I've long loved Baked Alaska, that very old-school combination of cake, ice cream, and meringue toasted to a crisp, but I'd never thought about its history before Victoria of Edible History mentioned it during her talk on the history of the restaurant in NYC. 

I was surprised to learn the dish was much older than I'd imagined, having been in existence since at least the 19th century. And though its exact origin is unclear, it was...

read more →