leavening agent
leavening agent, substance causing expansion of doughs and batters by the release of gases within such mixtures,......
Leek
Leek, (Allium porrum), hardy biennial plant of the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae), grown as a vegetable. The......
Lemon
Lemon, (Citrus ×limon), small tree or spreading bush of the rue family (Rutaceae) and its edible fruit. Lemon juice......
lemon balm
lemon balm, (Melissa officinalis), aromatic herb of the mint family (Lamiaceae), grown for its lemon-scented fragrant......
Lemon verbena
Lemon verbena, (Aloysia citriodora or Lippia citriodora), tropical perennial shrub belonging to the family Verbenaceae,......
lemongrass
lemongrass, (Cymbopogon citratus), perennial species of oil grass in the family Poaceae, often used in cooking.......
Lentil
Lentil, (Lens culinaris), small annual legume of the pea family (Fabaceae) and its edible seed. Lentils are widely......
Lettuce
Lettuce, (Lactuca sativa), annual leaf vegetable of the aster family (Asteraceae). Most lettuce varieties are eaten......
Lewis, Edna
Edna Lewis was an African American author and chef, renowned for her traditional Southern cooking that emphasized......
licorice
licorice, (Glycyrrhiza glabra), perennial herb of the pea family (Fabaceae), and the flavouring, confection, and......
Lima bean
Lima bean, (Phaseolus lunatus), any of a variety of legumes (family Fabaceae) widely cultivated for their edible......
Limburger
Limburger, semisoft surface-ripened cow’s-milk cheese that has a rind of pungent odour and a creamy-textured body......
Lime
Lime, any of several species and hybrids of trees and shrubs of the genus Citrus (family Rutaceae), widely grown......
limoncello
limoncello, tangy, sweet, and fragrant liqueur of Italian origin made from lemon zest. Limoncello is mainly produced......
lingonberry
lingonberry, (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), small creeping plant of the heath family (Ericaceae), related to the blueberry......
lion’s mane mushroom
lion’s mane mushroom, (Hericium erinaceus), edible mushroom with medicinal properties that belongs to the order......
Lipton, Thomas
Thomas Lipton was a British merchant who built the Lipton tea empire and also won fame as a yachtsman. Lipton,......
liqueur
liqueur, flavoured and sweetened distilled liquor, with alcohol content ranging from 24 percent to 60 percent by......
Loganberry
Loganberry, (Rubus loganobaccus), species of bramble of the rose family (Rosaceae) that originated in Santa Cruz,......
longan
longan, (Dimocarpus longan), tropical fruit tree of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), native to Asia and introduced......
loquat
loquat, (Eriobotrya japonica), subtropical tree of the rose family (Rosaceae) grown for its evergreen foliage and......
Louis Pasteur’s Contributions to Science
Many people know Louis Pasteur for the process that bears his name—pasteurization. However, Pasteur made several......
lovage
lovage, (Levisticum officinale), perennial herb of the parsley family (Apiaceae) native to southern Europe. It......
loving cup
loving cup, large, two-handled cup, often made of silver, that may take many forms. In the past, at weddings, banquets,......
luau
luau, a modern Hawaiian banquet. The word luau originally denoted only the leaves of the taro plant, which are......
lychee
lychee, (Litchi chinensis), evergreen tree of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae), grown for its edible fruit. Lychee......
maca
maca, (Lepidium meyenii), herbaceous plant of the mustard family (Brassicaceae), cultivated for its edible rootlike......
Macadamia
Macadamia, (genus Macadamia), genus of four species of evergreen trees belonging to the family Proteaceae known......