The Taste Of The Holidays

Taste of the Holidays is an Inverse series about the science of classic holiday foods. Get the inside scoop on your favorite (or hated) nostalgic holiday dishes with new stories through December 2023.

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Taste of the Holidays

Cookie Swap Rules For Safety: How to Stay Healthy During the Holiday Tradition

By Kate Bratskeir

Innocent holiday tradition or festive petri dish?

Taste of the Holidays

The Delicate Chemistry Behind Your Favorite Holiday Candy

By Madeline Muzzi

How to make picture-perfect chocolate at home.

Taste of the Holidays

How To Fry The Perfect Latke (According To Science)

By Kate Bratskeir

“Latkes have to be fried, and if they’re not, you’re doing it wrong.”

Taste of the Holidays

900 Years Later, Technology Has Drastically Altered This Divisive British Food

By Kaitlin Sullivan

The ancient dish is as steeped in science as it is in history.

Taste of the Holidays

The Most Popular Holiday Treat Reveals a Weird Evolutionary Mix-Up

By Becca Caddy

Peppermint is a beloved ingredient in November and December. But should it be?

Taste of the Holidays

The Perfect Storm of Chemistry Makes Cranberries a Holiday Staple

By Becca Caddy

Cranberries don’t claim a spot on your holiday table for no one reason.

Science

Is Velveeta Real Cheese? The Secret Science That Makes “Cheese Products” So Gooey

By Kaitlin Sullivan

“The flavor profile has just kind of become part of America.”

Taste of the Holidays

The Most Delicious Holiday Meat Is a Miracle of Modern Science

By Kaitlin Sullivan

“There's a lot of chemistry that's going on.”

Taste of the Holidays

Inside the toxic history of a beloved festive spice

By Becca Caddy

Next time you drink a pumpkin spice latte, think before you sip.

Taste of the Holidays

Why does cheese taste like cheese? Food experts explain how microbes work magic

By Becca Caddy

“Human nature is all about ebbs and flows, and cheese is no different.”