#Foodhistory

Luk chup, the tiny, glossy Thai confections shaped like miniature fruits and vegetables, has long delighted Bangkok markets and palace kitchens alike. Today, as food writers and chefs in New York, Bangkok, and beyond celebrate their artistry, researchers and educators are revisiting what these cute morsels reveal about history, culture, and how Thai cuisine travels across borders. The latest exploration of luk chup pulls from royal archives, cross-cultural exchange with Portugal, and a modern wave of classrooms and pop-up tasting rooms that treat dessert as storytelling as much as sweetness.

A new archaeological study reshapes our view of ancient Roman dining, showing that fast food culture extended beyond bread and olives. Excavations in Spain reveal that ordinary Romans, not just the elite, frequently enjoyed fried songbirds—especially thrushes—at bustling roadside eateries. The findings come from a study published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.

From a Pollentia cesspit in Mallorca, archaeologists analyzed animal bones dating from the first century BC to the first century AD. Among mammals, fish, and reptiles, a large number of small thrush bones stood out, discarded in what was once a commercial district. These scraps offer a rare, intimate glimpse into the eating habits of Roman townsfolk and challenge the notion that such delicacies were reserved for the wealthy.