The Hardworking History of the Hardy Orange

Professor Ian Glomski of Vitae Spirits in Charlottesville, Virginia has discovered what may be the perfect solution for the South’s citrus pest, the hardy orange. Sourcing hardy oranges throughout Virginia, including even a few fruit from Thomas Jefferson’s grave, Glomski has produced a unique hardy orange liqueur, used in bars and restaurants throughout the upper South.

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The Waldorf’s First Final Feast

On the Feast’s season finale, we revisit a meal that ended a chapter in one of the most famous hotel’s in history: the Waldorf Astoria. Famous for its invention of the Waldorf Salad and (arguably) Eggs Benedict, the legacy of this world-renown hotel has always been associated with food.

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Titanic's Final Feast: Edwardian Eating on the Unsinkable Ship

More than one hundred years after its fateful encounter with an iceberg on April 14th, 1912, the Titanic still captivates history buffs as a microcosm of Edwardian society. This week we’re exploring the culinary life onboard the unsinkable ship, looking at everything from those who worked in Titanic’s state of the art kitchens to the epic meals served only a few hours before the ship sank.

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A Brief History of Space Gastronomy

The Feast is back! And our debut episode for Season Two is out of this world. Literally! We're going back to one of the most (in)famous meals in the history of NASA, when a contraband corned beef sandwich snuck aboard Gemini 3 in 1965. We'll explore how space food has changed over the years. No more Tang and freeze-dried ice cream for modern astronauts, the space food of tomorrow may include everything from homemade sourdough bread to wine. 

The Scandalous, Dangerous, Unbelievably True History of the Cocktail Party

Cocktails can have some great origin stories, but how can you tell  sober fact from tipsy fiction? This week, we're going cold turkey to get the details behind that noble institution of pre-dinner drinking: the cocktail party. Legend (or Wikipedia) says the first cocktail party was held by Mrs. Julius S. Walsh Jr. in 1917 St. Louis. As we'll learn, the real story is *way* more complicated, stretching from Revolutionary America to the swinging 1970s. While Mrs. Walsh may not have invented the cocktail party, her life was full up with martinis, mayhem, and, yes, even murder. 

The Battle for Chicken Pot Pies: A History of Department Store Dining

This week, take the escalator to menswear and turn left at home goods. We're heading to the glory days of department store dining with a trip back to old Toronto. Learn how Eaton's and Simpson's battled for the hearts and dollars of Torontonians through their opulent in-store restaurants. We'll explore why these stores are remembered more for their chicken pot pies than for their sales!