There is something about the air fryer that is missing from most online information. We call the it a “fryer” but treat it like an oven. An air fryer is not an oven. In fact, despite the fact that it works like a convection oven, it is also not a convection oven. We are often … Read more
If penicillin comes from mold, and our ancestors were forced to eat moldy bread, shouldn’t they have been accidentally ‘medicating’ themselves into perfect health? It’s a common piece of internet logic that suggests we’ve lost a secret, natural immunity. But there is a massive biological chasm between a life-saving antibiotic and a fuzzy crust of … Read more
Did people in the Middle Ages really eat moldy bread? It’s a common belief that our ancestors had iron stomachs capable of handling food that would send a modern person straight to the ER. While it is true that medieval Europeans frequently consumed stale, hard bread that was beginning to turn, the reality of their … Read more
In the world of Southern cooking, ‘fish fry’ is more than just a recipe—it’s a social institution. But for Zatarain’s, the legendary New Orleans spice company, the term became the center of a decades-long legal battle. At stake was a fundamental question of food law: can a company own the exclusive rights to a name … Read more
We use the term bundt pan and bundt cake generically for a type of cake pan and a type of cake baked in this pan. However, the term BUNDT for a fluted and scalloped ring-shaped tube pan is trademarked by Northland Aluminum, makers of NordicWare. The trademark case of the term “Bundt” for a type of cake mix provides … Read more
In the 1970s, Miller Brewing Company attempted to do the impossible: own a common word. By spelling ‘Light’ as ‘Lite,’ the company argued they had created a unique brand name that no other brewer could touch. What followed was one of the most significant trademark battles in beverage history. Miller didn’t just lose the case; … Read more