What if I told you that everything you thought you knew about the forbidden fruit in Genesis 3 may be wrong? Though modern day depictions and references suggest Eve partook of an apple, Genesis never stated the specific fruit. That association derived from tradition, art, and a twist of language. While the exact origin is unknown, it is speculated to have evolved from the Latin word “malum.” It all comes down to language symbols. In some languages, textual symbols are used to

Before all the modern diet debates, before meat was even part of the story, Eden was the original garden menu. Veganism didn’t start as a trend. It started in Creation. In the first chapter of Genesis, God gave Adam, Eve, and even the animals every seed-bearing plant and every green plant for food. There was no mention of animals being part of the human diet. Genesis 1:29-30 ESV “And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the

Long before modern cookbooks, there were the Yale Culinary Tablets — ancient Babylonian clay tablets that preserve some of the world’s oldest known written recipes. Housed at Yale University as part of the Yale Babylonian Collection, these cuneiform tablets open a window into the ancient kitchen. While little is known about their origin, it is presumed that they were likely excavated from Southern Mesopotamia or modern day Iraq. Written in Akkadian text, they were first belie

Beginning June 2026, Taste and Sea Reviews and Reflections will be moving in a slightly new direction. The coastal Florida restaurant reviews and biblical reflections will remain, but destination reviews will be replaced by Food Facts and History. This will bring greater cohesiveness to the content by primarily relating to food and hospitality. It will also allow for a wider range of unique and informative content to be shared. I look forward to all the new and exciting w

I have a confession to make. I have lived in Florida most of my life and never realized there were 12 coasts. Obviously, growing up in Northeast Florida, I knew we were referred to as the First Coast, primarily due to the city of St. Augustine. Then there’s naturally the aptly named Space Coast for the Kennedy Space Center region that I am familiar with. Of course, there’s the well-known Emerald Coast for their beautiful turquoise green waters and hugely popular vacation d