Tasting History - A Journey

Almost ten years ago, Max Miller was supposed to go to Disney World. But instead, he ended up holed up in a hotel room in Orlando with his sick traveling partner, binge watching The Great British Bake Off. To this experience, Miller credits his entire culinary career and the creation of the book, Tasting History. 

“Watching Mary Berry explain the subtle art of baking intrigued me, and I took the bakers’ various failures as a personal challenge. On top of that, the hosts, Mel and Sue, would routinely step away from the tent to tell the audience about the history of whatever the bakers were baking, and for me, history has always been an ingredient to make any subject more enjoyable."

Five years later, Miller was deep into his journey as a personal baker with a penchant for selecting obscure recipes from the depths of history. He started his YouTube channel, Tasting History with Max Miller, in February 2020, quickly garnering a massive following of history lovers, foodies, and experimental chefs alike. Operating from a philosophy of rediscovering recipes that have been excluded from the historical record, and largely forgotten—Miller garnered millions of views preparing recipes for Ancient Roman fish sauce, selections from the first-class menu on the Titanic, and Viking Blood Bread. 

Published in 2023 by Simon & Schuster, Miller’s New York Times bestselling cookbook Tasting History: Explore the Past Through 4,000 Years of Recipes compiles sixty of his most iconic recipes—presented with excerpts from primary sources (including the Yale Babylonian Tablets and Elinor Fettiplace’s Receipt Book), vibrantly told culinary histories, and Miller’s modern adaptations. Learn how to prepare puls, a fava bean porridge from the 2^nd century consumed by the gladiators; or a garlic sauce prepared at the Prince of Transylvania’s court; or the “Little Meat Cakes” enjoyed by Genghis Khan and his descendants. 

On YouTube, Miller garnered millions of views preparing recipes for Ancient Roman fish sauce, selections from the first-class menu on the Titanic, and Viking Blood Bread. 

“Historic cooking,” writes Miller in the Introduction to the book, “is less a matter of academia and more a matter of fun. As a child, I loved pretending, imagining what it might be like to be a knight in medieval England or a gladiator in Ancient Rome, and while I rarely run around the house hacking at my family with a wooden sword these days, I never lost the passion for putting myself in the shoes of those who came before me. I’ve found the easiest and most delicious way to do so is by following their recipes and trying to eat what they ate.” 

Tasting History is a rare entry-point for the digitally-engaged to get their hands on something, for the historically-engaged to try something altogether new, and for the home cook to dive deeper into their understandings of ingredients, cultures, and even empires. For these reasons and more, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library has chosen Miller’s book as this year’s One Book One Community (OBOC) selection. As the first-ever cookbook featured by the program, Tasting History will no doubt foster exciting conversations throughout our food-loving city and offer plenty of opportunities for innovative programming. 

Find Miller’s Youtube Channel at youtube.com/@tastinghistory. This year’s OBOC program begins with the free kickoff party on Friday, March 8 from 5 pm–7 pm at the Main Library at Goodwood, and will continue with six weeks of free programming. Find the schedule, and other information, at ReadOneBook.org.