Portside

From Mongolian barbecue to Russian dressing, you can’t tell a food’s origin by its name.

Food is complicated. That creation you love from “The Great British Baking Show? It’s been the subject of arguments over culture, identity and copyright.

More than a century ago, billions of American chestnuts were wiped out by an invasive fungus. Scientists are working to restore the tree to its former glory.

Betty Crocker's name was invented as a customer service tool that would sound friendly and personal; also it seemed more likely that female customers would trust a woman.

Many of America’s favorite recipes today were born from commercial incentives--from the obvious Rice Krispies Treats and Jell-O salads, to beloved condensed-soup casserole and stuffing recipes passed down for generations.

Observational studies suggest a link between high cocoa or chocolate intake of 6 grams daily (1-2 small squares) and a reduced risk of heart disease and mortality, possibly in part by reducing blood pressure and inflammation.

You can still buy the actual fruitcakes served at British Royal weddings though some have survived long past their shelf life.

The European Union has started to approve insects as food and indicatioins are that it will not be the last such verdict.

The Roman culinary experience, as reflected in the vast amount of evidence that survives in Pompeii, was a great deal more ordinary than we have been led to believe.

In Priya Fielding-Singh’s book “How the Other Half Eats: The Untold Story of Food and Inequality in America,” the author argues that increasing access to food requires addressing underlying structural problems.