The origins of food and spirits are usually not well known and can sometimes be hard to track down. After all, how do you figure out where something that’s been around for centuries originated? On this week’s show we’ll speak with several culinary historians about the history of some fabulous foods, and some spirits too.

We begin with author and historical gastronomist Sarah Lohman. Her book, 8 Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine recognizes the relationship between the eight flavors she considers the foundation of American cuisine. She shares a tale of how a slave named Edward Albius changed the world by learning to pollinate vanilla, a plant native to Mexico, outside of its native environment.