Origin Story

The story of how health-conscious thrill-seekers started chugging vinegar, from Johnny Appleseed to Katy Perry.

Silk, satin, lace, and fur, but make it cake.

But first: What is cream of tartar, anyway, and how do you use it in baking?

Before there was panna cotta or blancmange, there was mahalabiya. Learn the history of this creamy pudding.

Made with pineapple, sherry, and rye whiskey, this forgotten cocktail feels remarkably modern.

Nixtamalization takes something that’s of little nutritional value—maíz, which is harvested when it’s dry—and transforms it into a source of nourishment that has carried generations. It’s how we get masa: the key to tender, pliable tortillas and many, many other essential dishes. But what is the process exactly? And how did it come about?

Born of colonial rule and Indian resistance, masala chai is more than just spiced milk tea. Epi contributor Leena Trivedi-Grenier traces the legacy of chai—and how Indians turned a tool of oppression into an enduring tradition—then shows you how to brew a great cup.

Fish peppers, a staple of cooking near the Chesapeake Bay, nearly went extinct. Now they’re back, and every seed can be traced to Horace Pippin.

Twenty years ago, we launched a website. Here’s how it happened.