Food & Writing Sites for August 2025
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Squash blossoms; in the Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
We knew, when The Resource Guide for Food Writers was published, that parts of it would soon become obsolete, so we started issuing these free updates. This issue marks 25—TWENTY-FIVE!—years of sending them. In celebration of our Silver Anniversary, this issue’s table (of contents) is groaning under the weight of even more tasty choices than usual.
Over the past quarter century, we’ve seen the demise of bulletin boards (does anyone even remember them?), Google’s virtual replacement of all the other search engines, the addition of personal food blogs (the first one I included, here, was Julie and Julia), and—more recently—podcasts.
The web is a vast universe of food information, and like another universe, it’s constantly expanding. We hope you’ve found some of the sites we’ve discovered to be useful. To that end, we’ve enlarged the focus of the updates. It used to be called “Food Sites for [insert month and year here],” but is now called “Food & Writing Sites for [insert month and year here]”.
Yet another addition to the web is a resource both for readers and writers: Substack. We’ve taken to that new medium, as well, and—since the last issue of these updates—posted:
“Close Encounters of the -nth Kind,” a new entry in a book-in-progress (Meetings with Remarkable Men… and a Few Others);
“Solitude,” writing about writing in isolation;
“Entitlement,” a sort of character sketch;
“Playing the Part,” another new entry in that book-in-progress;
“Quidquid Cognoscitur,” an essay on seeing;
“Awkward First Date with a Robot,” a virtual brush with fame;
“On Editing (and a little self-editing),” someone else’s work-in-progress;
“Taking Liberties…” an ahistorical exercise;
“Intelligent Design,” another new entry in that book-in-progress;
“…But I Digress,” on one’s stream of consciousness (or lack thereof;
You can, should you choose to, follow us on Facebook (where, among other things, we post a LOT of photographs) and Twitter. Still more of our online scribbles can be found at A Quiet Little Table in the Corner and other Substack pages. There’s even an Amazon author’s page, that includes food writing and anything else we manage to get into print.
Summer is hot dog season (and Joey Chestnut is once again its champion), so let’s honor America’s favorite mystery meat with selections from On the Table’s culinary quote collection:
A hot dog at the ball park is better than steak at the Ritz. Humphrey Bogart
Although the frankfurter originated in Frankfurt, Germany, we have long since made it our own, a twin pillar of democracy along with Mom's apple pie. In fact, now that Mom's apple pie comes frozen and baked by somebody who isn't Mom, the hot dog stands alone. What it symbolizes remains pure, even if what it contains does not. William Zinsser
I devoured hot-dogs in Baltimore 'way back in 1886, and they were then very far from newfangled...They contained precisely the same rubber, indigestible pseudo-sausages that millions of Americans now eat, and they leaked the same flabby, puerile mustard. Their single point of difference lay in the fact that their covers were honest German Wecke made of wheat-flour baked to crispiness, and not the soggy rolls prevailing today, of ground acorns, plaster-of-Paris, flecks of bath-sponge, and atmospheric air all compact. H.L. Mencken
When General Lee took possession of Chambersburg on his way to Gettysburg, we happened to be a member of the Committee representing the town. Among the first things he demanded for his army was twenty-five barrels of Sauer-Kraut.
The Guardian, 1869 (who knew that Confederates were so fond of hot dogs?)
Gary
August 2025
PS: If you encounter broken links, changed URLs—or know of wonderful sites we’ve missed—please drop us a line. It helps to keep this resource as useful as possible for all of us. To those who have pointed out corrections or tasty sites (this month we’re tipping our virtual hat to Alison Pearlman—thanks, and keep them coming!
PPS: If you wish to change the e-mail address at which you receive these newsletters, or otherwise modify the way you receive our postings or—if you’ve received this newsletter by mistake, and/or don’t wish to receive future issues—you have our sincere apology and can have your e-mail address deleted from the list immediately. We’re happy (and continuously amazed) that so few people have decided to leave the list but—should you choose to be one of them—let us know and we’ll see that your in-box is never afflicted by these updates again.
— the new sites —
(a New Yorker article, from 2017, on South Carolina BBQ)
Ask a Wine Pro: What Is Black Chardonnay?
(Hannah Staab’s answer at VinePair)
Ask a Wine Pro: What Is a “PiWi” Grape?
