This word appeared in the mideighteenth century and was much used to describe a foolish person. One of the earliest authors to use it was Laurence Sterne in Tristram Shandy. Mrs Shandy has just given birth to a son but he is not expected to live. Mr...

The Chinese used to call all wheaten food bing, a word exclusively referring to crepes or pancakes in modern times. Around 25–220 AD, zhubing (boiled bing) and later tangbing (soup bing) emerged in central north China. It acquired its current...

A noodle is made from unleavened dough that has been shaped into thin flat strips or round cylinders and cooked in a boiling liquid. Depending upon the type, noodles may be dried or refrigerated before cooking. The word noodle derives from the German...