
Exploring the cultural history of snacks, one agreeably nerdy post at a time
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The long, sticky rise of salted caramel
Investigating a modern candy’s origins and evolution from Brittany to Blumenthal to your local candy aisle
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The World Cup, Waffle House, and Other Symbols of the American Experience
Soccer tourists’ adventures offer fresh insight into American culture. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
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The chewy, nutty snack from Isfahan
A brief introduction to gaz
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Superb Snack History: The secret life of seven-layer dip
Investigating the origins of a very 1970s snack
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The Cookie Theory of Collective Action
Build community, bring snacks, and other tips from an occupied city
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The sunny snack from Azerbaijan
A brief introduction to maxara (or mahara)
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Zombie cakes, the dead dessert of the 1950s
The story of a tiki-inspired treat that has vanished from cultural memory
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The curious, contentious history of pumpkin spice lattes
Starbucks didn’t invent them. But it’s possible that Tori Amos or a Midwest grandma did.
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The mousy snack for a Dutch baby
A brief introduction to beschuit met muisjes
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The curious history of Chicken in a Biskit
Investigating the midcentury moment of meat-flavored crackers
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The contested cracker from Southeast Asia
A brief introduction to krupuk
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Do rabbits eat carrots because of Clark Gable?
A deep dive into a pop culture and food history conspiracy theory
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The surprisingly long history of avocado toast
Investigating the century-long story of a “millennial” food
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The New Zealand snack with its own prestigious award
Meat pies and the intersection of grease, glamour, and culture
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The curious history of pizza bagels
Who was the first person to combine these two glorious foods? Was it really a couple of tennis players in the 1980s?!
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The snack that’s a peanutty “labor of love”
A brief introduction to South African xigugu
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Cheddar Bay Biscuits and freeze-dried candy: An interview with food writer Geraldine DeRuiter
A long conversation about food, writing, and food writing. Also awful snacks.
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Spin the Globe: The snacks of Chandrapur, India
Looking for meaning in tasty treats, from gleaming gift shops to humble street carts
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This was supposed to be about potato chips
Notes on snacks, plans, and processing chaos
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The curious history of gummi worms
They’re newer than you’d think and they sparked a very odd trend
Suggestions? Feedback?
Burning snack mysteries you’d like me to solve?