by Kate Dolan | Oct 17, 2019 | Food, Latest Posts, Living History, Travel
At first, I thought I heard wrong. I could have sworn the state park employee behind the counter told a co-worker that she needed an “Ammonia Coke.” Being nosy, I had to ask. And I heard right. She wanted to head down to the local lunch counter for a “hand-pumped”...
by Kate Dolan | Sep 29, 2018 | Articles, Food, Latest Posts, Living History, Romans
Imagine you’re in a Roman fast-food restaurant. (And yes, they had lots of fast food restaurants in Rome, although I’m not sure any of the arches out front were bright yellow) Instead of ketchup or soy sauce or even salt, you might be dousing your meal...
by Kate Dolan | Feb 11, 2018 | Articles, Food, Kate Dolan, Latest Posts, Travel
Chocolate has been on my mind a lot lately. We see great big heart shaped boxes of the stuff starting the day after Christmas. And I always try to eat as much as I can before the start of Lent, when I usually give up chocolate for 40 days as a reminder of...
by Kate Dolan | Mar 16, 2016 | Articles, Food, Holidays, Kate Dolan, Latest Posts, Living History, The Irish
I can believe that some people say “to-mah-to” but I always thought that when Ira Gershwin wrote “You like potato, and I like potahto,” in the classic tune “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” he was just being lazy with his...
by Kate Dolan | Mar 1, 2015 | Articles, Colonial America, Food, Kate Dolan, Latest Posts, Living History
Today we usually think of apple cider as a wholesome children’s drink, but for most of the past thousand years, cider often contained as much alcohol as beer. Thanks to wild yeast present in the air, the natural sugar in apple juice begins to ferment (turn to...
by Kate Dolan | Oct 30, 2014 | Articles, Colonial America, Food, Kate Dolan, Latest Posts, Living History
Halloween decorations often include rats – all fake, fortunately. While I love the “Dead Mouse Theater” commercials, I don’t think I’d want to see Dead Rat Theater, at least not up close. Those long slimy-looking tails creep me out. And I’m not alone –...
