Tastes Good Magazine

Culinary History

3 articles

Editorial illustration for From Stone Tablets to Bills of Fare: How the Restaurant Menu Evolved Over Three Millennia
Culture

From Stone Tablets to Bills of Fare: How the Restaurant Menu Evolved Over Three Millennia

The restaurant menu has evolved over three millennia, from ancient Assyrian banquet records and functional Chinese lists to the modern French-influenced document that reflects societal values and class aspirations. This evolution reveals the menu as a dynamic cultural artifact, not just a simple list of dishes.

Santiago Vargas·October 21, 2026
Editorial illustration for How to Adapt a Historical Recipe: A Decision Framework for Cooking From the Past
Restaurants

How to Adapt a Historical Recipe: A Decision Framework for Cooking From the Past

Adapting historical recipes involves research, interpretation, and a deliberate decision framework to balance authenticity with modern palates. This process requires understanding archaic language, substituting obsolete ingredients, and modernizing techniques.

Santiago Vargas·October 14, 2026
Julia Child in her kitchen preparing a Caesar salad, highlighting her unique method of tossing each lettuce leaf individually with dressing.
Recipes

Julia Child's Caesar Salad Recipe Omits Raw Egg

Julia Child, the culinary titan, famously omitted a key ingredient from her 'classic' Caesar salad recipe, a detail many home cooks have overlooked for decades.

Maya Lin·June 13, 2026