(another answer from Hannah Staab)
Birthplaces of Every Popular Style of Beer, The
(a world map, from VinePair)
Caffeine Supports Focus, Memory, Antioxidant Activity, Athletic Performance & More
(Morgan Chamberlain’s report in mindbodygreen)
From Battlefields to Jukeboxes, the Surprising History Behind the Rum & Coke Isn’t What You Think
(who knew that Morey Amsterdam had something to do with it? Wayne Curtis, at Men’s Journal, that’s who)
Guide to the Cardamoms of the World, A
(Andrew Coletti, on several genera of the Zingiberaceae—Ginger—family, for GastroObscura)
(an entry from Paul Lenz’s substack page, The History of Things)
How Italians Eat: Explore the History of a Meal
(Carlotta Panza explains the historical background of the order of courses for Italy Segreta)
Inside the Surprisingly Long History of Beer and the Ancient People Who Invented It
(Austin Harvey doesn’t mess with Mesopotamia at All That’s Interesting)
Let’s Talk About Chinese Preserved Vegetables
(from Xueci Cheng’s substack site, “Chili Crisp”)
Newly Encountered Amazonian Artisan Food Products
(a report from Nicholas Gill’s Substack page)
On Alfeñique and Caring for the Dead
(Nawal Nasrallah’s article in Arablit; ameliorating mourning with sugar)
“One Day—and One Night—in the Kitchen at Les Halles”
(Anthony Bourdain’s 2000 article in The New Yorker)
Pop, Soda or Coke? The Fizzy History Behind America’s Favorite Linguistic Debate
(courtesy of The Conversation)
(more hot dog history from The New Yorker, August 3, 1928)
Spicy Southern Mustard That’s Perfect For Grilled Hot Dogs, The
(Mathieson Nishimura slathers his dogs with creole mustard at The Takeout)
Transcending Seasonality: Preserving in Mid-Nineteenth-Century Recipes
(Rachel A. Snell’s article in The Recipes Project)
Vineyards and Gardens of Ancient Pompeii
(an account—published in WANTED in ROME—of an exhibit, "De Gustibus from the Vegetable Garden to the Table,” held at several locations in Vesuvius’s ash-preserved moment-in-time)
What Does “Racy” Mean in Wine?
(an answer, from Marshall Tilden III, at Wine Enthusiast)
What Exactly Is Italian Ice—and Is It Even Italian?
(spoiler alert: according to Mental Floss, it’s no more Italian than spaghetti and meatballs)
Why All of Upstate New York Grew Up Eating the Same Barbecue Chicken
(spoiler alert: it’s because of the man who invented chicken nuggets)
Why Is It Called “Cream Soda” If There’s No Cream In It?
(Tim Brinkhof’s answer at Mental Floss; but what about egg creams?)
Why Is It Called “New York-Style” Cheesecake?
(Jake Rossen answers, at Mental Floss—with comparisons to other, less geographically-ennobled, cheesecakes)
(possible site of our ancestors’ first attempts at cooking; alas, no recipes)
— inspirational (or useful) sites for writers/bloggers —
8 of the World’s Most Curious Drinking Customs and Superstitions
10 Additional Stray Copyeditorial Thoughts
Aesthetic Politics of the Tasting Menu, The
All Hail the Slop Bowl, Lunch of Our Ancestors
Brief History of Bog Butter, A
Consumer Culture Matters: Insights from Contemporary Representations of Cooking
Cook Who Never Used a Cookbook Now Has Her Own, A
Cookbooks—A Resource to Study Food History
Culinary Heritage—Tracing, Shaping and Reshaping Food Culture from the Middle Ages to the Present
Do Colder or Warmer Places Eat More Spicy or Bland Food?
Eating this Food Before Bed Might Be Giving You Nightmares
Edible Discourse: Thinking Through Food and Its Archives
Embracing the Isolation of Social Media
Fantastic, Fading Retro Diners of Hong Kong, The
Flavors that Offend: The Aesthetic Function of Disgust
Food Writing and Messy Materiality
Gastronomy Foundation (The Influence of Culture on Food) Volume 11 SEP
Geography Lesson You Can Eat, The: Around The UK in 19 Local Dishes
Hidden Voices from the Culinary Past: Oral History as a Tool for Culinary Historians
Interview: Editor Sean deLone on How Modern Publishing Actually Works
Lessons from Archaeology and Anthropology Applied to New England Cookbooks
Little Rant about Using Images, A
Most Commonly Requested Meals Inmates Ask for Before Leaving this Mortal Coil, The
Old-School Desserts People Loved to Eat in the 1980s
On BBQ and the Writing of List Articles
On Pleasure, Food, and the Moral Meaning of Flavor
Romance and Cost of Great US Cheese, The
Taste Gap, The (and Why Your Art Is Trash at First... But That’s Okay)
That’s Balsamic Vinegar? You’ve Been Conned
Traditional Food as an Archive of History and Culture
“Wait to Eat” Rule Is Awkward for Everyone, The. Here’s Why.
