Little Known New York Food History

The histories of iconic NYC foods, from Yiddish bagels and mob-controlled egg creams to General Tso’s chicken. Curated by Anna Oakes.

The histories of iconic NYC foods, from Yiddish bagels and mob-controlled egg creams to... more

Hosted and curated ByWillie Zabar

, Podcaster

9 CLIPS44 MINS

Clip 1 of 9

Food Gangsters and Egg Creams

Fizzy and refreshing, egg creams are not what you might associate with the notorious gangs of 19th-century New York City. Food writer Andrew Coe visits the nefarious origins of this eggless, creamless treat.

A Taste of the Past

4 MINS

Clip 2 of 9

Bagels, "The Cement Donut"

The beloved bagel traces its origins to Jewish communities in Poland, but immigrants quickly brought them to the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The evolution of the bagel, and its surprising role in labor organizing in New York City.

Gastropod

4 MINS

Clip 3 of 9

Pizza: "One Hell of a Flatbread"

Is there any more iconically New York food than pizza? Robert Sietsema, author of 'New York in a Dozen Dishes,' explores the history of this now-universal dish.

A Taste of the Past

5 MINS

Clip 4 of 9

The Seltzer Man of Brooklyn

Maya Bernstein-Schalet speaks to Walter Backerman, the Seltzer Man of Brooklyn, about this bubbly beverage, and its role in the history of Jewish New York.

Meat and Three

4 MINS

Clip 5 of 9

The Decadent Cheesecake

The ancestors of the cheesecake date back millennia. But New York-style cheesecake owes its origins to the invention of industrial cream cheese. Hosts Greg Young and Tom Meyers explore the history of this rich, creamy dessert.

The Bowery Boys: New York City History

5 MINS

Clip 6 of 9

A Zabars History Lesson

Zabars is a mainstay on the Upper West Side, where it has served bagels, smoked fish, cheese and other traditional Jewish foods for over a century. Willie Zabar, great-grandson of the deli’s founder, traces the family history.

The Zabar's Podcast

4 MINS

Clip 7 of 9

Nathan's Famous and the New York Hotdog

Coney Island isn’t complete without Nathan’s Famous – and its equally-famous annual hotdog-eating contest. The growth, and an explosive story, of this beloved establishment.

The Bowery Boys: New York City History

4 MINS

Clip 8 of 9

General Tso’s and the Chinese-American Experience

In Chinese restaurants across the country, enterprising immigrants, excluded from other industries, adapted traditional dishes to American palates. The fascinating invention of General Tso’s Chicken and its creator.

General Tso’s and the Chinese-American Experience

Savor

5 MINS

Clip 9 of 9

The Oyster City and Its Oyster King

Mid-1800s New York was a city of oysters; and Thomas Downing, son of emancipated enslaved Virginians, was its king. Host Lexi Hubb explores the history of the early New York food scene.

The Bivalve Trail

6 MINS

Hosted and curated ByWillie Zabar

, Podcaster

9 CLIPS44 MINS

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Little Known New York Food History

Food Gangsters and Egg Creams

A Taste of the Past

Bagels, "The Cement Donut"

Gastropod

Pizza: "One Hell of a Flatbread"

A Taste of the Past

The Seltzer Man of Brooklyn

Meat and Three

The Decadent Cheesecake

The Bowery Boys: New York City History

A Zabars History Lesson

The Zabar's Podcast

Nathan's Famous and the New York Hotdog

The Bowery Boys: New York City History

General Tso’s and the Chinese-American Experience

Savor

The Oyster City and Its Oyster King

The Bivalve Trail

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