Pimento cheese is the iconic spread of the South, but have you ever wondered how it came to be so popular? Over at the Independent Weekly, Emily Wallace — who wrote her master's thesis on this mix of grated cheddar, mayonnaise and pimento peppers — tells a brief but fascinating history of pimento cheese. More

Yesterday we showed you some recipes from the 1970s that are probably best left in the past, but the Smithsonian's Food & Think blog found a way to actually showcase great but forgotten recipes: by making a birthday meal from recipes published during the year of your special someone's birth. Chicken véronique and grasshopper pie, anyone? More

Last week at a thrift store I spotted a red box that, when opened, revealed itself to be a time capsule of 1971. Preserved inside was a collection of Betty Crocker recipe cards for dishes that are both mesmerizing and a little horrifying. What were Americans eating in the early '70s? You might not want to know. More

Ever fall in love with a beer, only to discover that it's a "seasonal" not to be seen again for another year?

It can seem cruel for a brewery to hook us on a delicious beer and then snatch it away again, but they have some good reasons for doing so. More

For most of us, nothing announces a birthday quite like a huge frosted cake crowned with flickering candles. But what signals the start of celebration in China? Or Mexico? Or even Russia? More

We all have it. Even if you grew up on TV dinners and toaster strudel, you've got a culinary history. And your family certainly does. And your extended family beyond that. But how much time do you spend thinking about what recipes your great grandparents loved and what that says about them? More

Attend any wedding, any reception, any event at all of any magnitude in the South and you'll be sure to find a platter of crunchy cheese straws on the table. Their presence is a sure sign that you're welcome at the table. Do you have memories of this buffet staple? More

Did you know the first wedding cakes were thrown at brides to ensure fertility? They were then piled up with other baked goods in a mound over which the bride and groom tried to kiss. If they did it without upsetting the pile, they were guaranteed a prosperous life.

From mutton pies to cardboard cake decoys, read on for more strange moments in the history of the wedding cake. More

Counter Space: Design and the Modern Kitchen has been up at New York City's Museum of Modern Art since September, but it took me until this past weekend to finally see it. For a cook and a lover of thoughtful design, this exhibit goes deep, so I ended up going back a second time in order to take it all in.

There are gadgets from a c.1940 six-sided cookie cutter to a set of 1920s ultra-modern sauce pots. One of my favorite parts of the collection is a fascinating display of WWII propaganda posters encouraging British citizens to plant gardens and eat more rabbit. (Those who follow me on twitter may have noticed me tweeting each and every one of them last Saturday morning, and I also include them in the gallery of this post.)

In case you forgot you were in an art museum, the exhibit also features an area called "Kitchen Sink Dramas" which honors the fact that since the 1960s, kitchens have grown into a rich subject for artistic expression. More

We profess a fondness for old-fashioned kitchen tools – things like charming pie birds, wooden butter molds, and a good cast iron skillet. How about you? More