What Do You Want From Food Writing?
What Is a Bao Bun and How Is It So Fluffy?
What’s the Scratch in “Made from Scratch”?
Why Are Black and White Truffles the Most Expensive and Sought-After Foods?
Why Is Spam Made in That Distinct Rectangular Shape?
Wine Without Context Is Wine Half-Tasted
— podcasts, et cetera —
18 Snacks from the 1970s—We’ll NEVER Taste Again!
An Old Friend, Madonna’s Lippy, a Freshly Creosoted Fence, and a Beautifully Refreshing Lassi
Face It: You’re a Crazy Person
(if you think you want to be a cook—or a writer—you should listen to this)
How to Dine Like an Ancient Philosopher
How to Make Classic Tibetan Vegan Momo
Infamous Chicken Buffet in Aspic, The
Ketchup’s Sweet and Sour History
Last Limburger Plant in America
VinePair Podcast, The: Vermouth’s Great Vanishing Act
— changed URLs —
(the history of, and myths about, some of your favorite brands of soft drinks)
— that’s all for now —
Except, of course, for the usual legalistic mumbo-jumbo and commercial flim-flam:
As an Amazon Associate, this newsletter earns from qualifying purchases made through it. These include our own books (listed below), and occasional books mentioned in the entries above. If you order anything via those links, the price you pay is not increased by our commission.
Occasionally, URLs we provide may take you to commercial sites (that is, they’ll cost you money to take full advantage of them), or publications that have paywalls. We do not receive any compensation for listing them here and are providing them without any form of recommendation—other than the fact that they looked interesting to us.
Your privacy is important to us. We will not give, sell or share your e-mail address with anyone, for any purpose. Ever. Nonetheless, we will expose you to the following irredeemably brazen plugs for our own books:
The Resource Guide for Food Writers
(Hardcover)
(Paper)
(Kindle)
(newsletters like this merely update the contents of the book; what doesn’t appear here is already in the book)
The Herbalist in the Kitchen
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food And Drink Industries
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
Human Cuisine
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Herbs: A Global History
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
Sausage: A Global History
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
Can It! The Perils and Pleasures of Preserving Foods
(Hardcover)
(Kindle)
Sauces Reconsidered: Après Escoffier
Terms of Vegery
(Paper)
(Kindle)
How to Serve Man:
On Cannibalism, Sex, Sacrifice, & the Nature of Eating
(Paper)
(Kindle)
How to Write a Great Book
The Digressions of Dr Sanscravat: Gastronomical Ramblings & Other Diversions
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Ephemera: a short collection of short stories
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Prophet Amidst Losses
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Future Tense: Remembrance of Things Not Yet Past
(Paper)
(Kindle)
The Backstories: As retold by Gary Allen
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Tabula Rasa, Baby: (Not Written in Stone)
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Unbelievable: A Modern Novella (the Extended Edition)
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Noirvella: The Extended Edition
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Hot Hot Hot/Risky Business
(Paper)
(Kindle)
The Long & Short of It: A Miscellany
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Beer Taste & Other Disorders
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Galloping Gourmand: A Culinary Collection
(Paper)
(Kindle)
Inedible: Cruel & Unusual Foods That Moms Used to Make and Inflicted on Young & Innocent Palates
Substack Lightnin’: Volume One, The First Year
Substack Lightnin’: Volume Two, Second Year
Substack Lightnin’: Volume Three, Third Year
Here endeth the sales pitch(es)...
...for the moment, anyway.
______________
The Resource Guide for Food Writers, Update #298 is protected by copyright and is provided at no cost, for your personal use only. It may not be copied or retransmitted unless this notice remains affixed. Any other form of republication—unless with the author’s prior written permission—is strictly prohibited.
As the author of this page—being a real living person—I have not used AI for any purpose (beyond routine spellcheck). Nor do I permit the use of any of its content for training of AI systems, or in the generation of AI content.
Copyright ©2025 by Gary Allen.
