![In the latter half of the 20th century, sushi went from exotic delicacy to all-American food. In the latter half of the 20th century, sushi went from exotic delicacy to all-American food.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2127,h_1196,x_0,y_114/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01hp57bpmm43yxesq0d3.jpg)
![Sarah Lohman Sarah Lohman](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_180,ar_1:1,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01fw71t9mmevf2q4r0t6.jpg)
Sarah Lohman
Joined: Dec 6, 2016
Sarah Lohman is a culinary historian and author of the book Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine as well as the blog Four Pounds Flour.
![In the latter half of the 20th century, sushi went from exotic delicacy to all-American food. In the latter half of the 20th century, sushi went from exotic delicacy to all-American food.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2127,h_1196,x_0,y_114/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01hp57bpmm43yxesq0d3.jpg)
![The diners of the 1950s featured a sleek, space age design. The diners of the 1950s featured a sleek, space age design.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3834,h_2156,x_0,y_182/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01h3fmw2023aazwttkgm.jpg)
The Delicious History of the Diner
![Is there beaver butt secretion in your vanilla ice cream? Is there beaver butt secretion in your vanilla ice cream?](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3840,h_2160,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01gxrjvqqf88gvj7rsv5.jpg)
A Brief History of Castoreum, the Beaver Butt Secretion Used as Flavoring
![rez-art/iStock via Getty Images rez-art/iStock via Getty Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/590133-gettyimages-594465522-0-2f8d6ea77ca88e8457b9c75e808c7054.jpg)
5 Rules for the Paleo Diet from Actual Paleolithic Humans
Why Early America Was Obsessed With Wooden Nutmegs
Two hundred years ago, crafting fake spices out of wood was a popular pastime—or so the legends would have you believe.
8 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Chocolate-Makers
Don't keep your good chocolate in the fridge!