The Food Timeline home page is just what it says – a timeline of food … created by Lynne Olver, a reference librarian … the Food Timeline is rich with links to more information … including recipes, definitions, and photos … Ms. Olver encourages visitors to ask questions … she has answered almost 10,000 since starting the site in 1999 … and we did not find one dead link on the site …

Ever wonder what foods the Vikings ate when they set off to explore the new world? How Thomas Jefferson made his ice cream? What the pioneers cooked along the Oregon Trail? Who invented the potato chip…and why? Welcome to the Food Timeline.

Each item on the timeline is linked to an explanatory article for more information, such as:

• Mealtimes: E.g., in England, “breakfast is served between 7:30 and 9, and lunch between 12 and 2. Tea–an essential and respected part of British tradition, and often a meal in itself–is generally served between 4:30 and 5:30. Dinner or supper is served between 7:30 and 9:30, sometimes earlier.”
• The “first ‘fast food’ restaurants were thermopolium, operated by Ancient Romans.” (picture of a thermopolia by Jodi Magness)
• Wok Cookery: “The wok is also the ultimate tool of kitchen convenience, as it can be used to boil, sautee, stir-fry, deep-fry and steam. As one pot cooks all, clean-up is likewise minimal.”
• Historic food prices (also see The Economist’s Big Mac Index, which only goes back to the late-1980’s)
• What is TexMex?
• Real people–or brand names? – links to brand names that are – or are not – named after real people
• Link to recipes for Green Eggs & Ham – really! (look on the right side of the timeline)

The Food Timeline is another demonstration of why we love librarians. Thank you Lynne Olver for such an interesting site.
AGINY Highly Recommended and Top 10