Dish Discovery: Research Resources for Culinary History
Books & Cookbooks
- Historic cookbooks from your culture or region (check libraries or online archives)
- Food history books like “A History of Food” by Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat or “The Food of a Younger Land” by Mark Kurlansky
- Family heirloom cookbooks or handwritten recipe collections
🏛️ Archives & Museums
- National and regional culinary museums (e.g., The Southern Food & Beverage Museum, Germany’s Currywurst Museum)
- Local historical societies or cultural heritage centers
- University archives with ethnographic or culinary collections
🌐 Online Databases & Websites
- Google Books for digitized historical cookbooks
- Europeana for European cultural heritage materials
- The British Library Food History Collection
- Library of Congress for American food culture archives
- OldCook for medieval and Renaissance recipes
🧑🍳 Oral Histories & Interviews
- Conversations with elders, relatives, and community members
- Audio or video recordings of traditional cooking methods
- Cultural storytelling sessions or food-focused family gatherings
📰 Articles & Journals
- Academic journals like Food and Foodways or Gastronomica
- Newspaper archives for historical mentions of dishes
- Online food magazines with historical features (e.g., Serious Eats, Saveur)
🗺️ Geography & Migration Studies
Studies on how colonization, immigration, and trade influenced ingredients and techniques
Maps showing trade routes and migration patterns