If you could travel back in time to the medieval period, you’d soon see some fashion trends that are a far cry from today’s typical clothing. Depending on what century you arrived in — Europe’s medieval period lasted approximately from the fifth century to the 15th century — you might see an array of fanciful hats, from Robin Hood-style bycockets to towering cone-shaped hennin hats worn by wealthy ladies. Sleeves, too, were particularly flamboyant: Puffed-up bombast sleeves made male biceps look larger, while women of status wore long, hanging bliaut sleeves that trailed to the ground.  It was certainly an era of weird and wonderful fashion trends, and perhaps none is more peculiar to our modern eyes than the fad of wearing extravagantly pointed footwear. These pointy shoes were known as cracows or poulaines, both names referring to the origin of the footwear …Read More

Americans’ eating habits have changed a lot throughout the country’s history, and not unlike breakfast, lunch, and dinner staples, dessert choices tend to look very different today than they did a few generations ago.  In the late 1800s and early 1900s, desserts were shaped by the ingredients and circumstances of the era. Until the mid-20th century, most of the U.S. didn’t have year-round access to fresh foods; economic downturns, food rationing, and periodic shortages during certain seasons were a normal part of life. Home cooks thus had to be thrifty and creative, turning whatever was affordable, seasonal, or already on hand into something tasty. Here are a few dessert dishes from your grandparents’ era that have all but disappeared today. Junket For much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a custardlike dessert known as junket was a mainstay on American tables. …Read More

War is full of logistical challenges, one of the major concerns — in conflicts both ancient and modern — being how to feed the armies doing the fighting. Whether it’s Roman legionaries, British Redcoats, or modern infantry, soldiers have always needed a reliable supply of food to maintain both their energy levels and morale. As the old saying goes, “An army marches on its stomach.”  Military rations have existed since at least the time of ancient Rome, when soldiers received 2 pounds of bread a day, sometimes with meat, olive oil, and wine. Today, U.S. troops are provided with MREs — “Meals, Ready-to-Eat” — which are carefully tested, formulated, and packaged rations designed to sustain soldiers during training and military operations. These MREs have a shelf life of three years and can survive being dropped from an aircraft. But not every soldier is …Read More

Falling between the heyday of the Western Roman Empire and the onset of the Renaissance, the Middle Ages have an unflattering reputation as something of a backward epoch of human civilization. Wars raged across Europe, serfs toiled in backbreaking service to feudal lords, and diseases wiped out villages with little hope of preventing the next outbreak. While the negative connotations may not be entirely fair, few would dispute that medieval citizens lived in more primitive conditions than their modern counterparts, and that the day-to-day necessities for survival were markedly different. As such, the era produced certain professions that filled important needs of the time but seem quite unusual in hindsight. Here are six of the strangest. Rat Catcher Although the widespread belief that rats were the main carriers of the bubonic plague has largely been debunked, these critters nevertheless did spread disease in …Read More

During Europe’s golden age of exploration — from roughly the 1400s through the 1700s — long voyages over land and sea were fraught with danger. Potential threats lay around every corner and across every sea — harsh landscapes, raging oceans, and clashes with Indigenous inhabitants were just some of the problems faced. And then there were the fundamentals of survival, none more important than what to eat.  For sailors at sea and overland expeditions pushing through unmapped wilderness, the question of food was one not of comfort but of staying alive. A lack of food meant starvation and sickness, and often a catastrophic end to even the most meticulously planned expedition. But what exactly did explorers eat on these long journeys? Here we look at some of the common food supplies carried — or harvested — during this era.  Hardtack If there was …Read More