The History Of Pizza As Told By Pizza

history-of-pizza

The history of pizza is an interesting one. And, who better to tell the story, than with actual stop-motion slices and pizza-related items?

The Evolution of Pizza is brought to us by BuzzFeed. By moving around various forms of pizza and pizza-like products, we get a quick history lesson, while yearning for a slice. Please watch this, and be better educated for your next pizza night.

[link, via Geeks Are Sexy]

Popcorn’s Long History and The Science Behind Why It Pops

popcorn

The next time that you’re at the movies…Try to take a short break from shoveling popcorn into your pie-hole, to appreciate the history and science behind the snack.

For instance… Did you know that popcorn kernels can be traced back to the ancient Aztecs? And, that the uncooked popcorn kernel is a sort of pressure cooker — helping to cook its own innards until the starches explode and solidify.

The short video Popcorn’s Beautiful, Explosive Journey lays it all out, and might have you craving some popcorn shortly after. Even if you’re going to torture your entire office with the stench of microwave popcorn — you can at least share some cool popcorn trivia too. It’s no wonder you never get invited to lunch.

[link, via First We Feast]

Who Knew? Foods Named After People

28-foods

Brought to us by John Green over at Mental Floss, we’re treated to some serious education on the origin of 28 food’s names. For instance, we finally find out who’s responsible for Salisbury steak, and that the dish is actually grosser than we even remembered. Thanks for ruining our childhood, Mr. Salisbury.

Get educated here…

[link, via Laughing Squid]

Chickens Dressed as Historical Figures

To accompany their story on the history of the chicken as food item, Smithsonian magazine dressed up a few birds as historical figures. Spanning the 10,000 years since the chicken has been used in a culinary capacity, we get the poultry version of anyone from Julius Caesar and Abe Lincoln, to Napoleon and Albert Einstein. There’s even General Tso — because Smithsonian likes its chicken spicy.

General Tso
Napoleon
King Tut

[photos by Timothy Archibald, see more historical chickens here]