Food and Drink

Twelfth-Night Traditions

Twelfth Night is about far more than a special day; it is about eating well and demonstrating one's generosity to guests and to the poor....

Rent Was Once Paid in A Rare Red Spice

New evidence shows that during the Middle Ages, the college masters at Cambridge accepted payment for rent in a rare, red spice. By Dinah...

Merrymaking & Revelry: The Lavish History of Yuletide

Over the centuries, the holiday season has been celebrated with pageantry, plays, music, and feasts, following the pagan traditions of...

1,000-Year-Old Recipe May Be Cure to Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

As modern bacteria become more resistant to antibiotics, scientists are looking to the past for answers.

Medieval Manuscripts Inspire Micro-Brew

After discovering texts that describe 12th-century brewing techniques, the monks at a Belgian abbey decide to re-open their micro-brewery.