Food and Recipes

Here is a place for you to play with your food -- literally: enjoy, have fun with and celebrate food -- but don't worry, we'll still help you get dinner on the table every night.

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Truffles: The Rarest and Most Expensive Fungi in the World

Truffles are prized the world over for their pungent, earthy flavor, but what's so special about them, and why is the truffle trade so cutthroat and secretive?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Nov 25, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

What's All the Buzz About Manuka Honey?

This native New Zealand 'liquid gold' honey may make you want to abandon the bear. But does it really have medicinal properties, and why is it so expensive?

By Tara Yarlagadda Nov 19, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Sweets & Snacks

How Turducken Became the Ultimate Thanksgiving Triple Play

The turducken is the definitive bird-within-a-bird-within-a-bird (got that?) on the dinner table today. But who first created this mystery meat, and what does it taste like?

By Jeremy Glass Nov 19, 2019 Holidays & Special Occasion / Fall

If at First You Don't Succeed, Try Tripe Again

Humans have been cooking and eating tripe for centuries. Think you can stomach it?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler Nov 18, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

What Is Sous Vide?

Sous vide has been gaining in popularity with home cooks. So how does this immersion cooking work, and is it right for you?

By Jeremy Glass Nov 14, 2019 Tools & Techniques / Cooking How-to

What's the Difference Between Whiskey and Bourbon?

You might think the difference is only in the name, but it's more than that. The slight variations in recipes, aging and even geography make whiskey and bourbon two different alcohols.

By Patty Rasmussen Nov 12, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Beverages

Here's Why Macadamia Nuts Are So Delicious and So Crazy Expensive

The mildly flavored, slightly oily, softly crunchy macadamia is prized all over the world, but grown mostly in Hawaii.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Nov 11, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Sweets & Snacks

HowStuffWorks Illustrated: Forgot to Defrost Your Turkey?

HowStuffWorks breaks down the fastest and safest method to defrost your turkey so you can get it in the oven and on the table.

Tools & Techniques / Food Safety & Storage

What Is Candy Corn and How Is It Made?

Every Halloween, bags of triangle-shaped, yellow, orange and white candies fill trick-or-treat bags all over the U.S. But what exactly is candy corn?

By Stephanie Watson & Kathryn Whitbourne Holiday Menus / Halloween Menus

Skyr Is the 'Viking Superfood' of Yogurts

Skyr is high in protein, low in sugar and tastes better than many grocery store yogurts on the market today.

By Jeremy Glass Oct 14, 2019 Food / Healthy Living

Non-wheat Flours Don't Have to Be Daunting

Baking and cooking with non-wheat flours like cassava flour, almond flour and even rice flour doesn't have to be intimidating. We talked to experts about which flour is the right one to use when.

By Muriel Vega Oct 10, 2019 Tools & Techniques / Cooking How-to

What's All the Buzz About Ezekiel Bread?

Sprouted grain breads, like Ezekiel bread, are all the rage. But where did that name come from? And are they really better than other breads?

By Alia Hoyt Oct 2, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Breads & Grains

What Are the Different Types of Cheese?

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the volume of cheese at your local supermarket or cheesemonger, we're here to help you tell the fresh from the stinky and the soft from the hard.

By Dave Roos Food Facts & Fun / Condiments & Ingredients

6 Cheesy Facts About Cheeseburgers

We're celebrating, what else? The all-American cheeseburger.

By Tara Yarlagadda Sep 17, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

Why Are Certain Foods Eaten Mainly at Breakfast?

Americans have come to expect certain foods for breakfast. But why did these particular foods end up as morning meals?

By Shaun Chavis Sep 3, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food & Culture

Great British Baking Terms: Know Your Scones From Your Biscuits

American viewers of the hit "The Great British Baking Show" might be confused by the challenge for "Biscuit Week." We break down how the American biscuit is vastly different from the British version.

By Dave Roos Aug 30, 2019 Tools & Techniques / Baking How-to

How Does String Cheese Get Stringy?

String cheese is a super popular snack with kids and adults. And it's stringiness can be a bit baffling, too.

By Meg Sparwath Aug 12, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food Science

What's the Shelf Life of a Ketchup Packet?

They're convenient and sort of free, but do ketchup packets last forever?

By Meg Sparwath Aug 5, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Condiments & Ingredients

Can Too Much Sparkling Water Be a Bad Thing?

A wave of consumers have switched from diet soda to seltzer water in an effort to stay away from artificial sweeteners. But can consuming a lot of fizzy drinks (even if they're unsweetened) do harm?

By Nathan Chandler Aug 5, 2019 Food / Healthy Living

Jackfruit Is a Stinky, but Otherwise, Perfect Fruit

Its smell is notorious. But get past that and the jackfruit is versatile, easy to grow and packs a nutritional punch that's hard to beat.

By Adina Solomon Jul 30, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Fruits & Vegetables

Is Guava the Superfood You're Not Eating?

This tropical fruit, grown all over the tropics, has lots of health benefits. Even its leaves get in on the act.

By Alia Hoyt Jul 29, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Fruits & Vegetables

What Is Sassafras and Is it Safe?

Sassafras has a long history of culinary, medicinal and aromatic use, but safrole, a toxic compound found in its essential oils, has been banned by the FDA because of its potential carcinogenic properties.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Jul 25, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food Science

What Is Citric Acid, and Is It Safe?

Citric acid is added to everything from food to medicines to cleaning supplies. Although it occurs naturally, it's mostly manufactured from black mold. But does that mean we need to be worried?

By Alia Hoyt Jul 24, 2019 Food Facts & Fun / Food Science