Although CulinaryLore is primarily concerned with food-related topics, once in a while I deviate a bit beyond food science, food history, or cooking and write articles on other things besides food-related topics. However, even most of these are tangentially related and could be said to fall under the umbrella of food science or to be […]
Does The Reheatza Microwave Crisper Really Work?
I like to cook the old-fashioned way, with fire. Or with gas caught on fire. But, sometimes I dream of a world in which I can cook basic things in the microwave without ruining their texture. For example, making a grilled cheese in the microwave. You can’t grill in a microwave, can you? Or, reheat […]
Chinese Table Manners: Never Flip Over a Whole Fish
In some parts of China it is considered bad luck, and bad table manners, to flip over a whole fish to get to the other side Have you ever ordered whole fish at a Chinese restaurant? This is the traditional Chinese way of serving fish, with head, bone, tail and all. Nothing unusual there, but […]
A Completely Black Chicken, Inside And Out?
The Ayam Cemani of Indonesia, Black Skin, Organs, and Even Bones The Ayam Cemani of Indonesia is black. I would say the Ayam Cemani chicken, but this would be redundant, as ayam is the Indonesian word for chicken. A black chicken is not so unusual. My grandmother had black chickens, from time to time, on her chicken […]
Before There Was Bayer Aspirin There Was Bayer Heroin
Although Bayer, or Freidr. Bayer & Co. of Elberfeld, Germany, had already created its first aspirin product by 1894, the company decided to hold off on moving forward with it in favor of another product: heroin. The company introduced their heroin product in the Autumn of 1898. It was a hydrochloric salt of heroin, soluble […]
Blood Poison: So Easy To Cure!
Blood poison was often used during the 1800’s and into the early 1900’s as a general wastebasket diagnosis to explain many common non-serious and serious conditions. Although blood poison, in those days, could mean the same thing as an infection of the blood introduced through a wound, it was just as often a way of […]