A history of American cooking

From Classic American recipes come to life:

Anthony Bourdain would have eaten well in the 1870s, which presented some extreme foods, including horse steak, brain fritters, starfish, roasted cat (Rôti de chat) and braised lion with olives and oranges.

This last dish was served as a special dinner at Restaurant Magny in New York. 'When Mr Lion was placed upon the table,' a participant wrote, 'there was a religious silence, which, however, lasted only for a few seconds, for at the first mouthful a murmur of approbation ran round the table, and the guests with one accord drank to the health of Mr Cheret' – the hunter – 'and M Magny, coupling in their admiration the valiant lion–slayer and the clever artiste who had proved himself able to prepare such a delicious dish out of the flesh of this ferocious game, which is more frequently in the habit of eating others than of being eaten itself.'
...
My cooking axioms
Use fresh spices, good oil and flaky non–iodised salt
Low–fat dairy is not a dependable substitute
Add enough salt to your pasta water that it tastes like seawater
If a recipe calls for yogurt, use a whole–milk Greek yogurt. The recipe and your life will be better for it
Good ingredients are expensive. But if more people buy them, the prices will drop (at last, my economics degree proves useful) Use more salt and higher heat than you think is prudent when searing meats
Take biscuits off the baking sheet within two minutes, no matter what the recipe says Undermixing is better than overmixing
I know this sounds batty, but no toasters and no kettles–they take up valuable worktop and oven space. (Use your grill for toasting and a pan to boil water)
Refrigerate your best oils and definitely don't store them near your stove
Use a meat pounder to crush garlic and spices
When it comes to pastry and bread doughs, remember you're the boss

* This is an extract from 'The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century' by Amanda Hesser.

The rest of the essay is just as fascinating for those of us who cook and love food.